Two Listen

Out of the many voices in my head, when it comes to cycling I only hear two. One of the voices says go fast and hard, and the other says to go slow and easy. The go slow voice is soft and always ridiculed by the go fast voice. Over the years I have learned the hard way that my go slow voice is often right, but it's so hard to listen to. I haven't been feeling good all week. Monday I didn't ride at all. I listened to my go slow voice today, because it was hot, humid and windy, and I've been so tired all week.
It was a beautiful summer day and I was riding solo. I took a southerly course not sure of where I'd go, but wanted to be out in some rural landscapes again. The wind was waltzing with wheat fields, turning and dipping the wheat to showoff it's delicate body while witnessing it's core strength. The wheat danced with the wind in serpentine like patterns, flashing ever so many shades of green in an attempt to attract it's next partner.
Some birds were fighting against the wind, but the wiser used it effortlessly to stay motionless in mid air. Others played games of tag dodging into broken out barn windows to avoid being caught by their pursuer.
My attempt to use the wind to my advantage was foiled by fatigue. When I finally turned and had a tail wind my speed increased, but all I could muster today was 96/18.8.