Because ALC is such an intense experience, it brings out the best of our emotions -- and sometimes the worst, too. It's not at all uncommon for your mood to turn really, really foul at some unexpected point during the ride; left unchecked, such a mood can spoil your day as well as that of others unfortunate enough to encounter you. Because this afternoon has turned into somewhat of a Queen Bitch From Hell Day for me, this seems like a good time to remind you to be aware of your emotions next week.
A bad mood sometimes can be caused by improper and/or insufficient nutrition and can be a sign that you're headed toward a bonk. That's relatively easy to fix. But there are other times when you just happen to react way out of proportion to something, especially if things haven't been going so great for you.
How do you get out of Queen Bitch mode and rejoin the rest of civilized society? The answer is different for everyone; some examples include meditation, taking a time out, eating, napping, physical activity, asking for help, conversation, and lots of others. A piece of ALC lore is that if you encounter a Queen Bitch, the proper response is to make cat-pawing motions with your hands and slowly say, "I'm a kitty, you're a kitty" -- the notion being that you can't possibly stay upset when someone does that to you. I don't know about you, but if someone did that to me while I was angry, I'd probably not react very well at all!
The most important thing is to recognize when you're headed off the cliff of bad temper ... and hopefully do something about it before you fall over the edge. Just like driving while angry, cycling while angry can pose safety risks not only to you but to others around you (both cyclists and cars). You owe it to yourself and to everyone else on the ride to always be aware of your emotional state and to take appropriate steps, when needed, to make yourself whole again.
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