This weekend was a wet one. A very, very wet one. Today the sun is shining, the weather is cooler and I am stuck inside sick. I blame this weekend's rainy weather (I always seem to get sinus infections after a particularly wet weekend).
Saturday started out nice, although a bit cloudy. Carrie and I decided to go to Pepper Place market together early in the day. She on her Vespa and I on my new bike (details to come), riding the downtown streets looking...well, just adorable. Did some shopping and ignored the drizzle. Until that drizzle turned into a full on thunderstorm. The kind that you know will not subside and it is useless to try to wait out. So we parted ways and ran to our 2 wheeled steeds.
That ride was hell. Pouring rain, temperatures dropping and streets quickly flooding. I rode through many spots where the water was up to my knees. I can say one thing: it is a good way to break in a new bike! I got home cold, soaked and exhausted.
The rest of the day turned out lovely and we enjoyed Do Dah Day at the shop, amid the puppies and babies and heat and humidity. I got home just in time to miss the night thunderstorm.
Sunday was our planned Chief Ladiga ride: Part deux. We had already been bailed on by 1/2 the group, but we remaining 3 were determined. I cooked food the night before, got the bike ready to go and we set out at 8 am, knowing that we were probably going to get wet, but deciding to take a faster pace and hopefully be done before the storms rolled in.
After getting lost (my bad), we get to the trail...and it is raining already. Not pouring, but not sprinkling either. We laughed about it, questioned our sanity and took off. The temperature was slowly but steadily dropping and the rain was getting harder. After about 6 miles, my seat starting shifting (I can fix things but have trouble tightening them enough!), causing us to stop and thereby cooling our body temperature. Damn. Another 2.5 miles in water in my eye caused a stop, when we decided to just turn around. The rain was now a steady pour, with howling wind and cold temps plaguing us. 3 miles back, there was a slight bump...and my handlebars fell (seriously, not going anywhere until someone retightens things for me anymore!). That was scary. Rainy, slippery and suddenly unable to reach my brakes! eek
Made it back to the van, got in and decided to eat the yummy food I had brought...to discover that I did not bring enough, had we gone the whole way. We ate all of it and could have eaten more. After only 17 miles. oops.
What. A. Mess.
Rode back shivering and soaked, heat turned full blast, but able to laugh about it. The day wasn't a success per say, but it was definitely an adventure. Thanks Heath and Shaun...even though I led you astray and didn't feed you enough AND made us stop way too many times, you guys were awesome!
Hoping to try it again soon. But not too soon...I have spent today on the couch with a killer sinus infection and cold.
How was your weekend?
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ReplyDeleteGet some rain pants and a nice goretex shell (I got mine for $30 on eBay, and it's cute!) and you'll never have to fear rain again. :D
The rain pants at that link are awesome and can be found for $20 brand new. Though be careful, they can tear on things kinda easily...
Also, if you wear a helmet (I'm not going to get preachy either way, I prefer to wear one myself though) a simple plastic bag over it works wonders. Keeping your head dry makes such a huuuuge difference in not getting too cold.
Hope you feel better soon though! Getting sick sucks.
Wow, that is some weekend! Great effort, sorry to hear that you're feeling lousy. Cold rain is the one thing that always seems to get me sick, too.
ReplyDeleteabout riding into water
ReplyDeletedon;t
if you can;t tell what;s at the bottom, don;t do it
could be anything down there
rock
manhole cover [open or closed]
hole
railroad track
any of which could cause a fall
wle.
Hope you're feeling much better by now, Elisa!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh. I'm the weeniest of riders. I lollygag (my bike style of riding)way too much, and I have no bike work-commute to speak of. SO I bow out on all sorts of group rides because I KNOW I can't keep up. Ha ha, I'm inspired now after reading about you. Now to find some hills and go ride up and down them on a daily basis just so that I build strength.
Paula- I am feeling a bit better. The problem with rain gear here is that you get so hot in it that you end up soaked anyway. Maybe investing in some more expensive, breathable raingear will help. Helmets-yes. But no plastic. will have to remember that. although-doesn't your head get really hot?
ReplyDeleteWLE- I know. However, there was nowhere for me to stop and i knew that the roads did not have any large manholes as I had just ridden them an hour before. Good advice however and I normally don't.
Dottie- starting to feel better. Ready to ride again for sure!
Riding Pretty-thanks! here there is no choice but to ride hills and ride hard. (however, in the heat of the summer you probably look MUCH cuter than we do!)