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Please think happy sunny thoughts for next weekend (4/22). Please please please...! I can handle riding in the rain tomorrrow. But I am seriously considering the SF Rando 600k next weekend and 600k in the rain I do not think I can handle. 200 miles was bad enough. (Well, okay, 70 of 200 miles in the rain.)
Sun dances in order.
My sister in law saw some soils engineer interviewed who said if it stopped raining NOW the soil won't return to a normal moisture content for 2 years.
Hey, there's a gent in the netherlands building an ark as we speak...His wife isn't too keen though...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4853890.stm
Also, you can send a bit of rain here if you want...I'm getting tired of eating dust when i bike and it'll help me make pea gravel my friend....
Rain songs-http://www.lacarte.org/songs/rain/
Yes i'm bored-supposed to be cleaning while dear went biking (not feeling 100%...dehydrated, annoyed with my biking skills, bruised from fri/sat rides)
Sarah- I am sitting here this morning listening to the steady patter of rain drops on my roof.... THIS is 40% chance of rain? Hmmmmmmmmmm!
I had hoped to get out today, but at this rate, I might have to borrow the neighbor's kayack.
Next weekend doesn't look too swift either. 60% chance of rain. I was hoping to do the Primavera. Good thing we don't have to register until the last minute- as in April 21st. I'm keeping my options open as I bet you are too!
What is the route? Do you know or is that a secret until you get your maps? Maybe the roads will have recovered enough for you to navigate your way through. I just hope they aren't taking you to the Russian River or the Santa Cruz mountains! (What's left?)
I figure if it's raining like this, it must be a big mess over in your direction as you guys get the worst of these storms!:( :( :( :( :( :( So much for Easter riding, eh?
Nancy -
I am listening to the same rain. My planned 100 miler to Tomales and back over Marshall not looking so appealing!! :mad: I swear I am going soon! As soon as I am done with my coffee.... :D
I think the route is from the GG Bridge to Ft. Bragg and back, but so far I don't know much. I have a friend I may share a room with if we decide we need a shower and a few hours' sleep. If it is raining like it is today I really question the wisdom of doing it at all. But it will be an adventure regardless. I figure even if I get 200 miles out and call my friend to come pick me up (DH and DD will be out of cell range) that's a good training ride for DMD! I may give up riding afterward.
This is all Homey's fault by the way. When I met him, I discussed my 508 trials and tribulations (partner may back out, etc.) and he said "Why don't you just do it alone?" And he was sincere and encouraging, and Nancy's been super encouraging, and I figure I should just do this stupid 600 and make myself realize it isn't any fun. :D
So, I'm sitting around this morning, getting antsy. I look outside and it's a soft, steady rain, without much wind. Heck, I can ride in this, thinks I.
I turn to Lee, and I ask "want to head out?". He looks outside and says "yeah, why not?".
We suit up, open the garage door, and like clockwork the heavens open up with a monster downpour.
I turn to Lee and ask "want to wait a half hour?" and he says "yeah, that's a great idea". We close the garage door.
To be continued, maybe.
Funny post, Jo. So we can probably assume the garage door remained closed. :p You did better than me -- mine never opened, except to let the car out....Quote:
Originally Posted by jobob
(p.s. ....Hippity Hoppity Easter everyone!:) )
Whoops, sorry, forgot the update !
We waited another half-hour. In the meantime I dug out my Shimano sandals, and they felt fine with heavy wool socks (in a different thread I was saying that they were a little wide on my feet, but notsomuch with heavier socks). I didn't want to get my regular cycling shoes wet so these would be perfect.
I opened up the garage door and timidly ventured out to make sure the cleats were OK on the sandals. The sky saw me sneaking out so it turned up the volume on the rain again. Aaack! Cold, hard, stinging rain! I'm freezing after only 2 blocks around the neighborhood ! I am not liking this. I determined that the cleats were lined up properly and that I could clip in & out easily, rolled back into the garage, and closed the garage door again. Poured me some coffee.
We checked the National Weather Service Radar. There was a conga-line of red and yellow (heavy precip) heading towards us, straight over our home. Lovely. Poured more coffee.
After about another hour we both noticed it was - quiet? No rain drumming on the roof? What's up with that? We looked outside and it was still gray, but it was back to the gentle drizzle that had tempted us earlier. A quick check of the radar showed that the angry red-and-yellow line had veered over to the south. Hmmm. Dare we?
We dared. Garage door opened again. We set off, making sure we closed the garage door. (We have been know to come back to make sure we closed it, when we drive off in our car as well as on bikes. duh. )
We decided to stay on the Alameda Creek bike trail near our home. Ordinarily we ride mainly on roads but figured with all the heavy rain in the past couple of hours, the streets would more resemble lakes, and we weren't too thrilled with the idea of riding over invisible potholes and broken glass lurking at the bottom and getting drenched by passing cars. Plus, we had the paved trail essentially to ourselves. Nice.
I love riding in light rain, it's so peaceful. And the hills near the end of the trail, in the Niles district of Fremont, were an incredible shade of green, shrouded in mist. Lovely.
We reached the end of the trail and watched the Alameda Creek rush by for a few moments, chatted with a nice little old lady who ventured out and was wondering if we were drenched (no, not really, the rain was light enough to keep us from getting soaked), scarfed a couple of mini-paydays, and set out again.
Riding back from whence we came, I noticed a tiny bit of blue in the sky. Hmmm. As we passed the turn-off from our home, we could see definite patches of blue and the sun even peeked out. By the time we reached the spit of the trail that heads a couple of miles out into the bay, it was actually almost sunny out. We stopped at that end of the trail, sat on the top of one of the picnic tables, and feasted on Sports Beans and a Lara Bar while we watched the birds cavort along the bay shore, and the planes take off & land at SFO off in the distance. Then we headed back, looped around Coyote Hills park, and re-joined the trail for a few more miles.
I was toying with the idea of repeating this loop but as the sun came out, wouldn't you know it, the wind picked up, and it was getting stronger by the minute. I knew by the time I reached the end of the trail at Niles again I would have about a 15-mile return into a progressively stronger headwind. So, I wussed out and called it a day. About 28 miles all told, but better than nothing I suppose.
In a fit of optimism later in the afternoon I cleaned both Pokey and Dusty and re-lubed their chains.
And joy of joys, it's bright and sunny out today, so I'm playing hooky and going out for a nice long ride in a little bit :D
After a late night out listening to music and drinking a Lemondrop, I awoke to a bit of sun yesterday and felt so happy. Who needs Goretex? I said to myself. Headed out, ignoring the big black bank of clouds ocean-ward. Only one rider at our spot, and met one later. A few sprinkles heading out (me still in denial), and made it to our turn around place, about 20 miles later. I might add that there are two places where you have to portage your bike over a road that is slowly slipping into the ocean. As we sat and drank our coffee, it started to rain. Steady to hard rain. Yikes. No Goretex for two of us. Scrounged gear and just dug in for ride back (complete with portage...). With steady rain and into the wind, of course. As we got off a small freeway part of the ride near Arcata, the sun was, blessedly, out, so I got to dry off a little.
I actually felt fine during this. I DID have a Lemondrop the night before--coincidence??:p
The rest of the afternoon, every time I hitched the dogs up to take them out, and opened the door, it would start to pour! They kept looking at me in utter confusion at this strange drill.
Of course, this morning it is sunny and clear, and here I sit at work.
No coincidence at all, they have magical proprieties I tell you!:D ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by wabisabi
Snap, we are definitely on to something here. Maybe it is the carbs.
Are there any carbs in a Lemon Drop?
I think it must be the vitamin C.
and of course there is always the well-known:
God don't make little green apples and
It don't rain in Indianapolis in the summer time!! :p
I'm sorry ladies: it was Gorgeous here this weekend, highs in the low-mid 70s and sunny sunny sunny, and I didn't leave the house At All Sat and only for services Sun! My allergies/sinuses and spring in Albuq are having a Major argument right now so bike commuting is about all I seem to be able to motivate myself to do! But I'll try and send some of our loverly weather your way.....
speaking of: the weather channel was showing floods in CA - anyone here affected??
Hmmm, I am suddenly feeling a need to visit my family in AZ and NM....
MP- My calculations are 372 miles for the 600KM. Is that right? I didn't think Fort Bragg was that far away. But maybe I'm wrong ( as in 186 miles).
BTW the weather is looking a bit better, but not very warm! I'm sure you can handle that. Wonder how the road is holding up?!
According tot he cue sheet it is 181 to Ft. B and then the route back gives you a total of 374.1 miles. You can see the route and very scary details at http://www.sfrandonneurs.org/WhatsNew.htmQuote:
Originally Posted by Bike Goddess
I am trying not to be too disturbed by the fact there only seem to be one other woman registered. It may be that I get to Mendocino (172 miles) and decide to turn it into a spa weekend... :D