…Because Cycling in Bad Weather is Automatically Bad@$$ or Alternately, How to Make Sure You’re Riding in the Rain.

There was no way we were riding this morning.  It was 36 degrees (2C I think) and it had rained earlier.  In fact, the internets said it would continue, on and off, all day long.  I was certain I would be putting in my 45 minutes on the trainer.

Then my wife called Mike on a fluke.  Not only was he riding, he was just a mile from my house.  I threw on my cold weather gear and out the door I went.

Starting out it wasn’t too bad but thankfully I’d made a last minute decision to throw on my Sugoi Zap jacket.  Four miles in the mist that had been collecting on our glasses turned to rain.  Slow at first, but it did crescendo.  

Then nothing.  The glasses went back to misting, the water collected and dripped off our helmets.  I used my forefinger like a windshield wiper so I could see.  Now my legs were cold and wet.  My upper body was toasty though so it was tolerable.

We talked about taking our toys and going home but I said something uncharacteristically badass.  “Well, we’re already out here in it anyway, let’s just do it.  If it opens up, we can head back post haste.”

Fast forward ten miles and we’ve only got three to go.  I’m snug as a bug up top but my legs are chilly.  We turn the corner – only two miles to go and my buddy Mike, I swear to God, says, “Well, it looks like we’ve got this one in the bag”.  Dude.

A quarter mile later it opened up again.  Seriously.  Who says that before you hit the driveway!?

I pulled into the driveway with 17-1/2 miles at a 14 mph pace on the mountain bikes.  And I chuckled as Mike got out of the saddle to pull away…. He still had two miles to go, on dirt roads.

Ah well, it sucked but it was better than the trainer.  Besides, riding outside in crappy weather is automatically badass – and we actually managed a good pace.  No drafting.  I’m calling it double badass.