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Amgen Tour of California

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

Last year I went to Sacramento to volunteer for the Amgen Tour of California. I had a great, even amazing, experience, and returning this year was one of my post-cancer treatment goals.

After last year’s event, I was in contact with Medalist Sports for a week-long position traveling with the Tour. In February I was contacted by them but respectfully declined as I didn’t know whether I would be recovered enough for the demands of the job. But I still wanted to help and going to Sacramento would be the first step.

I arrived at the volunteer check-in location before anyone else including the coordinator., Gail Keeter, When she arrived she made it known that being first didn’t mean getting the best location, which would be downtown on the inner circuit which they passed three times. I guess that if the “best” assignments were for those who got there first, there would be a rush to be first in line. This was probably conveyed to those who could attend the orientation meeting, which I couldn’t do.

So I went for a walk. A long walk. A two-hour walk along the bike path which is beside the Sacramento River. When I got back there was a check-in line formed and I was deep enough in line, I guess, to get a downtown location. One problem though, while it was “downtown” it wasn’t on the finishing circuit.

A replica of the Golden Gate Bridge across the Sacramento River – for cyclists

It was at 30th and Folsom Blvd. and I was to guard the exit from the parking lot of the KFC/A&W restaurant. Across the street was volunteer Tamy Quiqley, from Redding, California, who was dutifully patrolling the empty parking lot of the Wells Fargo Bank.

With more than 90 minutes before our required reporting time, we decided to walk downtown to the finish. We were able to watch the last six laps of the women’s criterium, won by 17-year old Coryn Rivera. She won the junior group at USA Cycling Nationals two years ago at Seven Springs, Pa., which I also marshaled.

When we returned to our posts a policeman was just finishing taping off the entrances with yellow police tape. And she told us she was assigning junior rangers to assist there. When asked if we should stay there she told us we weren’t needed.

So we then set out to get to the downtown finishing circuit to “help.” We found the corner of N and 15th Streets and started helping the marshals on site. With a phone call or two to friends watching, we could tell the spectators the ETA of the peloton.

Eventually, the helicopter arrived overhead and we knew the riders were down below. Two blocks up from us they flew through the finish line at the start of Lap 1. About one minute later they bore down on us.

When you ride you know you’re fighting, or pushing the wind. But one doesn’t realize the extent until you stand downwind from the peloton. When they were about 25 meters from our location a wall of wind hit us in the face. They made the 90-degree turn, at our location, but would not be so lucky at some other locations. Two major crashes knocked out a number of riders and neutralized the racing on the final two laps, except for overall time bonuses for the first three positions.

Peloton charging hard into the corner – and kicking up dust

One worries not only about the riders cornering safely but also the cars. These drivers are part dare-devils and many squeal their tires as they corner much too fast for the normal person.

Mark Cavendish’s HTC-Columbia Team formed the perfect lead-out train and he stayed on their wheels the next two times they flew by our location. After the last rider passed we ran two blocks to the L street where they were flying by to the finish but we missed the lead-out train delivering the “Manx Rocket” to the finish line. We did see the middle and end riders come in, all at the same time since the peloton had been together inside the final three km when they crashed.

George Hincapie

If you can limp on a bike, several later riders came limping on in. One rider from Cervelo Test Team had his entire left thigh bloodied and exposed. George Hincapie didn’t show quite the same road rash but wasn’t feeling too well either.

Believe this is Heinrich Haussler. Ouch.

We tried to get to the podium and could see a corner of it but the crowds were too large. One gentleman asked us who won and we told him Mark Cavendish. He said, “Who?” “But how did Lance (Armstrong) do?” And maybe more than 50% of the spectators fit that category. They came to see Lance and he was supposed to win. But it’s always fun talking about cycling with the spectators.

Source: ProCyclingStats.com

It was a long but rewarding day. Glad to be back in California.

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Going Bonkers

WOODBRIDGE, VA

Oh the importance of keeping the body properly fueled. I’ve watched pro races where someone is leading and near the end they just ran out of energy. You find out later they “forgot to eat” which sounds ridiculous but often you’re not “hungry” while on the bike but still must remember to eat.

I don’t have such an excuse. I forgot to eat even when I was hungry. My breakfast consisted of a 6 oz. Yoplait yogurt. And that’s it.

My normal lunchtime routine is not to eat lunch but to play Ultimate Frisbee instead. Today was beautiful so we played longer than normal. But I have been trying to figure out the nutritional aspect of eating before refereeing soccer, especially when I officiate the double headers that start at 5:30 and 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. On those days I eat a lunch around 2:00 p.m. which seems to be just about right.

Today I should have done the same. But I didn’t. I was in a hurry to get some projects finished and I wanted to leave early so I decided to forgo lunch.

Although I tired to leave around 3:30 p.m. by the time it was “wheels down” it was almost 4:00 p.m. I didn’t leave early.

My route took me across the 14th Street Bridge, down the Mt. Vernon Trail to the Four Mile Run Trail. The last time I was on Four Mile Run Trail was 2001 when Andrew and I started our ride to Pittsburgh. Then we had to ride through a neighborhood in Shirlington and follow a pedestrian overpass that crossed I-395.

The new Four Mile Run trail actually goes under I-395 which is both shorter and less prone to getting lost. That was pretty cool. And it connects with the W&OD in Shirlington at its terminus.

My average speed won’t show it as there are a lot of stops along the way where the W&OD crosses streets and highways, but when I was moving I was going pretty good. In fact, I counted that I passed 21 cyclists and none passed me on this day.

A new route off Guinea Road in Fairfax took me to Olley Lane then to Burke Lake Road and Lee Chapel Road. There I stopped in at The Bike Lane, used the bathroom and refilled my water bottles. I was looking at the Gu but didn’t buy any. I should have.

Once I got back on the road I felt it. I was out of fuel. Zapped. Depleted.

I made it to Occoquan and stopped at a coffee shop looking for a candy bar. The best they had was a small bad of Cheetos. I bought them.

Tanyard Hill Road is a narrow curved road out of Occoquan which I still had to climb. It is 0.7 to the top of the road plus another 0.2 of climbing on Old Bridge Road. Almost a mile climb at 5%-5.5% grade. In contrast, our Saturday morning rides feature Bird Neck Road which is only a quarter of a mile but at 7.5%. But neither of these is Mount Washington which is 7.6 miles at 12% grade.

At the top of the climb was a gas station which had an eating area inside. Healthy, I say. I took my bike inside and found a king sized Snickers candy bar. I sat and ate that and refueled just enough. Snickers are awesome! That gave me the boost to safely navigate Minnieville Road and make it home.

Running out of fuel is awful. Such a strange feeling knowing that some days you’re still pedaling fast after 50 or 60 miles and today after 30 I was on empty. Lesson learned. Eat lunch before a 40 mile ride.

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Beware the Hairy Legged Monsters

NOKESVILLE, VIRGINIA
Yesterday was the “shop” ride out of The Bike Lane in Reston. It was an enjoyable day and ride until…
…until we turned on Lawyers Road. We’re never on Lawyers Road long and tend to single file on the side of the road once we sort it out. Yesterday we were still in a double line. We were doing 20 mph. Kelley Noonan was beside me when the rider in front of her inexplicably veered sharply to the left. By braking, his rear wheel took out her front wheel and she crashed hard. I heard that another rider flew over top of her.
So stupid!
Riding is fun and riding in a group is more fun but one must be careful and ever vigilant, sometimes for hours. We’re not sure of the person’s name who caused this crash. We heard he was on his first group ride. Hopefully he learned that you don’t make sudden moves while in close quarters in a group. Rather than offer an apology he remarked to Kelley “that was really intense!”
I had State Cup soccer matches to referee in the afternoon and didn’t mind cutting the ride short. Three of us escorted Kelley back to the shop rather than complete the ride.
Today was the Potomac Pedalers Annual Picnic. It was the first one I attended. There were rides for all classifications of riders. The “A,” “BB,” and “B” riders were offered the longest ride of the day — 51 miles. They departed five minutes apart from one another.
I’m thinking I could ride with the “A” riders unless they really ramped up the pace. So I chose to go conservatively and join the BBs.
We started with 20 riders but soon sorted that out to 12. The other eight must have dropped back and joined the B group which was coming. We rode a pace line basically the entire route. Every remaining rider took their turn moving to the front, doing a pull, and then moving over and drifting back to the end of the line.
At mile 20 I found myself in front and did a pull for 3/4 mile then dropped back to the end. Oh my. Was it my fault that three riders dropped during my pull? We were down to nine and stayed that way until we reached the store/rest area. There we would regroup.
We left the rest stop and started slowly. Our 12 dropped down to 10.
Mindful of yesterday’s crash, I was only comfortable following one rider. We joke about the “hairy legged monsters” but shaved legs is often a sign of a competitive or simply a serious rider who knows how to keep tempo and keep his line. Or maybe not. But until you have time to figure this out on a group ride it’s a good starting place.
“Captain America” was the only other rider in our group who shaved. And he knew how to ride. Contrast that to one guy I fell in behind who would pedal furiously, then coast, the pedal hard, then coast, then stand, then coast. It was very difficult following him. My steady tempo would bring me too close when he decided to coast or stand. Plus he didn’t hold his line too well.
As much as a physical exercise, a ride like today’s is also a mental exercise. As some point one feels like they can no longer maintain the pace of the group. And today was a perfect day to “drop” and reintegrate with the riders we dropped or even the B group coming behind us.
Thankfully, I only had to fight that battle in my mind a couple of times. And the last time I was determined not to let it win.
Our 10 stayed together until five miles to go. After a missed turn, we turned into a wall of wind. We all fought to fight the wind and to stay tucked in behind the rider in front. Our pace line stayed together until I moved to the front. I only rode for about half a mile but when I dropped off I was surprised to see that we were down to six and no longer 10.
The last two mile stretch I was gapped by the group. I couldn’t stay with their pace — the one that I set. But I never was more than 50 yards behind and worked my tail off to close the gap and catch back on. As we approached Nokesville Park I had integrated and actually was first one back to the cars.
We went out at 18.7 mph for 27 miles and then returned at 20.2 for the remaining 24 miles. Overall, the 19.4 average was the highest I have averaged on any ride.
This was a big day for me. I didn’t set out to record my fastest pace and the conditions were not right for it with heavy head and cross winds. But after cancer, and with another year under my belt, I did not expect ever to ride faster than I have before. I will take a 19.4 clip over a 50 mile course at any time.

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Scud TT

MONTCLAIR, VIRGINIA

Watch a Grand Tour like the Tour de France and you will see different types of riders based on their body sizes. Of course, there are exceptions to all of these but the “sprinters” tend to be bigger guys with big thighs. And they’re the most daring of all riders. If they can stay together with a stage at the end, one of them will come out of the pack to take it at the line.

The “time trialists” are great at riding at their own pace and this often favors some of the heavier riders who aren’t knocked around by the winds. Riding by oneself you have no protection from the wind.

The “climbers” tend to be smaller riders who always have the best power to weight ratios. The rider who will win a Grand Tour is someone who can do all these fairly well, but usually, the Tour de France is set up to favor climbers. Fabian Cancellara recently won the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and may be the best cyclist in the world right now but won’t even be in the discussion to win the tour. Climbers like Alberto Contador, Andy and Fränk Schleck, and, of course, Lance Armstrong, get everyone’s attention.

I have a perfect body to excel at nothing. I’m too big to be a climber although the satisfaction is like none other. I wonder if, in my 20s, my sprinting ability off the bike would have translated to being on the bike? I will never know. I do know that two foot surgeries, one knee surgery, and age have robbed me of any sprinting ability I once had.

If I could pretend for a second, I guess my best discipline would be domestique – hanging back and carrying water to my team leader. And my dream would be not to win the Tour de France but to be the Lanterne Rouge.

Last week, Scott Scudamore posted a ride I called the Scud TT (time trial). He described it as only having 30 minutes so he went out hard and hammered home and tried to beat 18+ mph.

Since Scott and I ride together occasionally and he tells me that I am a much stronger rider than he is, I thought I could go do the same ride and smash his time. So on Thursday I rode to his house, stopped my bike, and then took off on his route to mirror his exact ride. My time was better — 19.3 vs. 18.5, but I was hoping for 20+.

I rode about as hard as I could for 25 minutes or so. 8.5 miles. For all his talk about being a stronger rider, I think it’s a bunch of hooey.

My legs were shot after this effort.

I stayed off the bike on Friday but did referee a high school varsity soccer match at night. And then, Saturday…

Our group ride was canceled so we did our own group ride. Except David Vito and his friend, Vince, showed up on time trial bikes. These bikes are fast. They’re equipped with aero bars for leaning out over the bike although they don’t handle quite as well as a regular road bike. And thus David and Vince suggested we ride the W&OD instead of our normal road route.

There were strong headwinds, 20-30 mph, and I did my best to hang on behind as we headed from Reston to Leesburg. Although Daniel Kalbacher took a pull, I had no pop in my legs on this day. We ultimately did 32 miles at a hard pace and I did one pull on the way back, with a tailwind, and was gone after that.

When I got home I jumped in the shower which eventually became slumping into a hot bath. And fell asleep. Then I moved to the bed where I slept. Then to the sofa. I ended up sleeping most of the time from 4:30 p.m. on Saturday until 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Different locations, but still sleeping. I had a fever and headache along with an upset stomach.

Two days later the pop hasn’t returned. I am still sleepy. And this is eerily reminiscent of one year ago when I had those fevers which I thought would clear up on their own. They didn’t. Ultimately, in diagnosing an e.Coli infection they discovered cancer. And now I am left to wonder, what is it this time?

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SkyMass

FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA
A group of eight of us who ride from The Bike Lane went out to Shenandoah National Park for “SkyMass” — a ride up Skyline Drive and over Massanutten Mountain. Many of the riders have been in the group rides out of Reston although I had never spent much time with them before – probably because I was always chasing them.
It was cold at the start – low 40s. It was a beautiful sunny day but windy (blustery) which added to the chill. The cold wind would be with us all day. At the start I saw Dee Reeb who looked absolutely freezing in just a cycling jersey. I wasn’t sure what I would wear but since I had a jacket I gave her my warm warmers. And I’m glad I did. I think I would have froze if I had to watch her ride with no protection on her arms.

We started immediately with a 6-mile climb on Skyline Drive at constant 6-7%. With no warmup in the legs, this little climb can hit you hard. But we all stayed together to Dickey’s Ridge Visitor Center. After the visitors center we developed more of a gap on the descent. We had a couple sick descents at more than 40 mph. I think the hardest I worked all day was closing a gap with three riders on one of the descents. Pedaling downhill, in the wind, at more than 40 mph and gaining slowly on the group in front is hard work. But I connected at which point I was in their slipstream.

We reached Rte 211 at Thorton’s Gap. Panorama, a store on the drive, did not have drinking water, which appeared to be the story of the day. We simply turned and headed out to Rte 211 for the trip down the mountain. Rte 211 is a mountain road that crosses over the Skyline Drive from Sperryville on the east to Luray (Loo-ray) to the west. The upper most section has a number of switchback curves.

One rider took off and no one went with him. The curves were fun to take but I felt trapped 4 or 5 riders back. At a safe opening, I opened up the pace to move to the front and which point we became “organized.” I glanced down as I was leaning hard in a curve – 35 mph. Awesome!

I was able to pull my group back up to our first rider and we regrouped at the bottom. We headed over some back country roads to our next store looking for water. We reached Hope Mills Country Store on Rte 522. Closed.

Julie Guy

Not to worry. We could take on more water after Massanutten.

We had a couple miles of gravel roads (what was up with that?) and then reached the 3-mile 12% climb up Massanutten. This could be a training ground for Mount Washington. The road was constant 12% although not as long. Or windy. But it was a nice climb with a nice descent on the other side.

The trip down the west side of the mountain took us into the George Washington National Forest where we would stop at a campground looking for water. None.

Oh well. After this descent the road flattened out except for some rollers. Here, three of the guys forced a break while five of us sat back and tried to ride at a steady pace. We caught them at a country store rest stop at mile 62 complete with BBQ chicken. Two riders bought and the rest peeled off a piece or two. It was perfect. Can’t imagine eating an entire breast but just a slice was the right amount. And it was good.

Maybe best of all on this day – no road rage incidents. In fact, at one house we passed some folks were sitting on the porch and one guy yells out “GO USA!” Certainly better than being thrown at. It was a wonderful day!

Garmin Stats and Map

84 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing.

Note: All but second photo credit: Dee Reeb (used without permission but she wore my arm warmers for 84 miles)

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Peace on a Bike

ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA

For five months I looked forward to this day – the day that I would be back on the bike and come back to these mountains.

Much of 2009 was a blur with an illness and then a diagnosis of cancer. Most waking hours were spent thinking of cancer and quite a few sleeping moments as well. The only time I was completely at peace was on my bike.

I came to these mountains to enjoy their beauty and to getaway. Generally, when I was on my bike I thought of nothing else except riding. It was especially so when I was in the mountains.

I rode “The Wall” by Horseshoe Curve four times last year. I also went to the White Mountains in New Hampshire and was able to lose myself in thought. Truly, I found peace on my bike and in the mountains.

David Vito

We loaded up six riders in Reston, Va., at 7:00 a.m. and drove to Altoona, arriving by 10:30 a.m. It was “wheels down” at 11:00 and we headed out to Frankstown Road. We were greeted by an unexpected one and one half mile climb.

I had promised three great climbs and three screaming descents on my planned 100 km route. As we waited at the top of the hill – this was a no-drop ride – I had to rethink the 100 km route as everyone complained about not being in riding shape. I adjusted.

Kelly Noonan

Adjustment number one was we turned at Newry and started an 11 mile climb but at 2-3%, up to Puzzletown. In Puzzletown we turned on Valley Forge Road. Here I hit 48 mph – pleased, but then disappointed that I couldn’t push it to 50 mph.

Scott Scudamore leading the group up Valley Forge Road

We turned on Old U.S. 22 and began the seven mile climb to the top of the mountain. Once at the stone arch, we went through the Portage Railroad National Park and cut over to Gallitzin for a short break at a country store.

Then we earned our seven mile descent down Sugar Run Road. Three of us formed a paceline while the other three were content to ride it at a more reasonable speed.

At the bottom, we made our way over to Horseshoe Curve and split our group. A bit of a mutiny as Kelly Noonan and David Vito decided to sit out yet another climb, the steepest of the day too. The early season “big ride” was perhaps too much. But we pushed on.

David Vito at the base of Sugar Run Road

I was only disappointed as this was the climb I wanted everyone to experience. Although I was saving the best for last, perhaps we should have gone up this climb first. But we got everyone up and over the top, back to Gallitzin and down Sugar Run Road again. Then we made our way back to the van.

Kelly, David, and Vince at the bottom of Sugar Run Road

In a recovery that is slower than I want, I can say this was the best day I have had since surgery. I really needed this day.

As for peace on a bike, Kelley remarked to me that riding in Altoona one can only think of the suffering on the climb or the fear of descending at breakneck speed. “No wonder you never thought of cancer while you rode here.”

Indeed. Just peace on a bike.

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Hey – It's My Ride – You Can't Drop Me

MARSHALL, VIRGINIA

I never envisioned myself leading a group ride for the Potomac Pedalers Touring Club. Time commitments with refereeing kept me from blocking out much time for cycling. In addition to not being able to commit the time, I suck as a group leader for rides.

On group rides I never take a cue sheet and rarely lead unless someone is willing to tell me where to turn. So I don’t make a great person to actually lead a ride. I’m good at wheel sucking. Until I get tired.

Last week I looked at the group rides planned for this weekend and they sucked. I didn’t see anything good. So I got on the Potomac Pedalers website and sent an email expressing my willingness to lead a ride on Sunday if they posted it. And they did. I decided that I would do the same ride I did last week — the Blue Ridger. Climb over Mount Weather and Naked Mountain.

Never mind that I forgot it was Palm Sunday. My ride went up on the web site and I found myself in Marshall waiting for people to show up. And hoping they didn’t. I wasn’t quite “feeling it” and it was cold with a forecast of rain later in the day. But either four or six riders joined me for our 55 mile adventure.

The four riders responded to the Potomac Pedalers website listing while the other two showed up on their own. They said they would go out on their own but they did sign in with me. We had a group of seven!

It was 43 degrees when the five of us left and we caught our two riders in Bluemont just as they were heading up the first climb. After our brief rest stop in Bluemont I was the last of the group up the climb and lost contact with everyone. For the next 14 miles I swore at Cancer for zapping me of my fitness for not being able to keep up with the ride that I was “leading.”

The temperature dropped to 37 degrees on top of Mount Weather. I rode in the clouds. Visibility was about 100 meters and the fog was so thick that water dripped from the trees onto the road.
Here were four of our six riders in Bluemont

I didn’t want to take chances but I descended at a decent clip. I forgot my glasses today so as at more than 40 mph tears were flying from both eyes and snot was running from both nostrils. Maybe that’s why they didn’t want to wait for me. As I came to the end of Blueridge Mountain Road I could see through the barren trees ahead two riders were waiting to cross Rte 50. I had caught someone.

I descended to Paris, jumped the guardrail (well, got off my bike and carried it over the guardrail) and caught the group at The Ashby Inn.

When we headed out on Rte 17 the winds picked up. I don’t know who was pulling but I felt sorry for him but not sorry enough to go to the front to take a pull. I was in front a lot in the first 23 miles before we hit the climb which I can blame myself for not being able to keep up once we hit the mountain.

Some rains hit us and may have had a bit of sleet. It was miserable. We were only in the rain about two minutes before we turned up Leeds Manor Road for the climb up Naked Mountain. Both the rain and wind quit as soon as we turned off 17. We soon split into three groups of two-three-two and climbed at our own pace. I was in the middle three.

The five of us regrouped but had dropped the two trailing riders. We started the eight mile finishing stretch back to Marshall together. The first couple miles were fine but when the road turned up I couldn’t quite keep pace. Eventually I got back in within 50 meters of the lead three and that’s where I would stay.

I was wiped at the end. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that I finished the parcours 30 minutes faster than last week. And while I whined last week that I was two miles per hour slower than when I rode last July, I discovered I got those two mph back. I rode today in the cold and wet the same pace as I rode last July. Even getting dropped.

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Blue Ridger Proper

MARSHALL, VIRGINIA

“You’re going to be hot in that,” the rider said to me as I was leaving the Park & Ride lot in Marshall. I thought it’s OK because I want to stay warm and as the temperature rose I could peel off the leg and arm warmers.

I’ve ridden the Blue Ridger route three or four times before but never solo. I thought I might see some riders in the parking lot who wanted to team up. Instead there were two parked cars then the one rider came as I was getting ready to roll. He wasn’t interested in riding 55 miles over two mountains this early in the season.

I headed north out of Marshall towards Rectortown and was immediately glad I had on the warmers. It was spring, the first full day, but winter chill was still in the air. The smell of wood burning was in the air but the birds were chirping their welcome to the new season.

I wanted to take my time to “smell the flowers” but flowers were hard to find. In some shaded areas there was still snow from the last storm four weeks ago.

It was a nice ride to Bluemont. I stopped briefly to remove my leg warmers. I began the climb up to Mount Weather (think X-Files) and slide the arm warmers down. Once on the summit I needed the arm warmers.

After a few miles of rollers on the mountains, I descended to Paris, Va., and then climbed up and over Naked Mountain. Five different times on the ride I went over 40 mph. The last 10 miles were rollers but the storm moving in later today presented some nice headwinds.

Top of Rte 7

Looking up Blueridge Mountain Road
Much steeper than it looks

My time was two mph slower than when I last rode it in July. Blame it on (1) Recovery from cancer surgery (2) no group to pull me along (3) early season out of shape (4) being another year older (5) I suck.

Ashby Inn, Paris, Va.

Garmin Map and Stats

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First Day of Spring

RESTON, VIRGINIA

After a winter of almost no group rides, we had our first one two weeks ago. But the temperature was 35 with a high near 50. Rain claimed the ride last weekend and with today’s forecast with a high of 70, it seemed like the first ride of the season. And it would be the first ride of the spring season since spring arrived at 1:32 p.m.

Today was simply on the best rides we had. It was a large group (I didn’t count but maybe 30) and we all stayed together. There was a bit of a split on South Lakes but I hung with the front group. Sweet.

It was also the first I saw Kelly Noonan and David Vito since my surgery. It was a great day!

Friends Kelley and David

Garmin Map and Stats

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Rain? What Rain?

WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA
We have had some of the worst cycling weather this winter. Record snow falls and a slow melt kept the roads covered. When the roads were good, the weather was bad. Last week was still the first group ride I was able to join in Reston since my pre-surgery ride on November 7.
This weekend was no better. Rain since Friday canceled our group ride Saturday and most of what I could find for the Potomac Pedalers rides today.
About 2:00 p.m. I had had enough. I’ve been caught in plenty of rain storms but never deliberately said “screw it — let’s go riding in the rain.” Today I did.
The temperature was 49 degrees. It rained the entire time. I only went 11 miles but it was great to be on the bike. A little bit of rain wasn’t going to keep me down.
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