So on Labor day, I had the opportunity to get two rides in... one at 0600 and one at 1300.
I asked on the local MTB facebook group if anyone wanted to join in the wet fun...
For the afternoon ride... I had a taker!
Maybe it is my lack of derailleurs, my inexpensive chain, my lack of desire to be 'fast' anymore when on the Soma or maybe a combo? But on this day, I just didn't care. I would have fun and that was the only goal. Never mind the rain. Never mind this is not a trail I usually look forward to riding, but one I know won't be destroyed from riding in the rain. 90% of the trail is some variation of crushed rock. Very little top soil for majority of the ride. And to the cream on top - this trail has the least amount of spiders!
Ride #1
I rolled out around 5:45. Super early for most, but a late start for me. I would have been working for over an hour at this point if it weren't a holiday. I rolled out and the rain let up. It went from "rain" to a drizzle and general nastiness. I hit the trail and the tree cover made it super dark. The humidity and temps were fogging my glasses to the point of them being a safety issue. Roughly a mile in, I took them off. I rode in slick conditions and watched the river's fury like I have never seen. This is usually a slow moving and quiet river... but today there was a rage to it. You could hear it all through the woods...
Rolling without glasses and in the dark... I had a moment or two. I got a branch or something right in the corner of my right eye at speed. I took a moment to make sure all was well and to rinse out any crap that may have gotten in my eye. I continued on to barely see some washed out areas that were not washed out a few days prior. After a couple other close calls and realizing I was solo, I chose to turn back and head home.
*intermission - Enoshima Aquarium with the family...
Ride #2
Headed back out to the trail, but this time expecting to meet someone at the nearest 7-11 prior.
Ben shows up with a fat bike.... well hell, I am on a single speed - to each their own... We have one goal - ride in less than optimal weather and have fun. So we head off. This is Ben's first time on this particular trail so we enter fairly chill and I point out the random stuff that has caught me off guard in the past.
Anyhow... easier to show than to explain....
once you get wet... you can't get any wetter. At least have fun with it!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. I was determined to get out on the bike as long as there was no lightning,.
ReplyDeleteI was stoked someone else actually was willing to ride in the weather. The Video does not capture how much rain we were dealing with... Good times.