Rain Cancels
Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 12:02pm 5 comments (last by Jamison)
Sunday morning I was leading an AIDS/LifeCycle training ride, just a short 20 miles to Mill Valley and back. There was rain in the forecast and I was expecting we'd have to turn back or continue on unofficially, but just as finished the safety speech and going over the route was when I looked out from the overhang in front of the old Presidio PX (now occupied by the Sports Basement) and as Nick said we'd see haw far we'll get before it rains I pointed out it was already too late.
We cancelled the official training ride and pulled off our ride leader caps and Nick invited everyone along on an unofficial ride. I was a bit surprised that everyone there still lead out with us, even if we only managed to get one block before we lost 4 people.
Halfway across the Golden Gate Bridge it started to get a lot more intense and I decided I was going to turn back as soon as I got to the other side after I got the rider in front of me over and we could stop so I could give her some advice on her training. In a way the rain was good, because she had signed up for a ride beyond her ability right now and getting through it would have been a struggle for her.
On my own riding back, I picked up the pace to get home before the storm got much worse. While still in the Presidio another cyclist came up behind me and started asking questions about the LifeCycle (I was wearing the nifty ALC jacket, I'd gotten for fundraising a $1,000 in my first 45 days) and we road together for about a mile until I had to stop for a flat.
He was cute and I hoped when I told him I had to fix a flat he would stop and I maybe I could have asked him out, but he just said goodbye as he passed me and road on. Sigh...
Under a tree in the rain along Arguello, I think I changed the flat in a new personal record, but already completely soaking wet I stopped by American Cyclery to pick up a couple extra tubes.
I was dripping wet by the time I got home leaving a puddle in the entryway, yet I still think it was a good way to spend a sunday morning.
Sunday I also hit the $2,000 mark in my fundraising thanks to a donation from Margaret from the BayRail Alliance. This year I've set a very high fundraising goal and would appreciate your donation to get me there and help fight AIDS.
5 Comments
Mehranpolis Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 6:38pm
I don't think he was rude, It was raining hard, I think he was just trying to get out of rain while find out about ALC.
Jamison Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at 6:59am
I didn't think it was impolite at all given the rain, I had just hoped he would, or had I not had a flat, we could have talked a bit more.
kniwt Monday, March 6, 2006 at 2:24pm
I was wondering what happened to the rest of y'all on that ride!
Things actually weren't that bad on the way up to Mill Valley -- the rain stayed away all the way and through our rest break. But things turned positively ugly on the way back, especially by the time I reached Arguello on my way back to Sanchez Street.
I think I'll be around this weekend, but I'm thinking more like doing the South Bay Cat-2 ride on Sunday ... I don't think I'm feeling any real need to subject myself to the Marin Headlands.
Jamison Monday, March 6, 2006 at 6:35pm
I was at the very back. As sweep, I was behind the slowest rider to make sure no one in the slower group got left behind or lost.
I'll probably be off my bike for a few weeks before we start the second Category 2 training ride series at the end of the month, because after that I'll be leading a ride (adding 10% on every week) every saturday until the ride itself.
annie Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at 3:09pm
He may have been cute, but I think he was rude for not helping you fix the flat! (not that you needed help fixing the flat, but it would have been courteous, seeing he had just been getting info from ALC from you...)
Then again, it was raining, so I guess I'll cut him a break.