A wet ride lesson

5:45 AM wake up chime of PyZahls cell, usual morning procedure, breakfast -- not really looking outside at all as the weather was supposed to be fine... and it was fine and looked not too bad at 6:30 -- but the radar looked a bit confusing, some green spots out there east -- no time to explore the storms motion and wind that minute at all. PyZahl looked at the current temperature, about 10C and wind, jumped into the right outfit and stuffed some extra vest into his camelbag, never know.

Here is weather and the radar I grabbed from my computers web browser history:


6:50 AM PyZahl loaded the bike and stuff into his car, just a few drops, so what... driving out east the rain suddenly increased to quite some shower, wondering what will happen and who would show up this day, getting closer to the ride start destination he saw and passed (in the car) one of the known riders (in green) -- it was down pooring that moment.

At the parking lot.

Quite some cars and bikes -- as it was dry more out west -- showed up.

Waiting, small talk.... the rain stopped. All wet.


About half of the present riders looked undecided around, several went back or elsewhere.
A few of us, three in the new bright Krebcycle jerseys -- looking and being really fast -- and four more including PyZahl were fearless and headed North.

Pushing into the wind, water and puddles everywhere, showered by the own and in front wheels. Some hope, surprisingly a short dry section of road, how can that be? Not lasting long and the rain intensified. Little shivering but still warm, but it did not lasted very long and PyZahl was soaked from toe to head -- a puddle in the shoes was not so comfortable at all.

Then on Doctors Path - a flat stop.


But luckily, the local rain storm was over. Still the strong Kreb riders doing a good job, PyZahl just did short pulls and stayed behind to save some energy, never know... Flying over the "tanks", skipping a more wind exposed section, heading full speed towards the Deli in Cutchogue looking forward to an hot coffee and warm-up ;-)

Now having almost tailwind the group really got fast moving... Second flat in Riverhead, some wondering around a big parking lot, inspecting the road work on 51, taking the variant via Mill.

Getting to Mill Road, the sun came back out, the sky turned crystal blue in minutes, the roads got dry in no time with that wind, it looked like it never happened to rain before and PyZahl could enjoy the last few miles back and got comfortable warm again!

Nice back home and reviewing the ride -- here some interesting histogram:
See also the full ride stats (click here).