Storm of the Decade Tomorrow … So Will I Be Riding?

They really have been hyping up this storm for a whole week.  Biggest storm in nearly 10 years in Northern California.

I just got my bike back from the shop, as I took it in to get all the gunk I collected from plowing through a flooded bike trail (2 feet deep of standing water) from last week’s rain storm.  That was a pretty good soaker, but tomorrow’s storm should be even more massive.

Water collected in the frame, to the point where my seatpost (Aluminum) seized up in the frame (Titanium).  Titanium has great anti-corrosive properties, but the combination of Aluminum, with Titanium, and water …. not a good combination.  It took 2 guys, and a bike stand to free up the seat post from the frame.  Replaced the seatpost with a carbon fiber one … hopefully that won’t corrode as much.

So, with that in mind, ride or drive?  If I do ride, I think I’ll avoid San Tomas Aquino MUT … Or do I wimp out and drive?  Supposed to also be hella windy.

So This is What Riding in Washington State is Like

So I didn’t have enough rain riding from Butterflood or officially the Camino Real Double that I decided to deliberately ride in the rain. Actually, Solvang Double is next weekend, so I wanted to get some riding in. Unfortunately, it’s forecast to rain all weekend. I looked for the lightest window and went for it.

I went with Bassem, and together, we endured about 25 miles of wet, sloshy, dampness, ignoring the fact that we are just simply nuts. Actually, it wasn’t too bad for me. After riding Camino Real, this was just an extension of that. Besides, we didn’t have to ride on the freeway, and it wasn’t dark. All was good as long as we just kept pedaling.

We stuck plastic bags in our shoes, but that will only last so long. You are going to get wet, and your feet are going to be wet. I just hope we don’t run into this type of weather in Solvang, but I have a sneaking suspicion it will be a wet one. The long range forecast seems to indicate rain. Oh well, as long as I have my rain gear.

The one thing I hate is getting out of wet clothes. I literally had to peel my arm warmers, leg warmers, jersey, shorts … But those dry out pretty easily… It’s the gloves, that get so drenched, it’s hard to get those dried out. I don’t plan to ride on Sunday, so at least I won’t have to worry about that.