Rain and cold are fun when you are dressed right!

JB organized a meeting for our 24OP teams at Rula Bula. Since it rained all weekend and any big planned ride would be risky at best and likely downright crappy, i figured riding to Tempe would be a good way to get my mileage with minimal overhead. it’d also be a new adventure, not beat up the trails or soak my bike, and allow me to drink mass quantities of Irish beer with no fear of Johnny Law.

made it to Tempe in 18 miles and 1:10 riding with no major mistakes. There were a few patches of canal I was not sure would work, especially around Gilbert Rd where the canal splits and heads towards Tempe and Gilbert. Mostly an uneventful, fast ride with some sprinkling. A cute girl in a gift shop gave me a plastic bag for my saddle, and armed with 2 locks I triumphantly secured the bike on Mill Ave, then proceeded to shiver while drying off in the bar. Much Guinness at Rula Bula while we conducted our master strategy session for dominating the field at 24OP. This surely had no effect on my shivering, as Guinness is served at room temp.

On the ride back, I picked up a 12-pack so’s I would not have to drive once home. while i now had beer, i now had beer to haul for the next 15 miles. this may have been a logistical mistake, as a 12-pack weighs 10lbs to go along with my 2 locks, shoes, extra gloves, extra glasses and other assorted rain gear.
But now at least I had beer, and the weight made for good training. . Somewhere between Country Club Drive and Mesa drive, I missed a split on the bike path, and eventually realized the Sups were on my left and not in front of me. Oops. bailed at Gilbert\University after 2 miles the wrong way, and took Gilbert back north. I somehow missed the canal entrance, again, and wandered through orange groves next to the 202. I’ve wound through this neighborhood before, and not found the correct route, so was not optimistic of this going much better. Time for a beer to ease my frustration. I rolled a little ways into the grove where it was quiet and damp and thick with the smell of rain and citrus. Ahh…nice! it was worth the extra 10lbs. Sessioned on some of the ramps and bridges over the drainage culverts, and made my way back eastward.

The made my way onto the north side of 202, and was not sure it would go through to the canal, but the ground looked flat and parallel to the highway so I figured I could always ride along the outside of the highway walls. Made it to Greenfield, where I ran into the canal path, but found a 6 foot chainlink fence in my way. I didn’t want to backtrack 1.5 miles to Gilbert. So, I stood the bike up vertically, climbed to the top of the fence, hauled my bike over 1 handed, and managed to get down without sticking anything important or spilling in my bike sohes. This was a fairly difficult maneuver, but one every cyclist owes it to themselves to master. Then I had another beer to reward myself on the last mile of canal before hitting Thomas road for the final 2 miles home. It was 4:30, 20 miles,1.5 hrs and getting damp and slightly cold. Kila needed to get run, Beckie and G were out, I was already kitted up, and had a camelback full of beer. The correct course of action was obvious, so Kila and I did our Red Mountain ride down through the neighborhoods and the power station. all told it was about 3.5 hrs and 42 miles. An excellent new adventure!