Dripping Grey

Green is starting to slowly take over the Browns

Wedneday was supposed to be "warmer" and maybe partly Sunny. Ooops! There the weather guys go again! It certainly wasn't close to what the predictions were a few days ago, or even on Tuesday. Instead we got drippy, grey skies and mist, with some fog thrown in for good measure.

Oh yeah.........and the temperatures were only into the low 40°'s, not the upper 60°'s as predicted. 

I had royally screwed up a podcasting opportunity Wednesday by not having a 1/8th inch jack 100% inserted into the podcasting microphone. That made whomever was speaking to me come through as if the volume was on "1" when in fact I had the levels maxed out. I couldn't figure it out until we postponed everything and I had gotten off-line. I mean within seconds of getting off-line, I figured it out. Bah! How embarrassing!

So I decided I needed to get out and pedal or I was going to drive myself nutso with thinking about that too much. I got ready and grabbed the Fuji Tread 1.3 which is on test for RidingGravel.com, and headed outside. I didn't have a lot of time, so I headed out the South way.

The Rock & Roads really class up a ride like this Fuji Tread

The day was getting grayer, if that was possible, and there was a stiff wind out of the Southeast. Not as bad as it was the last time I was out this way, but I could feel it. My legs were still achey after the beat down at the Gent's Race last Saturday, and although there was pain, there wasn't weakness, which is good, I suppose.  Anyway, I decided that I needed to get some errands done yet, and that meant I couldn't be out as long as I was the last time down this way.

The gravel was getting packed down more with the rains we've had, but I could see where the ground was soaking it all up, and there was still looser dirt under the rock which I assumed used to be dust before it rained. Now it was like flour with oil in it, if that makes any sense. The Bruce Gordon tires just rolled right over it and the Fuji Tread was actually pretty composed and stable despite some washboarding and rougher loose patches of gravel.

I stopped to grab a few images for the next update and remounted heading South yet. I decided I would turn East at Petrie Road and come back on Ansborough. As I left my photo stop site, I seemed to start feeling moisture. Rain? No......not really. Just a weird situation where the air was so saturated, cool enough, and I was creating enough heat that all that moisture was condensing on me. It may as well have been raining, since I was getting so wet!

Riding into the clouds on Petrie Road heading East.

Going down Petrie Road it got worse and it was to the point that drips were condensing on my helmet and glasses and then "raining" off me to the ground. Like riding in very foggy conditions, only it was only slightly foggy. The gravel was wet in spots to the point of having some standing water and muddy patches in some instances but that was the exception.

We need the moisture, so I am not really complaining. That said, I have ridden in some really cold and very humid air this year more often than not. Saturday's Gent's Race was an exception there, which was good. Of course, Trans Iowa, which happens in a little over two weeks from now, is on my mind, and I was thinking this could very well be just the type of weather we'll have......or not. Things will change nineteen times with the forecast and then it won't be totally spot on. Never really is.

Well, I made it back home and by the time I did, I was dripping wet. Just as if I had ridden in the rain, but I hadn't. The pavement was dry. Weird! It was a good hour and a half blast and my head was cleared from the issues pre-ride, so mission accomplished. Plus, I got to loosen up the legs a bit. That's always good.