This morning I got up and looked out the window at rain, cold, and wind and was very tempted to go back to bed.  Instead, I ventured out to the Team Oregon Saturday ride.  This was mostly due to the fact that kits are in and I wanted to get mine.

The ride, however, turned into one of the most miserable rides I’ve ever been on.  37 miles felt like an eternity as I got soaked to the bone (through wind/waterproof layers), got pushed around by gusting winds, and tried to keep my toes and fingers warm in 40 degree weather.  The suffering was only made worse when I had a flat tire that required removing my gloves to change.  I spent the next 10 miles trying to get the feeling back in my hands.  A brave group of 7 of us started and finished the ride.  Tomorrow’s race is supposed to be in similar conditions, albeit less windy due to the protected location of the course.  And most riders won’t have fenders either (see the first Banana Belt post for a sense of what road grime+rain results in).  At least there’s almost no chance this one will be cancelled due to snow.

It was incredibly satisfying to get home and get in a hot shower, eat a lot of food, and then try on my new kit.  They look really sharp!

They’ll be easy kits to spot on the road.  Now I’ll take it and go get it really dirty tomorrow.

Speaking of snacks, what could be more delicious than this?

Now to eat some more food and get packed for tomorrow.