Between Storm Systems

Around 9:00 this morning, it began to sprinkle. Before long, the driveway was damp, and the roads too. By 10:00, it was raining. I resigned myself to not riding. Not today and not for the immediate future. Slushy snow predicted for overnight, then an inch during the day tomorrow, then rain, then more snow Monday. Cold and raw. And this is spring?

So I went about my day, which included lunch with ND, and lunch included a couple of Be Hoppys from nearby Wormtown Brewery as well as a plate of grilled calamari on hummus, and a fried chickpea sandwich (of which I ate only half). We sat in the pleasant industrially-high-ceiling'd Volturno Restaurant and looked through the giant windows on the gloom of the rainy day.

I'd warned DS Mawgs this morning that the weather was not looking good and that I couldn't offer any guarantees that I wouldn't abandon training protocol and, in the face of an inclement weekend, eat and drink with abandon. He understood and gave me his blessing, but he also reminded me that all I needed was 20 miles to hit the week's mark of 63. It seemed unlikely. The sky was thick with gray rain clouds, and the roads were soaked.

Home from lunch, I puttered around, built a fire and began to consider what to make for dinner. Oddly, the kitchen suddenly seemed to lighten. I glanced outside and noticed that it was no longer raining. Checking weather.com, they indicated a shift underway, one storm system was moving out and another was slowly moving in. They indicated a window of a few hours without precipitation. I peered out the window again, staring at the puddles and trying to discern droplets. There were none.

Like a surfer who hops a flight to California to  surf Mavericks when the Giant Waves are forecast, I hurriedly geared up, surprised by the sudden opportunity. I could ride after all! I could achieve the weekly target, I could stay on task, I could justify intemperate consumption later on by the fact of having ridden. If only the rain would hold off!

Storm Style

And it did. Long enough for me to rip it up to the tune of 21 miles, a shad in mid run finning wildly up the turbulent stream.

Worcester Airport, April 2, 2016

I opted for the category 4 climb to Worcester Airport, then a wrap & climb around the backside and the descent into Cherry Valley followed by the climb up to the Kettle Brook Reservoirs. Then on to rt 31, down into Holden and the speedy descent of South Rd, along the reservoirs, and back along Chandler St, past Worcester State and into Woo proper. Traffic was light, almost non-existent. The air, washed by the morning's rain, was clean and crisp and perfect. I nailed the layers: Gore long-sleeve base, Steal Your Face jersey, brown paper bag, Gore psycho lime green neon insulated outer wind top, tights and booties. Allez! Feeling like I've got my costume mojo back. Not to mention my strength and mobility. The shoulders feel fine! It's a miracle!

At about the 15 mile point I noticed I was averaging around 13.5 mph. Knowing there was no climbing left at that point, I kicked it hard in an effort to clock an average speed of 14+ mph. Even with intersections and cars back in the city proper, I kept a tidy pace and when I pulled into Shad HQ, I'd gotten to 14 mph.

Notes

I spoke with The Virginian this morning and he rode BIG this past week, a week that saw balmy temperatures and perfect riding conditions. He confided that "I had a good hard week and feel pretty much ready for the Rasputitsa." I don't doubt him. He's an understated savage who will rip you apart without even noticing that he's doing it. He never shows up unprepared.

We agreed that Sunday April 10 would be the next, and last, Rasputitsa Training Camp, the route as yet undetermined. Our intentions are to do a full 40+ miles, predominantly gravel and dirt and forest path. That would suggest either returning to southern NH and the roads up from Orange, MA. Or a lengthy jaunt from The Virginian's Conway redoubt in western MA.

Finally, DS Mawgs, scouring the internet for insight, for any shard of visual or textual information about this year's Rasputitsa that might be useful or illustrative, forwarded me a link to the following video, the Rasputitsa Pre-Ride that was held in February of this year.