I awoke Sunday morning to the sound of the driving rain on the windows, buffeted by gusts of wind. I got up, made myself a double espresso, and called to the dogs for their walk. Smackimus, the mutt who embodies Rule #5 in everything he does, came bounding down the stairs. Beene, the lummoxy Great Dane, followed quite a distance behind, yawning and smacking her lips. I opened the front door and the three of us headed outside. I made my way down the stairs and zipped up my jacket as both dogs followed. Smackimus slowed noticeably as we left the shelter of the front porch and stepped into the rain, and Beene stopped altogether.
After using all my skills of persuasion, I managed to get both the dogs to do their business, but it was a minimum-commitment operation; both dogs did what they needed to do and bolted back up the steps to the shelter of the front porch.
A great day for a ride, obviously.
We are a sick lot, those of us who find more pleasure in riding in bad weather than in good. I have decided, however, to remove my fenders from the Rain Bike, as they do tend to detract from the considerable pleasure of feeling the spray from the road coat your body in Rule #9; the fenders definitely diminish the indulgence in the rain, and, generally, the volume of Suck that the weather is dispensing on your person. Fenders or not, the ride still merited camera-phone self-portraits, Dan O-style.
Oh, and – Merckx help us all – I think Rule #9 might actually be a Garbage Song.
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View Comments
@Geoffrey Grosenbach
Look at the length of his stem in the photos above... the guy is just huge. Clearly no problems with his diet as a kid. Great post.
As a wet weather wuss - I blame my antipodean blood - I've invested in a Castelli Sottile rain jacket. It's almost got me looking forward to the next rain ride. How long can I fool myself for?
Great site Frank, I run one in another sport and have design envy over this one.
@roadslave - I can confirm that you are indeed a nutter on carbon. Are the rumours accurate that you have slipped from your Tourmalet bitchslapping climbing weight?
Roger that, Matt 2.0, still on carbon, although investigating Ti for the pave next April... Do you still have the climbing package installed? Good to hear from you, big fella... your boys threw a great worlds.
And yes, I am carrying my training weight. Currently in that no-man's land between "I climb well for my weight" and "too fat to climb"... luckily, I'm training properly
Two months from peeking eh Roadslave? Like to think our bacon sandwiches mid ride are the food of champions, and pleased to report that, having seen Matt 2.0 on Sunday he is back Matt 1.5
I think I meant peaking...
@Matt 2.0
Welcome, mate; you're being too modest about your site, it looks great!
@Houdini
Not only is Bacon the food of champions, but here's a detailing of which beer, exactly, you are keeping in your bidon: Beer in the Bidon.
@Geoffrey Grosenbach
OH. NO. What coffee shop? I really hope it was far, far away from Fremont Hill where I was climbing like a stone. I'm just glad I didn't get boo'd and that no one threw anything at me.
@frank
I was at Herkimer Coffee on Greenwood.
I'm making an assumption that it was you, unless there are other residents of Greenwood who wear the V-kit, ride Cervélos, and could take down Indurain in a fist fight.
@Matt 2.0
I have a Castelli Sottile as well - the gilet version - and as crazy as a sleeveless rain jacket sounds, they work very well indeed.