Friday, May 19th.... Just about 2 weeks until we ride out for AIDS Lifecycle 5. Today we had a ride scheduled from the Sports Basement to the Cheese Factory and back, about 65 miles. We headed out from SB under overcast skies and wound our way over the bridge without incident and then out to Marin with a stop at San Anselmo Coffee Roasters. There were a few sprinkles here and there along the way, but nothing that I worried about. We all re-fueled at the coffee shop and sat outside chatting, noticing that the sprinkles were coming down just a little harder now. Rain? We know how to ride in rain, and this is nothing like what we rode under in Napa on the Silverado trail way back when. No problem, lets gear up and go....
6 folks took the lead, John - an official TRL went with them. About 10 minutes later the rest of us got our act together and rode out together toward Fairfax. As we rode, the rain came down much more steadily. Hmm.... my brain starts working.
"Pull over at the Fairfax Coffee Roasters!", I yell. About a dozen of us huddle under the awnings, watching the rain come down while I make the mental decision that NO, we cannot ride over White's Hill and onward, with only 2 weeks left til Ride Out. I decide it would be safer and drier for us to turn back. How many people have wiped out on White's Hill in dry weather? I will not chance it. I leave a message for John on his cell phone, that we have turned back. I hope that at some point in Nicasio he will have cell service and receive my message.
I invite anyone who would like to continue on, to do so (at their own risk). Luckily, everyone agrees that we do not need to take the chance on riding in the rain this close to Day 1. So instead we turn back and re-trace our steps back to Sausalito, stopping at Cafe Trieste for lunch (pizza with marybeth, yum!!). I talk with John, who reassured me we made a good decision to turn back, as he was at Nicasio and drenched. We figured out how to reach one rider, David, who was ahead of John and probably already at the Cheese Factory.... call the Cheese Factory and have them get a message to him. After a few tries it worked for John!
Special Note: David Buonocore, awesome rider riding ALC (and this training ride) on a FIXED GEAR bike- was the ONLY rider today to make it to the Cheese Factory and back. David, we all stand in awe. (oh to be young again!) You ROCK man!
After lunch, as a special treat some of us decide to ride back to the bridge via Fort Baker, which has a gnarly climb back up to the bridge. After that climb we carry our bikes under the bridge via the pedestrian walkway, back to the East side to cross the bridge. Not too bad.
I talk with John to find out status (besides the fact that they are soaked). He and Wilfredo are back in Fairfax, waiting for a cab. It is waaaay to rainy to continue riding. Later on the catch up somehow with David and the three take a cab back to SB, soaking wet, I'm sure.
I'm bummed, as I always am, when I have to cancel a ride. It seems like I have had to do this too many times this season. But when I think of the fact we are only 2 weeks out, I don't want to be the TRL that has an accident on her ride where someone breaks a bone and cannot do The Ride- because we made the dumb choice of riding White's Hill in the rain. No sirreee, not me, I don't want that distinction! :-)
