I have two things to say about today. Number 1, if caught in a hailstorm, be glad you are wearing a helmet. Number 2, never go to a bike store if it is open on the same weekend day that coincides with the beginning of spring.
This was that kind of day - pallatial and spring conundrum of all sorts. I woke up late, gee for a sunday, not unusual. Did a few things around the house before I ran out to look for apartments - was not impressed by one..as we were walking down the hall...a mouse scurried in front of us. I said, "I'm sorry your apartment complex has mice - I'm not interested"..then walked off.
Went out to Vienna and found my innermost chainring to my triple crankset...oh so lovely.., a sexy 30 tooth chainring with fapalicious 74mm bolt diagonals.
After that droolfest, I sported up for a longass training ride. A few folks from the local velo club arrived at about the same time...game plan..out to Clarks Gap and back..about 60 miles total. Good deal..I was in. About 28 miles into it...i looked ahead, crap...dark sky....yes, they said it may rain. We got to Clarks gap and stopped for a moment to regroup and grab some water. Fortunately I packed my lightweight clear rain shell, tucked in my back jersey pocket - I put it on.
After Clarks gap, we were sailing along and the wind picked up, fortunately it would be pushing us back to Vienna, but we still had about 28 miles to go. Around Leesburg, it started to rain and major lightning & thunder, quick then heavy rain..then all of a sudden it began to hail. Hail the size of marbles came pinging down, bouncing off everything..I had on my bike shorts...my legs were getting pinged hard...stung...then the temperature dropped. All of a sudden, I was completely soaked besides my jersey underneath my parka. This woman in the group in front of me shook her fist up at the sky as the hail was hammering down and yelled "this fucking sucks!" we all laffed and then followed suit, thrusting our fist to the sky yelling the same. Then in about 5 minutes..it all stopped..the sun came out. We just continued on, a paceline of poetry in motion of gears clicking, the whish of lycra, titanium, carbon fiber and aluminum - until al the rain and hail melted and wicked off.
It's absolutely Spring.