Today was such an odd day, it almost reminded me of the movie Something Wicked This Way Comes, just one odd thing happening after one another.

At least was a stability of sorts - just a stressfull day - much to prepare for - I will be off most next week on vacation (which I'm really looking forward to).

The weather had been odd all day - woke up, it was very hot and getting hotter with lots of humidity. Much of which went unnoticed while indoors basking in air conditioning.

Checked the weather before I suited up to leave work to go on a training ride - was 92 degrees...(and suggested "feels like 99 degrees). I was in for an interesting ride.

I headed out towards Purcellville - was a gentle breeze, but very hot. I was already soaked by the time I put together my bike and headed out. Hardly anyone was out - which was odd. I continued on at a fast clip - upon getting into Leesburg - I look up ahead and see the oddest thing...what looked like a man on wheeled stilts or something..I said to myself WTF?...then I got closer...there was this middle aged dude in shorts (dressed like he shops at the GAP) riding this monstrocity "olde timey" antique of a bicycle, a huge ass wheel in the front, tiny wheel in the back. He was like 8-10 feet tall. It was quite a site.

I joked with him as I passed, "shall we form a paceline?" he laughed.

I continued on and upon getting into Percillville - I look up and holy crap - this huge bruised sky of Paynes grey and orange tornado/lightning weather. I was in trouble being 22 miles out and I have to turn around and head back in full force...

The wind began to pick up and the sky was almost black - I knew that I was to have to race this storm. So I gulped down the last of my 2nd water bottle and just started to high tail it - the wind pushing me back home. The leaves on the trees were upside down and the limbs were cracking and debris was falling all over, i was glad I had on cycling glasses, even though it was almost too dark to see but i was grateful I only had a few things fly in my eyes. I picked up the pace as the lightning started cracking closer and closer. I could feel the hair stand up on my arms while I was sweating gallons.

No one was out there - I finally reached Ashburn and was trying to cross a busy intersection and these water spouts started to happen with the hard heavy drops but not rain. It was about to hail or produce a tornado. This driver yells out his window from his SUV "can I drive you home, it's dangerous out there" His voice trailed off as I time trialed the last 5 miles back to Sterling - whind whipping me off course, the rain starting but not soaking.

Summer storm, click to enlarge photo by d. scott gregory

I reach my car and quickly load what I can in quick as the rain starts to hammer down - lightning was too close for comfort. The picture (click to enlarge) was taken from under an entry next to my car at that moment - It looked like it was dark, yet it was completely sunny when I began, putting on sunscreen.

This storm continued to lash out and then finally, after another 20 minutes..it stopped. Resumed back into a pretty day.

I was impressed.

Comments: Post a Comment

03/07/2004 - 03/14/2004 ::: 03/14/2004 - 03/21/2004 ::: 03/21/2004 - 03/28/2004 ::: 03/28/2004 - 04/04/2004 ::: 04/04/2004 - 04/11/2004 ::: 04/11/2004 - 04/18/2004 ::: 04/18/2004 - 04/25/2004 ::: 04/25/2004 - 05/02/2004 ::: 05/02/2004 - 05/09/2004 ::: 05/09/2004 - 05/16/2004 ::: 05/16/2004 - 05/23/2004 ::: 05/23/2004 - 05/30/2004 ::: 05/30/2004 - 06/06/2004 ::: 06/06/2004 - 06/13/2004 ::: 06/13/2004 - 06/20/2004 ::: 06/20/2004 - 06/27/2004 ::: 06/27/2004 - 07/04/2004 ::: 07/04/2004 - 07/11/2004 ::: 07/11/2004 - 07/18/2004 ::: 07/18/2004 - 07/25/2004 ::: 07/25/2004 - 08/01/2004 ::: 08/01/2004 - 08/08/2004 ::: 08/08/2004 - 08/15/2004 ::: 08/15/2004 - 08/22/2004 ::: 08/22/2004 - 08/29/2004 ::: 08/29/2004 - 09/05/2004 ::: 09/05/2004 - 09/12/2004 ::: 09/12/2004 - 09/19/2004 ::: 09/19/2004 - 09/26/2004 ::: 09/26/2004 - 10/03/2004 ::: 10/03/2004 - 10/10/2004 ::: 10/10/2004 - 10/17/2004 ::: 10/17/2004 - 10/24/2004 ::: 10/24/2004 - 10/31/2004 ::: 10/31/2004 - 11/07/2004 ::: 11/07/2004 - 11/14/2004 ::: 11/14/2004 - 11/21/2004 ::: 11/21/2004 - 11/28/2004 ::: 11/28/2004 - 12/05/2004 ::: 12/05/2004 - 12/12/2004 ::: 12/12/2004 - 12/19/2004 ::: 12/19/2004 - 12/26/2004 ::: 12/26/2004 - 01/02/2005 ::: 01/02/2005 - 01/09/2005 ::: 01/09/2005 - 01/16/2005 ::: 01/16/2005 - 01/23/2005 ::: 01/23/2005 - 01/30/2005 ::: 01/30/2005 - 02/06/2005 ::: 02/06/2005 - 02/13/2005 ::: 02/13/2005 - 02/20/2005 ::: 02/20/2005 - 02/27/2005 ::: 02/27/2005 - 03/06/2005 ::: 03/06/2005 - 03/13/2005 ::: 03/13/2005 - 03/20/2005 ::: 03/20/2005 - 03/27/2005 ::: 03/27/2005 - 04/03/2005 ::: 04/03/2005 - 04/10/2005 ::: 04/10/2005 - 04/17/2005 ::: 04/17/2005 - 04/24/2005 ::: 04/24/2005 - 05/01/2005 ::: 05/01/2005 - 05/08/2005 ::: 05/08/2005 - 05/15/2005 ::: 05/15/2005 - 05/22/2005 ::: 05/22/2005 - 05/29/2005 ::: 05/29/2005 - 06/05/2005 ::: 06/05/2005 - 06/12/2005 ::: 06/12/2005 - 06/19/2005 ::: 06/19/2005 - 06/26/2005 ::: 06/26/2005 - 07/03/2005 ::: 07/03/2005 - 07/10/2005 ::: 07/10/2005 - 07/17/2005 ::: 07/17/2005 - 07/24/2005 ::: 07/24/2005 - 07/31/2005 ::: 07/31/2005 - 08/07/2005 ::: 08/07/2005 - 08/14/2005 ::: 08/14/2005 - 08/21/2005 ::: 08/21/2005 - 08/28/2005 ::: 08/28/2005 - 09/04/2005 ::: 09/04/2005 - 09/11/2005 ::: 09/11/2005 - 09/18/2005 ::: 09/18/2005 - 09/25/2005 ::: 09/25/2005 - 10/02/2005 ::: 10/02/2005 - 10/09/2005 ::: 10/09/2005 - 10/16/2005 ::: 10/16/2005 - 10/23/2005 ::: 10/23/2005 - 10/30/2005 ::: 10/30/2005 - 11/06/2005 ::: 11/06/2005 - 11/13/2005 ::: 11/13/2005 - 11/20/2005 ::: 11/20/2005 - 11/27/2005 ::: 11/27/2005 - 12/04/2005 ::: 12/04/2005 - 12/11/2005 ::: 12/11/2005 - 12/18/2005 ::: 12/18/2005 - 12/25/2005 ::: 12/25/2005 - 01/01/2006 ::: 01/01/2006 - 01/08/2006 ::: 01/08/2006 - 01/15/2006 ::: 01/15/2006 - 01/22/2006 ::: 01/22/2006 - 01/29/2006 ::: 01/29/2006 - 02/05/2006 ::: 02/05/2006 - 02/12/2006 ::: 02/12/2006 - 02/19/2006 ::: 02/19/2006 - 02/26/2006 ::: 02/26/2006 - 03/05/2006 ::: 03/05/2006 - 03/12/2006 ::: 03/12/2006 - 03/19/2006 ::: 03/19/2006 - 03/26/2006 ::: 03/26/2006 - 04/02/2006 ::: 04/02/2006 - 04/09/2006 ::: 04/09/2006 - 04/16/2006 ::: 04/16/2006 - 04/23/2006 ::: 04/23/2006 - 04/30/2006 ::: 04/30/2006 - 05/07/2006 ::: 05/07/2006 - 05/14/2006 ::: 05/14/2006 - 05/21/2006 ::: 05/21/2006 - 05/28/2006 ::: 05/28/2006 - 06/04/2006 ::: 06/04/2006 - 06/11/2006 ::: 06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006 ::: 06/18/2006 - 06/25/2006 ::: 06/25/2006 - 07/02/2006 ::: 07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006 ::: 07/09/2006 - 07/16/2006 ::: 07/16/2006 - 07/23/2006 ::: 07/23/2006 - 07/30/2006 ::: 07/30/2006 - 08/06/2006 ::: 08/06/2006 - 08/13/2006 ::: 08/13/2006 - 08/20/2006 ::: 08/20/2006 - 08/27/2006 ::: 08/27/2006 - 09/03/2006 ::: 09/03/2006 - 09/10/2006 ::: 09/10/2006 - 09/17/2006 ::: 09/17/2006 - 09/24/2006 ::: 09/24/2006 - 10/01/2006 ::: 10/01/2006 - 10/08/2006 ::: 10/08/2006 - 10/15/2006 ::: 10/15/2006 - 10/22/2006 ::: 12/31/2006 - 01/07/2007 ::: 10/03/2010 - 10/10/2010 :::