Today's ride included a bit of each.
I slept a little later than usual today, getting up at about 7:30, and it was raining. But there was a patch of blue sky that seemed to grow larger by the minute, so I decided to a bit of housecleaning and go for a bike ride once the weather improved. And improve it did. By the time I set off at 10:30, it was sunny and 19 degrees. I started out wearing a long sleeved jersey, but didn't make it out of the driveway before deciding I should change into short sleeves.
I rode straight north up to the top of the hill, where I turned east toward St. Albert. I did this route a few times last summer, but there have been a couple of big changes since then. One, the roundabout that replaces the four-way stop at Highway 44 near Villeneuve. And two, the Ray Gibbon Drive extension at the edge of St. Albert. Both are significant improvements, although the roundabout could do with a good sweeping to clear away the loose gravel that has accumulated.
At the roundabout I came upon three cyclists taking a break. They were just getting ready to start as I came along, and figuring that it would be easier for three of them to pass little old me than for me to pass three of them further down the road, I gunned it and took the lead. I am pleased to say that not only did they not pass me, I couldn't even see them behind me the entire distance between Highway 44 and Ray Gibbon. I stopped for a drink and to check my GPS before heading south at RG and they hit the intersection just as I was leaving. (They continued east.) Now, the lead guy was kind of old and at least one of the other guys was kind of fat, so it was a bit of a hollow victory, but I still felt satisfied that I had kept up a respectable speed. After all, they had the alleged advantage of reduced wind drag due to group riding. There was a pretty stiff south crosswind, and since I am on the runty side, I definitely feel the power of those crosswinds.
Ray Gibbon is everything a new road should be: smoothly paved, with a wide shoulder, so other than the south wind, which was now a headwind, it was a pleasure to ride there for the all-too-short stretch between Villeneuve Road and Meadowview Drive.
The pavement on the latter is another story altogether. I laughed out loud when after several kilometers of dodging potholes and riding over bone-jiggling rough and pitted pavement, I came to this sign warning of a rough ride ahead!
The sky was spectacular today. The only problem was that as I rode back towards Spruce Grove, the cloud cover became heavier and heavier and greyer and greyer. And sure enough, just as I rounded the pond at the off-leash area next to Campsite Road, it started to rain, big fat heavy raindrops that smacked of hail.
I was riding hard at this point, but still able to observe my surroundings enough to see a small flock of goldfinches in the shrubbery beside the road. Nice!
The rain became heavier as I turned onto Campsite and pulled to a stop at the first red light. I was quickly becoming very wet. And just as I pulled into our driveway, the hail started. I walked in the door, cold and dripping wet and spattered with mud, and I headed straight for a warm shower.
Even with the rain, it was a good ride --
59.32 km at a pretty decent clip.
I feel like now I am truly a seasoned roadie.
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