Great Pumpkin Ride in the Rain

It seems I mention rain in every post, and this one won't be an exception. The Backroads Century was canceled earlier this fall because of a hurricane. Two weeks ago, I canceled the Ashtabula, OH ride with Laurie, Scott, and Denise because of torrential rains that spanned from Lake Erie all the way to Virginia that Saturday. This past weekend, the Great Pumpkin Ride was almost a flop because of a Nor'easter. Could we at least arrange for the extreme storms to arrive mid-week so we could have a sunny Saturday or two!? 

For the pumpkin ride this past weekend, however, Katie, Chris, and I persevered. The forecast was rainy and cold for the morning, but it offered the promise of improvement as time went on, so we headed out to take our chances. It was so dismal early on that I don't think I would have motivated to go alone.

Katie and Chris were nice enough to drive me. 

The three of us at the start. No rain!

Things started out promising, but after 30 minutes or so, a fine mist began to fall that gradually turned to a drizzle, and eventually something we can only call rain. I'd thought I'd be stripping off my rain coat once I warmed up but that didn't happen. Warm and wet inside the rain coat was much more comfortable that freezing and wet outside of it.

I have few pictures of the ride because my phone was sealed up in a plastic bag, but the rain had returned to the fine mist category when I passed this house, so I stopped. I get so annoyed with all the blow-up plastic halloween yard decorations. An over turned car is something altogether different!

From this angle, you can't see the side door of the house which has plywood over it and a spray-painted message "Keep Out!"

The first rest stop with food was at mile 26 (remember I said in my last post that never before in my history of riding had I waited so long for a rest stop? Well I suppose I stand double corrected). We had to wait for it, but it was so worth it. Hot cider, delicious pumpkin soup, decadent pumpkin whoopie pies, and creamy pumpkin pie. It was a feast. And it was so warm in there!

Katie eating her pie. 

The down side - it was so warm in there. After getting really comfortable with my pie, someone opened the door and I felt this "breeze" from outside. Somehow, we had to return to the cold and wet.

We prepare to head out. Katie is unsure.

 As we pulled out from the rest stop, Chris chanted to himself, "I think it's fun. I think it's fun. I think it's fun."

After the rest stop, I felt really cold. The only way to remedy that was to ride harder and warm up from the inside. So I took off by myself for a bit to get my blood pumping. Eventually, I was back in the groove and stopped to wait for Katie and Chris. When they didn't show (Katie had stopped for a foot problem) and I felt the cold creeping back, I forged on alone.

By now, however, the weather cleared and no more rain fell on us. It was just the wind we had to contend with. But without the rain, the jaunt to the second rest stop (which was only 13-14 miles) went quickly, and before I knew it, I was at Busthead Brewery where Deidre and Christian waited at a cozy table in the corner. I had a quick snack and a beer sample and hit the road again, however. I didn't want to set myself up to be so cold again. There were 13 more miles to go before the finish and I remembered from last year they were mostly up hill. Time to get that over with.

Katie was still having foot trouble, so she and Chris stayed at Busthead while I rode to get the car.

In the parking lot, there were still quite a few cars, but no people, so I stripped all my wet stuff off right there in the field and put on very welcome dry things. Then I hopped in the car and cranked up the heat. By the time I got back to Busthead, I was warm and sleepy. But not so much that I couldn't enjoy a few pints and some fish tacos.

Our cozy corner table.

Thanks to Chris for driving home. Don't think I could have stayed awake to do that myself. At home, I took a wastefully long shower, put on my warm lobster socks, and laid down on the couch to read A Hole in the Wind--something I'd been thinking about doing all day! It was so comfy I think I only made it through one page before I fell sound asleep!

Here's our route. It started/ended in Warrenton. I just forgot to turn on the Garmin. Of course.

Distance: 54
Avg. Speed: 14