Road Ride Report Being caught blindsided by the weather reports.

Today was one of them days where I had to choose Road over Dirt. I dusted off the langster and aired up the tires! The ride went well until the rain hit us about 18miles from the cars. We fought through it and hit the beach from Imperial. As we turned around, the winds turned on us making it a consistantly wet headwind all the way back! It was my first road ride in the rain and must admit, riding the MTB has tought me something new... You dont have to slam on your brakes to go over a puddle on the road bikes, you bunny hop it and keep going. By mile 25 I'd sware I had goldfish in my shoes and the brakes were non exsistant. By mile 35 the goldfish had babies and at this point the pain was overshadowed by numb tingling in the legs. Mile 42 we FINALLY pulled off the river trail and headed up Imperial to the car! In short, If I had gone with my gut on this one, I would have been on the dirt and back to the car before the rain... As this was an awesome experience, I dont know if I'd do it again. I would like to thank my Dog for currently thawing out my feet as I lay here typing this out.

As much as I love the road, I'd MUCH rather be on the DIRT!!!

**If you've ever been cought blindsided by the weather punk, please, tell us your story......

 

This morning Bri Winkler lied to me. At 6am she shows the rain north of Santa Barbara and says we won't get rain till later this afternoon. I'm off for a quick Loop at 7. My cold weather gear was working great. I started to feel the drops just before the fire station. By the time I got to the water tank the rain was coming down hard. The trail withstood the drenching and I only had a couple of mud splatters on me so I plowed on. Dropped down Mormon Hill with light sprinkles and I thought I got lucky. However the two little climbs before the lake had turned into super-alien mud. Even though I walked in the grass my tires were caked and the rear stopped spinning. A quick dip in the lake and I was ready to roll. I took the pavement to Harbor and became a roadie to avoid the train tracks and golf course. It was nice to feel like a kid again just playing in the rain.

 

I got up early to ride the loop before the rains were supposed to come this afternoon. I saw the clouds looking more and more threatening, looked at the weather radar, saw no rain, and decided to go. I rode from my neighborhood about 2 miles to the RR tracks at Hughes and Bastanchury. It started pouring, I got drenched, turned around and rode home, bummed.

 

The cold muddy ride

I remember this ride as we came around this corner and found a couple come out from the bush lined trail chasing after their dog.

Which had me stop in my tracks,seconds after all three of us stopped to ask why is there crazy people out in this storm ,cablamo and i mean look out for that tree.

If we did not stop to ask if they were ok and just to see why they were coming out from the trees and bushes one of us would have been under that huge tree.

Mike and Sara were the two that we meet on the trail that day and are still friends with today, thank god they were there.

 

that is one awesome story!!!!

 

I knew it was coming in and wanted to get a ride in this am. Got in 40 miles and returned home with just a few sprinkles on me.

 

Not blind-sided, but rain came sooner than weather.com showed.

 

Spent time rebuilding the bike due to the rain. Full overhaul and retired some long over due parts.

 

if you ever need more work your welcome to work on mine

 

There's your problem. You should of watched Evelyn Taft, she has er..ample "weather" qualifications

 

I followed the weather reports closely and waited until 9am (when my phone said a small chance of rain would be over and no more rain until 4pm). Started a Whiting/Luge loop. Everything was fine and only had a few sprinkles climbing Mustard. Once I got to STT, I noticed a couple of riders coming back down. This isn't too unusual because some riders like to come back down this way or aren't experienced enough for the Luge. But in the back of my mind I kept thinking maybe something was wrong. Maybe too much mud ahead, or rain ahead. My wife send a text message just then asking if I was getting wet (because it was pouring at home). But I still thought I would be ok. Once I got to a vista point, I looked out to see what looked to be a line of heave rain stretching from Laguna all the way as far North and East as I could see. I knew I needed to get to the Luge before this hit because I have been stuck in the thick mud here before. Needless to say a set a few new Strava PRs on the remaining climbs and descents. I passed a group of 4 hikers near the last climb before the flag and told them to stay dry (knowing they were going to get soaked). Just as I reached the pavement after the Luge, it started raining. I decided to skip the remainder of Whiting and head back to the parking lot (on Portola) via the road.Just as I passed Cooks it started coming down hard. I had a wind breaker on and long sleeves, but now I was soaked to the bone. The last stretch going downhill Portola, I could feel the cold water going down my neck and back from the rooster tail coming from the back tire. Finally back at the car, I toweled off and started home. Forgot to stop my GPS, so I bagged a few roadie KOMs on Strava driving home. Sorry about that.

 

SoCal native?? The rain wasn't that bad. I wanted to get 80 miles in today, but only did 60. The standing water wasn't much fun, nor was carbon rims when needing to brake downhill. Handling conditions were fine, and I was more worried about road traffic. Drivers here think rain = snow. As long as you take a hot shower, etc, when you get home you should be OK from a core temp POV. The key is to watch the radar before you ride. I used to check the radar several times during my MTB rides back in WI when T-storms were coming. Mostly to know when to get back to the car to avoid lightning. Make sure you dress for the weather and I guarantee it beats riding the trainer for 3-4 hours (I used to ride 3000+ miles a year on the trainer). Clean the bike and get back out there!

 

You called it! Born and raised! For us SoCal natives, that might as well have been the worst storm ever. :lol:

 

Some of my most memorable rides have happened when the weather has changed while already out there!

 

Nothing like racing weather or darkness. I did a hundred mile ride in Mammoth/Mono Lake once and had black clouds chasing me from Benton all the way back to my truck at the green church (395). Over my shoulder, I could see the dark wall of moisture hitting the ground and just managed to get inside my truck before getting pummelled by a massive hail storm! Several PR's on that final stretch of blacktop, and maxed out heater on the drive back to town.

 

Not sure of this forum member'sname on this site but goes as Eyemage on other forums.

We were looking for rain on GMR so we took the MTB's. No rain but we found a little snow and hail.

[video=youtube;tEZ9-gF1JvM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEZ9-gF1JvM[/video]

This one I went looking for rain at Claremont Hills. Some rain but not enough to get drenched so I was disappointed wanting to test the Go Pro in the rain

[video=youtube;2wFfkRYggNg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wFfkRYggNg[/video]

Those were planned but the time we were taken by surprise was back in 2003. We had a forum ride of about 20 riders riding GMR/GRR to the village. Gina drove support, gate closed on the lower 8 mile section (fork to gate) We were at the village when it began to pour. Temps dropped to 29 degrees, no jacket just a vest, shorts. Gina drove about 2 miels back across GRR heading back with the group. I stayed at the back to make sure all riders got back safely. After 2 miles one gal decided she was too cold and wouldn't make it so I loaded her into the truck and suggested Gina head back down Baldy Rd since there was threat of mudslides and gate closed at the fork.

So I rode sweep on the descent with one other rider in the pouring rain, 29 degrees and no cover. Soaking wet I couldn't handle doing more than 16 mph without freezing. Not to mention the river flowing across the road riding skinny tires. I got so cold I pulled over to check the wobble in my bike. It wasn't the bike, it was an uncontrollable shake in my body. I got back and hoping to get down before it was too late (freeze to death). It was the first time I ever got so cold that I wantd to pull over, lay down and go to sleep.

Made it down, Gina waiting in the truck. I got in turned the heater full blast and asked for my dry clothes. Gina had given them to the gal to dry off so now they were cold soaking wet! When we got off the mtn, looked up and they were covered with snow...in APRIL .My rims were full of water and my brakes totally GONE!

 

I hear ya......

Sunday morning my wife says she wants to do a road ride because she is tired of being cold and wet on our rent mtn bike rides.

So we head off to do a loop through Santiago Canyon from Orange......only to be caught in the downpour at the intersection of Alton and Irvine Blvd.....15 miles from home. It would rain on us the rest of the way home.

So much for warm and dry road ride.

 

Sounds like there have been a lot of good experiences with being blindsided! I'd NEVER ride on the road in the rain if I knew it was coming but on the dirt, BRING IT ON! My First rain ride was San Juan, also an unexpected rain, but DANG, was it fun! We were being chased by Lightning and trying to count the time between strike and boom got me down the hill in good fashion. Good stuff, keep em coming!!!