Got out tonight for 50 miles. Rode a loop from Burlington out Spear St. to somewhere near Mt. Philo, then back on Rt. 7. I started out putting on and taking off layers – and as the evening turned to night donned the reflective sash, headlight, and blinkie on my helmet. I left from home, ran an errand at the Staples plaza, and started my ride at dusk. Spear St. offers some wonderful scenery – so I’ll have to head back that way with some daylight.
The rain threatened for the first half of the ride – gentle, warm, even pleasant, compared to Sunday’s slog over Middlebury. Turning north on Rt. 7 I felt the wind shift from out of the SE to out of the NW, and the rain started dropping. Lights blazing, blinkies blinking I sloshed home – soaked to the bone – and chilled from the wind. Somewhere on Pine St. some hipsters in a modded Honda had fun plastering me through a puddle. Glad I was able to provide the entertainment for them tonight – but thanks – there was the whole rest of the road to use, you know…
As I got into town I ventured onto the lakefront MUP. I dodged a downed tree and plenty of branches – and spent my time leaning into the wind howling off the lake. According to the weather services we received anywhere from 1/2″ to 3/4″ of rain, with wind gusting to 24 m.p.h. (which was much faster than I was travelling).
The lakefront MUP was surreal. Leaves plastered to the pavement, branches down, and completely empty. The view to the lake with my headlamp revealed only the beam of my light in the mist. No waves, boats, or lights to be seen.
In all a great ride – including the last hour or so of incredibly windy and wet conditions. The wind was blowing the rain hard enough that it would hurt my face as it came off the lake! I’ve learned some more about navigating in the dark and wet – and need to make some tweaks to the bike. I’ve got to add a small “be seen” LED to the front for when I stop at lights (the E6’s I’m using go out when I stop moving). I need another vest or sash – the Amiphod I’ve been wearing since this summer’s brevet series is uncomfortable – it tends to creep up my back and doesn’t stay put. I’m also planning on leather or rubber mudflaps for the fenders – my shoes filled with water as I rode through the running water along Rt. 7 in Shelburne.
I thought of some fellow cyclists who qualified and rode BMB this year – as the area near Burlington and through the Champlain Islands is notorious for its conditions – especially at night, usually with rain and wind, breaking up the monotony of the 750 mile journey from Boston to Montreal and back.