Rain, mud and sunshine!!

Where do I even begin?  It was an interesting day yesterday to say the least.  It was raining fairly hard when I left my house (on Lucy - I thought she would be faster) to venture to the suburbs.  I was not to concerned about the rain - but perhaps I should have been a bit more cautious.  Just a few blocks from my house, while going downhill, I took a corner a bit too fast and ended up laying on the ground in the street still clipped to my bike.  I was ok....  except perhaps for my ego.  No worries - I got myself back upright I was off.  The trip south was rather uneventful and I actually felt pretty cool/tough out there riding n the rain. 

Well ... the trip was almost uneventful.  A few miles from my destination I encountered some road construction - but it appeared that Google Maps knew about the construction, because they had me turn just before the construction.  I turned, but couldn't find the right road - but there was this awesome bike trail parallel to the road I really wanted to be on.  Perfect!!! :)  Well .... perfect until the path abruptly ended.  Now what?  I could see the road I wanted to be on just 50 yards or so away.  However, in between me and the road was 50 yards of mud. Hmmmmmmm.....  I could backtrack on the path -- but I really didn't know what other road to take.  So --- I decided to walk through the mud.  In retrospect not the best decision.  I was sinking in the mud almost to my ankles and by the time Lucy and I got to the other side we were both covered in mud.  I tried to scrape off as much as I could -- wash up in a mud-filled puddle ..... but I just couldn't get clean enough.  BUMMER!!!!!  So - I called my girlfriend and she came to pick me up.  I wish I would have had my camera to take pictures.  It was really a funny site - especially since I really hate being dirty -- but what could I do? 

I felt much better after hosing off Lucy, taking a shower and getting into some clean clothes.  Toward the end of the meeting we were having I started to get a bit, let's say, anxious .... ok, call it like it is ... crabby.  I didn't quite know why --- but it was because I had to bike home ....  not just because of the ride --- but because it certainly was going to take me longer to get home that any of them.  I had to take a deep breath and remember that it was not their fault that I had to bike home.  This is my choice - and actually the ride home was amazing.  It was sunny and I was able to enjoy the sites, smells and energy of the neighborhoods I was biking through.  What a great end to the crazy day!!!

Lessons for the day:

1. Take it slowly (or a bit slower) when biking in the rain.
2. Don't walk through mud with your bike shoes and road bike.
3. Perhaps having an iPhone/Blackberry/GPS - or some device to help out when getting lost is something to think about.
4. Be sure to have a water proof bag.  The "dry clothes" I brought to change into were not dry, nor were they particularly clean by the time I got there.
5. This is my choice and I am happy to be on the journey --- even through the mud and the muck (literally and figuratively)!!
6. Having friends who are willing to support me through this journey is such a blessing!
7. Don't forget your sunglasses - even if it is pouring rain when you leave - there is always a chance that the sun will come out!!