Mini Epic

I planned to get in six hours of mostly night riding. I started out at 5:30PM. It was about 37F with light rain. I don't like riding in the rain when the temps are south of 40F, but them's the breaks. I'm going to be in Chicago this weekend, so if I want to ride, its in the cold rain or not at all.

The ride went fine for the first hour and 45 minues. The rain had stopped, and I even saw a few breaks in the clouds before the sun set. Then the snow started.

Riding in Michigan, I have a bit of experience with the White Stuff. I am familiar with all the types of snow; granular, fluffy, wet, sand-like, etc. They all add a certain level of difficulty to a ride. They type I hate the most is the Heavy Wet MegaFlake. This is snow that falls to earth in large clumps. It is very wet, and it is great for obscuring vision.

This is the snow that started to fall one hour and 45 minutes into my ride.

I pushed on for fifteen minutes. I couldn't see. The snow was all over my glasses and diffusing my lights. Not "It was hard to see". Not "I had trouble seeing". I COULD NOT SEE! It was time to turn around.

I rode blind in the snow for about an hour. It cleared up a bit after that, but by that time I was soaked. I time-trialed back home and made good time. It was good Iowa training, but I do hope it's not snowy...