Ok I have a confession to make. Over the last few years I thought I was getting to be a pretty hard core cyclist. I would take my MTB out and get dirty just because some of us wanted to go out and get dirty. I started doing centuries, double centuries, and some short 30+ road races and have even toyed with organized TTs. I ride group rides 3 or 4 days a week. Yesterday we started our group ride as an easy recovery ride with a bit smaller group because there was a chance of rain. Once we had gone about 12 miles it started to mist slightly and the group decided to stop at a small market under an awning and discuss the route we would be taking. Everyone decided to make a run for home and the ride turned into a fast 12 mile race back the way we had come.

After I got home I had to laugh at myself. We didn’t run from the rain because we were worried about getting soaked, or that it would be too cold. We ran because no one wanted to have to spend hours cleaning their bike of all the dirt and grit that develops on a rain soaked street. I realized I was more spoiled than I thought and that my attitude about my road bike had changed over the years.