[QUOTE=kbarch;20373108]
My buddy had planned to descend, but I think the deluge and his gf convinced him not to, and funny thing - I was sure I wouldn't, but going up, before it started raining, I thought I wanted to after all. Maybe next year./QUOTE]

This reminded me of a few years ago when I was riding the Adventure Cycling Adirondack Loop (my wife drove support so not fully self-supported!). The route went over, I think some say the "shoulder" of Whiteface (not to the summit) but it started pouring while I was ascending. Fortunately, my wife sensed I might be getting in some trouble so she was waiting in the van on the side of the road near the highest point the route took us. Not knowing what to expect on the descent, what with the downpour and wet roads, I loaded my bike into the van and we drove down to Wilmington where our motel was. After seeing the descent, I started thinking I could make it down (albeit, touching the brakes the whole way!). So, I asked my wife to drive me back up to the point she picked me up so I could ride down and say I completed that segment of the ride. The guy who owned the motel was a former career marine and when he saw me loading the bike back up to ride down in the rain he told me I was crazy. Having a career marine tell me I was crazy has been kind of a point of pride for me