I felt a little weak over the weekend, but Monday I felt good enough to ride. Tuesday I felt worse. I was a little loopy, like one gets sometimes from antihistamines. My neck was a little stiff as well, and I had some sensation in my sinuses...not quite pain. I was hoping it was allergies. My wife thought it might be high blood pressure...my BP has been creeping up a little lately. wdnesday I woke up feeling just fine, but I usually drive on Wednesdays so I can drive up north for improv practice after work.

So I was determined to ride today. I woke feeling fine and fit. It was supposed to rain al day so I rode the main commuter and brought the big bag with my rain cape/poncho. The ride in was 37F and slightly misty and damp, but no falling rain. The trails were practically empty and it it felt great to ride. I was a little worried about the 60 yards of gravel on the trail to trail route because of all the recent rain. The first underpass by my home was flooded as usual. The drain has never worked right since they built it 20 years ago. But in our dry climate it's usually noit an issue. The gravel section had enough dry area to squeek past the surprisingly few puddles.

It rained all day and was still raining when I left. It was 42F and the underpasses by the office were full of homeless people, which under the rainy circumstances is understandable. The gravel sections were not too bad either. There was a slight wind coming against me and the rain cape, draped over the handlebars in front of me magnified the force of the breeze. Eventually the rain stopped and I removed the cape and tucked it away. But a mile from the house the rain picked up and I donned the cape once more. My pants had gotten a little damp in the few minutes before I put the cape back on, but by the time I got home, my pants were dry again. One of the benefits of living in a dry climate...and it also shows how having the cape up and off my lower body helps keep me cool and dry in the rain out here.

The bike computer showed a total ride time of 42 minutes which is a few minutes longer than I expected, but it's not a GPS unit and perhaps it was slow to kick-off during my stops at the two traffic lights and when I changed out of and back into the cape...or maybe I justled the bike enough to keep it running.