Rain, return, second ride attempt successful on a warm day.

I was up for a ride today, no matter what.  For me, a couple of days off the bike is a long time, and for some reason, my happiness seems to be linked to getting out on the bike.  This means that Emily encourages me to get out as well.  I had a couple of good, long walks the last two days, though, and it keeps me feeling fine, but a ride is what I want.  So, I was at the meeting point for the team ride this morning 5 minutes early, but after 15 minutes of waiting, it was apparent that I was the team today.  I took my first selfie, see below, to post of the team facebook page.  I started a ride anyway, but around 300 meters into it, it started to rain, and I decided it would be best to return home and see if it cleared.

Back home, I spent some time reading a book I am totally into right now, then at a break I checked the skies, and they looked as good as it was going to get.  No rain basically since I returned this morning, so back out for attempt number 2.  I actually had a very nice ride, and linked some different routes in ways that were new to me.  The temperatures were quite warm, and I did not get rained on at all, just rode in very threatening skies.  I had a number of decision points where I could extend the ride or return home, and I extended on all choices but the last one.  I was really enjoying my ride, and started for the extension to San Polo from Strada, but as I hit the final turn off, it started to sprinkle and the skies did not look good.  I turned around and headed home at that point.  The sprinkles at the last decision point were the only moisture I hit on my second attempt at a ride.  I really enjoyed the ride and getting out.  Fun to be here and to have the Chianti hills to ride in as my backyard.  41.6 miles in 3:02 rolling time for an average speed of 13.7 mph with 2825 vertical feet climbed at a warm average temperature of 58.

Vacciano, Impruneta, Luiano, Gabbiano, Ferrone, Strada, Firenze by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

A selfie of the entire team present for this morning's ride.  Perhaps

everyone else was smarter, it started to rain 300 meters after I

started, and I turned around and went home.

A typical winter view in Chianti.  Cloudy, vineyards are bare, but 

still beautiful.  Actually it is not cloudy more than 50% of the time.

At the little pass between Quattro Strade and Gabbiano, I took

these two views of the stormy skies.  In person, the first looked 

very threatening, but the second looked brighter.  Here, they both 

look stormy.  At the next decision point, I decided not to extend after

starting the extension, but getting some light sprinkles.