If +that+ didn't stop me...

The plan was simple enough. Ride 80 miles, climb some hills, box the bike, study for exam.

That first step had some complications. I had been having some shifting problems the last couple of days, and this morning they were really getting frustrating. Climbing up Wildwood Hill the first time, I felt like the chain kept skipping. At the crest, I got off and discovered that one of the links was coming apart!

I "limped" back to my house very carefully and installed a replacement chain I had around, keeping the old one for spare links on the trip. Adjusted the rear derailleur, which had gotten a little out of whack. Maybe was never in whack. Whatever. Skipped lunch in favor of a granola bar. (Big mistake.) Got going again.

7 laps into the Wildwood Hill plan, it started raining. "Well," I thought to myself, "the forecast called for mostly sunny skies, so it's probably just a passing shower." Stopped with the hill climbs and proceeded to Walden. By then, I was going pretty slow--I was hungry and wet and a little worried about saddle sores.

The weather started clearing up and I thought that I was past the worst of it. "Hey," I thought. "Maybe my shoes will dry out from the wind and I'll be able to pack them tonight!" I even considered an additional Walden loop to get to 80 miles for the day as originally planned, but thought better of it. And so I plodded along on home, thinking about Nova Scotia, when it started to drizzle.

And then rain.

And then pour.

And then hail.

And then it was a complete, driving, gray-out torrent. I took one turn onto a street to find myself suddenly knee-deep in a flash-flood. (If I had my glasses on and/or it weren't dark as night from the clouds, I might have noticed this.) I picked up my bike and placed it on my shoulder, cyclocross-style, carrying it for 50 yards through what was essentially a small river.

That can't be good for the rear derailleur.

When I got to the other side, there was actually a reed caught in my front wheel. (Sorry, no pictures; seemed like a better idea to keep the waterproof pannier closed.)

Naturally, I was without raingear.

In the end, I did cover 65 miles and 3,600 feet of climb. Now to go figure out how to dry off the bike.