Well that escalated quickly and quite randomly

A few days ago, the weather predictions for this weekend's Pisgah 111/55.5K were quite pleasant.  Things were shaping up for a fine day in the woods.

Yesterday, it looked like this:

And this morning:

So, it's gonna "r" word... or it's not.  Which meant the packing I did earlier in the week was dumped on the floor and sorted through.  A Metal vest added, because what else could you possibly need in 40° rain (insert classic Brado Allen image here)?

The Ikon 2.35 I was running up front?  Stellar two weeks ago at PMBAR under dry conditions.  In the wet?  I didn't want to find out.  Mounted up the Ardent 2.4 I was saving for the Trans-Sylvania Epic and while I was thinking about it, a fender.

Some people don't think that fender do much, but it do.  If you don't have one, you should.

One more thing and the bike was ready.

I love Pro Link, but it just won't stand up to seven or so hours of wet Pisgah riding.  Xtreme will.

And as always, drop bags filled with preloaded Awesome strapped goods.

The new Race 3 goes on a lot faster than the Race 2, so this makes more sense than before.   Probably a 20 second penalty at most for strapping on the goods for flat number two.

I think I've said it before.  I'd rather be riding under bluebird skies and 69° temps, but I tend to do better when other people are miserable.  I just do.  That same feeling I get when I'm cruising alongside stopped traffic and I hear horns being honked in impatient anger... I just laugh out loud knowing that I'm dealing with it and they're not.  Probably not very Budha of me... whatever.

When life gives you lemons, you punch it in the dick and say, "Fuck you.  Lemonade is for preschoolers and golfers."

Last year, I didn't stick around for the 55.5K.  Call me a pussy if you will (it's been awhile), but to do the 55.5K woulda meant another night of sleeping in a hammock in the pouring rain.  That woulda been after looking for some place out of the rain to triage my bike and nurse it back to health.  This year, I plan to succeed (usually the first step to success).  I've booked a room a few miles down the road at a quaint place called the Sunset Motel.

This will make all the difference.  A good night's sleep in a bed and I'll be as right as the "r" word for Sunday's sport class distance event... which still took the fastest riders close to five hours to finish.

Cake.

If all goes well, I'll be 3/5 of the way done with this whole King of Pisgah thing... leaving only the most dreaded (gravel grinding) and the hardest (24 hours of racing in 36) to go.