see you @ GAP @ 5:45 mark and maybe others

i have some very rainy video.  hah, i initially typed that wrong and wrote "randy" instead.  nope, only biking videos.

We rode around for a bit talking strategy, lead outs and sweepers, getting Brendan in position for the W, keeping in the front of the group so we could see each other.  Charlie started the race as fast as he could, with the clouds starting to linger in the background.  The NYPD chopper that had been practicing landings on the field during the cat 5 race left (because of the wind?).

The race started and Brendan was immediately on the front going strong.  Around the second turn I asked John if we should get him off the front and bam, he pulled away, and Eddie, who jumps onto our training sessions in the park, was with him.  Eventually, John and an RBNY rider bridged, with one other, I think.  And the race pretty much went like that, with a good gap on the break and the rest of us chugging away.

On the second lap, David Lipscomb got a flat.  That's the second time I've seen him get one.  Time for some gatorskins, methinks.  And the Zipps don't help you when there's no air in the tires.

And then the clouds got angry, my friends.  Just after the start/finish a few drops came down and then, blammo!, raining sideways.  And not the quaint pitter patter on the back porch while you're sipping cocoa in the kitchen.  Big, giant, Volkswagen rain drops crashing down, being dumped on us from all directions, filling up the potholes so riding was eventually ride splash, ride splash, ride splash, like a watery autobahn.  My sexy tight bib shorts began sagging on my quads they were so waterlogged.  The field got strung out, guys started passing me as that wind just beat it's war yell onto my chest.  I TTd on my own, with a band of 3 a couple of bike lengths ahead of me.  Someone past me and I got on his wheel, but there was too much water, and it was just getting dangerous, the puddles were filling up, and on the back stretch, absolutely nowhere to hide.  

I came around the last corner and saw everyone pulling off the field.  I eased back on my gears, sat up, took off my glasses, the rain stopped, we all stopped, that was the race.

Holy crap.  We raced in a thunderstorm.  Rule 5 indeed.

It rained on my ride home.

I took a shower.

I don't want to see water for a very long time. 

Nice job out there, Brendan in the break, John for the sprint, Mark, you soared past me with fresh legs and looked strong.  That was a good race, that got cancelled and completely rained out.  But a good race.

what the video doesn't show is that the combination of contact lenses, sunglasses off, and rain from wheels in front of me has completely blinded me by the time we are told to stop.  malcolmson looked back at me with a "why are you slowing" look.  it's because i was basically riding with my eyes closed.

i picked a bunch of dirt out of my eyes this morning.  ah, floyd...i just can't quit you