short, snowy (& foggy) slug ride

Last weekend, I had hoped to get a ride in, but weather and circumstance interfered. All this week I was watching the local NOAA weather site, which was predicting a 30%, then a 20% chance of rain for today, until this morning, when they apparently decided that the morning fog was going to be the worst of it (although, to be honest, the NOAA site is the "Chicken Little" of weather forecasters, always threatening the worst). I'd been emailing a few folks about rides, and decided to go out with Laura OLPH, who hasn't been on a bike in five-or-so weeks. She had a commitment for today, so this was to be a short ride, and I was alternately disappointed (hoping for a longer one) and relieved (because I've been letting my fitness slide; last week I weighed the most I have in three or four years).

Ron S came along, with his old bike. He's got a new Specialized with SRAM Red components, but his derailleur is one of that was caught up in the recent recall. The new bike has been tied up at the dealer for about two weeks; Ron thinks it's because he didn't buy the part from the dealer, and even though Ron arranged for the dealer to do some extra work to sweeten the deal, the recall doesn't appear to be at the top of the shop's priorities. The old bike isn't as hill-friendly as the new one, so Ron's condition on coming was "no bad hills", to which Laura adhered.

We did this route; it's a modification of a route she used to do in her early days at the club. Several times along the way, we checked the time and adjusted so that we could get a decent ride in, but still have Laura back in time.  The warmth of the day, and the humidity, meant the fog lasted to some extent throughout the ride, and my glasses and mirrors kept fogging up, except on a descent where the rush of air would clear things up... but the cost of the improved visibility was the cold!

It's not often I ride with snow on the ground (I don't like it under my wheels), and it was a pretty ride with the snow and fog. We passed a farm with cattle in the fog, and Laura and I got pictures.

Tomorrow threatens rain; if it comes, I'll be cleaning today's road grime off the bike, and if it doesn't come... well, maybe I'll make up for the short mileage from today.

Pics below: