28 Miles

Ordinarily, I love this time of year. It's a little cool in the morning, but not so cool that you have to put on much more than a light jacket and knee warmers for a ride. And, after 9 am, it's usually great out in just a jersey and shorts. Also, it stays light almost long enough for a flat 300K without lights.

But Tuesday, this week, it started raining ... and it hasn't really stopped since. To make matters worse, work this week was ... well, much more work than it normally is, starting early and going late.

So I rode 28 miles this week. Ordinarily, I ride 10 times that -- between 250 and 300 miles.

I can look on the bright side and say that it has given my legs a rest. I was starting to have some pain in my right knee and left achilles tendon, and the time off the bike probably fixed those.

But, ultimately, I am an addict, and I haven't had a fix now in a week. I need some bike time.

I could use my trainer or ride the spin bike in my living room, but it just isn't the same. I've never smoked, so I'm only guessing here, but I think riding the trainer is the exercise equivalent of Nicorette gum.

So, here's the plan: Monday morning, rain or shine, I am biking to work. There's at 50% chance of precipitation all day, so chances are that I will get wet. However, when I was made, they installed a semi-permeable membrane all around my vital organs that keeps out most moisture -- we call this "skin." I will use that part to its best advantage.

Either way, expect soggy pictures later this week. But expect at least one of them to include a smiling RandoBoy face, because a ride in the rain is still, ultimately, a ride.