Rainy Ride

I freely admit I am the *biggest* whiner about winter weather. In all seriousness, when the kids are grown, I plan on high-tailing it out of Seattle in favor of a sunnier climate. Even though when it's sunny in Seattle, there isn't a better place to be in the whole wide world. That's the best friggin' week of the year! (ba-dum-dum)

So last night as I was leaving the office in the pouring down rain and cold, I was NOT EXCITED about going on my weekly group night ride. But see, I haven't been hitting that ride very often these days. The ice, the cold, the rain, my snow tubing injury - I had lots of reasons to skip. To the point that it wasn't even really "my" group anymore. Oops!

I wasn't going to cancel last night. Rain, lightning, whatever. I asked the universe for a physically active boyfriend and BAM! did I get one. If I keep bailing on the activities, well, he's gonna start to wonder, right? Ok. So, I'm in. Argh. No matter how crappy the weather, I won't be the one to cry uncle.

It was just the die hards last night. I was the only girl* - this puts on extra-special pressure, right? The group mulled canceling the ride, but there I was with my big smile, "I'm good to go." ("please cancel it. please cancel it.")

*Later, two other girls showed up. They were "racer chicks," slumming it for the night to join our little group. We broke into two groups anyway: the really fast boys and the superhuman girls. That is pure jealousy speaking, by the way. :) Pure and utter jealousy! I would love, love, love to be a fast racer chick. It is not in the cards for me, I think.

Who am I kidding? They never cancel.

Mr. Wonderful gave me the option: we can go do something else? This was funny, because on Tuesday night he texted me the weather was supposed to be awful Wednesday night, and we should have a back up plan. My response to his text and his next text passed each other through the airwaves:

Me: That "Warm Bodies" zombie movie is supposed to be good.
Him: We can go to the club and play racquetball or the open badminton. 

Oops.

Okay, nope, I'm in. Here we go. Twenty-four miles in the dark and rain. It was so fun! Once I'm out there, I have a blast. I do not like biking in driving rain, but in moderate, typical dreary-suck rain, it's fine. I don't think that riding in the dark is the *smartest* thing to do. I have a pretty great light. There are much better lights. Either way, you're sort of taking it on faith that you won't ride right into a hole or over some unavoidable obstacle.

Total blast. I love riding my bike. I am fast on the flats and super slow on the hills. But I keep up with the boys.

And on Sunday, we have a very hilly 40-mile ride on the agenda. That one won't get canceled, either. And I'll plaster on my big-girl brave face and git'er done. :)