The good news is I was finally able to get out on the tarmac for some limited spinning on this sad and soggy Sunday morning. The bad news is the rain ultimately hindered what would have otherwise been an outstanding ride. I stuck it out for about 10km before throwing in the proverbial towel, crossing the Tamagawa, and heading to the safety and comfort home affords.
I had no problems waking up at 4am. When the alarm started squealing I immediately sprung into action. The pre-ride ritual was no different than any other day, other than a few extra loves for the pups before heading outside. Even though we are not leaving for Kamikochi until tomorrow, we have to drop the pups off at the pet hotel tonight. They already sense the separation and have been clingy the last day or two.
As the front door slammed shut behind me, while I made my way down the steps towards the garage, I noticed the scent in the air was off. It had that wet smell to it, and so I surveyed the area. The streets were mostly dry, showing a bit of dampness from what must have been late night rain. The further I descended the stairs the more I realized it was actually misty. Rather than dwell on potential precipitation I was determined to ride and pressed on with my plans.
I hopped on Red Chameleon and started heading towards the Tamagawa. About 200m into the ride the mist transformed into full fledged rain. It was not a torrential downpour but enough to be more than annoying. If it had been raining this much when I in front of my house I would not have gone riding.
Rather than stop so soon after leaving, I looked up at the sky to try and determine if the rain will continue. There were no remarkable blue patches in the sky, it just looked like death and disaster. I decided to press on and see if the rain would subside at some point in the ride.
Narrator: it did not.
I rode for about 10km in the rain and never once did it relent. I was nearing a bridge where I could cross the river and turn back home. As I approached I contemplated giving it about 5km to the next bridge. At this point what did I have to lose? I was already wet, so may as well just get more wet.
But I was not enjoying the ride. It was like I was going through the motions just for the sake of riding, not because I was having fun. That solidified my decision and I decided to turn back towards home. As disappointed I was for not riding further in the long run it is better to consider safety prior to the Kamikochi trip tomorrow.
This was the final ride before heading up in the moutains of Nagano. I am really jazzed about the hiking trip and anxious to get into the fresh mountainous air. About the only concern I have is the weight of my backpack, and whether or not my back will be able to hold it for the six hour trek. I guess a little vitamin M (aka Motrin for those unfamiliar with this nickname) can quickly take care of this pain.
There will be no posts for the next few days. I had planned a few articles to auto-post, but with the brutality at work this week I was unable to get anything written.
More to come upon return from the hiking trip.
Peace out and stay safe.
