Despite the sh1te summer I've managed a fair bit of riding without having any really bad days. A shower (sometimes heavy) here & there but never enough to make it a miserable day. Unfortunately that all seems to have changed over the last 2 weekends 
Sunday week ago I arranged to meet Ravenbyrne & Spear Ruler in Mountrath for a day in the Slieve Blooms. The day started cold (1.5c when I left the house
) but dry & bright. But by about midday the rain had started. Not heavy in the beginning but by the time we'd spent nearly 2 hours waiting on the side of a mountain with a 950SM rider who'd had an off just before we got there we were decidedly damp around the edges. And cold !. Into Kinnity for hot tae & drip dry onto the pubs carpet & by now it was dark & still raining. The run home through Mountmellick, although better than over the mountain, had a fair bit of flooding & some savage gusts where there were gaps in the hedge. I'm rarely happy to get home after being out on the bike but I made an exception that day 
And then there was yesterday. I'd been watching the forecast & knew it mightn't be good but I'd committed to a day getting dirty with Daithi, Glenboy & two of my young lads. The day dawned dry & bright but the closer we got to Tipp the darker it got. Breakfast was extended due to the rain but it eventually stopped & we headed out. As soon as we got out of the car to unload the bikes it started again & didn't stop until sometime this morning. With visibility down to about 50 meters up the mountain & teeming rain the 3+ hours we were out was fairly feckin' miserable - even the car heater on full couldn't warm up my bones
I'm tempted to hang up my boots until next 'summer'
(except that I'd go off me trolley if I didn't ride for that long !)
Sunday week ago I arranged to meet Ravenbyrne & Spear Ruler in Mountrath for a day in the Slieve Blooms. The day started cold (1.5c when I left the house
) but dry & bright. But by about midday the rain had started. Not heavy in the beginning but by the time we'd spent nearly 2 hours waiting on the side of a mountain with a 950SM rider who'd had an off just before we got there we were decidedly damp around the edges. And cold !. Into Kinnity for hot tae & drip dry onto the pubs carpet & by now it was dark & still raining. The run home through Mountmellick, although better than over the mountain, had a fair bit of flooding & some savage gusts where there were gaps in the hedge. I'm rarely happy to get home after being out on the bike but I made an exception that day And then there was yesterday. I'd been watching the forecast & knew it mightn't be good but I'd committed to a day getting dirty with Daithi, Glenboy & two of my young lads. The day dawned dry & bright but the closer we got to Tipp the darker it got. Breakfast was extended due to the rain but it eventually stopped & we headed out. As soon as we got out of the car to unload the bikes it started again & didn't stop until sometime this morning. With visibility down to about 50 meters up the mountain & teeming rain the 3+ hours we were out was fairly feckin' miserable - even the car heater on full couldn't warm up my bones
I'm tempted to hang up my boots until next 'summer'
(except that I'd go off me trolley if I didn't ride for that long !)
.....says me Hah!......
