So close to reaching my goal for February I decided to break one of my rules but actually it turned out to be two rules: no biking below 60 degrees, do not start a ride in the rain.

As the morning turned into afternoon the temperature kept falling and the sky remained gray. My wife told me before I left that it was sprinkling but by the time I got dressed and out the door I couldn’t hear the rain on the skylight. Determined to ride at least 5 miles I planned to ride around 10 as I walked to the garage to get the Blue Norcross AL bike. Punching the Elemnt start button at 1:10 PM I set out on what turned out to be a route in between the minimum miles I needed (4.6) and the 10 I planned on.

Not long after I got on the biking and starting riding on the Kingwood streets I heard the light rain hitting my jacket. This wasn’t the normal biking jacket, because it was 48 degrees I chose to wear a heavy duty freezer grade jacket. Riding into the 10 mph N wind didn’t faze this jacket and after a few miles I had to lower the zipper a couple of inches because I got too hot. With this heavy jacket I only wore a long sleeve thermal jersey under it with shorts, leg warmers, and full finger gloves. My upper body was warm but I could feel the cold through the shorts and leg warmers.

With the light rain I shortened the route and headed back home ending at 7.95 miles for the ride which put February at 348.32 miles, 3.32 miles over my goal. I finished the ride at 1:50 PM glad to be back in the garage out of the wind and rain. When I opened the back door to go in the house a blast of hot air greeted me and I didn’t mind at all.

Friday the cold should leave and be above my 60 degree threshold. I plan on biking to start March off. Saturday I will ride the YMCA Baytown Gator Ride for the first time since 3/2/2013. The forecast calls for temperatures 65 to 75 degrees and a low chance of rain.