Rainy fun

I was too tired this morning to get a very early run out like I did yesterday, so I left my place after the rush hour had ended and set off on my regular 10 mile route with a little tweak that took me through Fairfield to avoid some of the Metro roadworks, before getting back onto the route at Villemomble Square.

As I passed Medlock Leisure Centre the scratching noise I'd been hearing started to get a little bit louder, but when I looked down at the components while riding everything looked in order, so I though maybe the car that had been tailing me was the culprit of the noise. So I carried on regardless and turned into Daisy Nook as I passed so I could give Everest a proper check over again (she had a look over before I left the house). As I looked straight down at the chain it looked like it was too far to the left on the front mech, which would cause it to grate. After having a feel around and a look from a different angle, it dawned on me that the front mech hadn't reverted back to its proper position after the stint on the big ring, although it felt like it had clicked into place as I'd changed down. But, hey ho! After a play about with the gearing it sorted itself out without a problem, so all's good.

As I left to carry on my route it began to spit a little (it was forecast) and kept dying out, starting again etc. By the time I got to Guide Bridge it was heavy rain. By the time I got a further 2 minutes down the road it had turned into a monsoon, albeit a very, very welcome monsoon as it really cooled me down. Seconds later I was drenched, feet waterlogged, hands killing me (my eczema reacts badly to water), but I was grinning like a nutter at everyone who looked at me as though a cyclist shouldn't be out in the rain.

One thing that the rain did for me other than chill me out and turn me crazy, was that it made me faster. Probably a little stupid to be going faster on slick, greasy roads, but it did. And I was still super cautious turning left due to the paranoia that another car will side-swipe me while turning!

C'est la vie!

Stats -
Muggy, sticky and bloody hot already (21C at 9:30am)!
Average speed: 14.9mph
Miles: 9.62