I've been wetter...

...but not much. After another bought of stomach issues on Saturday night, I rolled out Sunday into a cloudy, windless, 55 degree morning.
The decision was made to ride the cross bike as I figured no one would show for the standing Il Prof ride.
Out through West Columbia I went....

I didn't feel too great, but could just ride a steady pace without feeling like I was going to yawn in technicolor. I rolled up out of the trails by the river, and hit Old State Road. Old State is dirt all the way from West Columbia to the Eastman Chemical plant out off of I-26...probably 4-5 miles of red clay/sand mix. During the dry season, it's shite...loose, choppy and just generally unpleasant. One would think, that after all the rain we've had this winter that it would be a poor surface on which to ride. One would be wrong! Sure, it's a bumpy ass dirt road, but if you expect that fact, Old State is in good condition to ride at the moment.
I rode out to the end, turned and came back to the farm road cut through that leads to the construction that may, or may not be, the 12th St, extension, at which point the heavens opened up.
The 'official' part of 12th ends at I-77, but I was a good distance South of that point, so I was "forced" to sneak around the gates/barriers to make my way home.
Don't know what they're doing out there, other than playing in the dirt, but it made for a nice little adventure and is a nice loop. The entire length between the large "No Trespassing" signs is rideable and presents quite interesting scenery, which included several different animal tracks and a HUGE series of pipes running across the road that gave me a good spot to practice my cyclocross dismount/mount.
Once I got back on the tarmac at the far end of 12th, it was pouring rain, and continued to do so until I walked into the aptly named mudroom at home. Wet and muddy, there was no reason to even go inside. Clothes came off and went directly into the washer.
It was a good ride and a whole lot of fun. Special thanks to Mad Alchemy for the embrocation. The medium kept my legs and back nice and toasty during the ride, and for most of the day! If you haven't tried/used it, you should!
Off the bike today, but going to get an adjustment and some ART.
See you at TNCWC #2....