Most Fun Training Ride Ever

So a few weeks ago, I had no racing going on over the weekend so I headed out for a nice long ride in the hills. I ate a filling breakfast and fueled up with a couple cups of coffee before heading out the door and riding into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It was very cold and cloudy outside when I left and after about 15 minutes, it started pouring. There is no better way to keep your body warm than by climbing a hill. Luckily I had a lot of hills on tap for this route. The excitement didn't start until about an hour into the ride when I began climbing the incredibly steep hill, Prospector Road. About halfway up, the side of the road was sprinkled with snow and by the time I got to the top, I was getting pelted with snow and hail. I was staying pretty warm going up the climb but when you go up, you must also go back down. It was now time to start the descent down Marshall Grade into a headwind. The snow and hail was smacking me in the face on the way down the hill. I got to the bottom and immediately found a gas station so I could thaw out a bit. I usually don't like gas station coffee too much but on a day like this, it tasted so good. I felt warm again so I hopped back on my bike and headed back home....into a headwind with an occasional 40+ mph gust! It never stopped raining and the wind only got worse as I rode on. Luckily, my Specialized SL2 handled great on the slick, serpentine descents that I faced on my way home. I finally reached my driveway and rode into the garage. I was drenched, frozen, and exhausted but it was definitely one of the most fun times I've spent on the bike. Torey Philipp