Bicycle Club of Lake County Ramble a Soggy Success

The Weather Channel has been my most frequently viewed show lately. Despite warnings of "Severe scattered thunderstorms", I drove out to Wilmot for the Ramble. I gotta tell ya, entering into the BCLC Ramble Zone this year reminded me just how dedicated this club is. Volunteers stood in the rain and directed me into the lot with my car--hmm, raining at mile zero. The couple pulling gear out of the car next to mine had a transistor weather radio perched on top of their car that was blerting its staticy warning: "severe, blah blah, lightning, thunder, mahem, blah blah". It didn't sink in--or maybe the call of the perfectly marked 100 miles was louder and still inviting, despite the, uh, humidity.



The pavement was wet with frequent drizzle all the way to Genoa City, where the renowned BCLC rest stop awaited with the promised homemade cookies. After enjoying these great calories, stuffing two chewy bars into my jersey, and digging the banjo picking of Jazzy Jeff, I headed out to the 30 mile Blue Loop. It was nice being out on quiet roads pretty much free of motor and even other bike traffic. At the bottom of the loop, the rain hit--a solid shower, but I rode out of it. I think my plan to direct myself into the sw wind worked nicely and it was a psychological boost to have the Big Loop done.



The rest stop was more populated this visit. Although the sky was partly cloudy, it was also partly sunny and I heard no one expressing weather related anxiety. I stood by a giant map of the route and listened as a BCLC staff member gave wonderful descriptions/recommendations about the Loop options. I decided on the Red Loop, followed by my favorite, the Yellow Loop with wonderful rollers.

Very shortly into the Red Loop, I hit rain. A guy passing me looked up at the black sky and the frequently spiking lightning and said "looks like we're riding right into the teeth of it". Teeth, yikes! Unfortunately, he was right and some minutes later I passed him as he stood under a garage with another cyclist and watched this crazy guy riding in a thunder storm. As I rode across an overpass, the wind was literally blowing the rain sideways. My arms stung and I worried that passing vehicles might not see me. Visability also worried me as I struggled to see the turn markers under the flood of water and eroding gravel on the route. Oh, it was comin' down hard! At one point, a SAG vehicle was waiting at a corner to alert us of the turn that was quite missable in the blinding wetness.

The rain let up, then I suddenly realized that I was back in Genoa City. This time the parking lot was even muddier than before and the number of cyclists was many--some wet, some not. As we stuffed ourselves with great grub and listened to more cool pickin', the end of the world was creaping up on us. When it hit, the wind was so strong that rain intruded into half of the large covered pavillion area forcing staff to save the cookies and Jazzy Jeff to gather his PA system toward safety. Bikes were pulled out of the storm, plastic garbage bags were fashioned into ponchos to keep warm and Jeff, well with the rain pounding on the pavillion roof, Jeff grabbed a banjo and kept pickin'--feet tapped and heads nodded.

15 more miles or 35 more miles? I'd already been soaked-- more than once. Whenever I've been to the Ramble, 100 miles has been the total, but not today. I headed toward the White Loop to complete the final 15.

More awesome BCLC staff awaited at the Wilmot base and the smell of grilling brats was irresistable. Veggie Brats? You bet! BCLC has thought of everything--thanks for a great adventure!