# Had the craziest ride today



## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

started off ominous when we were all getting ready to roll out from Aliso Viejo and heard thunder. 

We headed down laguna canyon rd to PCH and as we were riding up PCH towards Newport Coast...you can see lighting strikes off the coast. Got some rain here and there, but nothing too crazy. We all regrouped and decided to continue on up PCH to Newport Coast and regroup at Quail Hill Trailhead. The rest of the group head back and i thought I'd go for a longer ride up Sand Canyon to Irvine Blvd and onto the Aliso Creek MUT back home.

Well here's where it gets interesting. Right by the old El Toro airbase, i see lighting strikes ahead of me and then the crack of thunder less than .25 sec after that...now it's DUMPING like crazy. As some of you may know there's no tall structures there other than the street lights so i was sketching out thinking what the hell, i'm a rolling lighting rod LOL.

Get to Trabuco and Bake Pkwy and starts to rain even harder, and then it starting hurting more and i hear stuff pelting my helmet...it's friggin HAIL!!! That lasted all of 5 minutes and i crest this road and come down...now i see about 100' of the entire left lane FLOODED because the rain came so hard and fast the storm drain couldnt keep up. I'm riding and with every pedal stroke, feet are immersed LOL.

Then out of nowhere, sun comes out and get on the MUT to ride home and it's as if nothing had happened. If it werent for my gilet i would have been completely soaked, glad it kept my upbody dry, yeah for Rapha

What an interesting day, truly epic and per the Velominati "the rules" i'm a badass...or just stupid LOL


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## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

foofighter said:


> i was sketching out thinking what the hell, i'm a rolling lighting rod LOL.



Another reason to buy carbon.....gotta put that one in the frame discussions, lol. Yeah, I was going to ride fairly early, but the rain/thunder/wet roads kept me home til 11am 

**


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## JWALK (Apr 14, 2011)

We rode the Amtrak Century today and got caught in the same storm. Hard to believe it was 100 degrees 2 days ago.


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

i did a complete wash clean relube today and noticed my tires had all sort of cuts and knicks in them now  

That's right i forgot today had the Amtrak ride...i'm sure that made it fun


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## FNGRIDER (May 2, 2011)

Drove up to the Nixon Library to see the 9/11 memorial exhibits. saw a couple of roadies who rode to the library in the rain. Very solem and compelling.


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## RUFUSPHOTO (Oct 14, 2010)

You have obviously never ridden in Colorado during the summer.


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## charlox5 (Jan 31, 2011)

yeah i almost got caught in that squall while descending GMR. i consider myself lucky that i turned around and quit early :blush2:


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