racing the rain

 Today there was a storm warning for the afternoon so it was imperative that i got out in the morning to try and beat it. Conditions were pretty horrendous, thick gloopy mud on some trails and thin wet "gravy" on others, thank goodness for mudguards, they might not look good or be the latest fashion but they sure work, no one likes riding with a wet backside.
I headed over the Lickeys and Waseleys to a rendezvous with a very sticky eccles cake and a cuppa. descending from belbroughton to Dodford i passed two guys on bikes, turned to go past Dodford Church and found myself behind 4 horses and their riders. the horse and rider at the back was fine, but the three in front, commanded by 3 younf girls were all over the road. the guy at the back motioned me through but i refused, no way was i going to chance riding past skittish horses on a narrow lane like this. At that moment the two riders caught up and asked me if i wanted to pass the horses first, i declined stating my reasons and they passed the first horse and then attempted to pass the others...and got forced into the hedge by them, I did warn them!
I got back home and began to clean the bike, as i finished and stepped into the house, the rain started and was quickly followed by hail, sleet and torrential rain, perfect timing, race won!
ride 10
23 miles
total 197