"Training Log" 05/24/2015 - 05/24/2015 Detroit Randonneurs "Thumbs up 400k"

This week consisted of riding my bike to the in-laws on Sunday for the annual Indy500 cook-out, my weekday commutes to and fro work, and this weekend I was able to make the Detroit Randonneurs "Thumbs up 400k". 

http://detroitrandonneurs.org/

Bike: (as always)
Surly Cross
Downtube friction shifting
Full fenders
Shimano Dyna hub
Revo light
GPS
 Arkel Handlebar Bag

Gear:

Shorts
Nylon short sleeve shirt
long sleeve merino wool shirt
3 pairs of socks
Keen sandals
Long leg tights
wool buff
wool long finger gloves
bike short fingered gloves
Frogg Togg outer shell (I carry on all my rides)
Plastic bags, plastic bags, and plastic bags (for the feet)
Rubber gloves (wear over my wool long finger gloves)
reflective vest and ankle bands

Food: (Not including what I buy at controls)

Cliff Bars
Cliff power blocks
Recoverer power electrolyte for water bottles
Water
All other food/water I buy at controls.   

This was my makeup for the missed Indiana Randonneurs 600k.  The ride was to start perfect.  Temps in the 50s, sneaks into the low 60s, but then the rain comes in around noon and temps drop, and drop they did.  You have to love Michigan weather in late May.  I also have to add that the wind was treacherous the entire day.  The best part of the wind is when we were headed southwest the wind came out of the southwest and when our route changed to the north the wind, you guessed it, switch and now was coming out of the north. It was a constant 16mph wind with gusts in the 30s.  Absolutely brutal riding into 16mph winds for about 170+ miles.  Add in the rain and temperature drop only made things more interesting.

The rain started in Frankenmuth, but it temps were in the mid 50s, so not bad.  We got within 50 miles from the Sebewaing control and I donned my Frogg Togg shell.  At the Sebewaing I added leg tights, wool long fingered gloves, rubber gloves over the wool gloves, and plastic bags over my socks inside my sandals.  Yeah, I looked great, but was warm enough.  Battling the wind to Port Austin was draining and bitter, but we made it.  At Port Austin we had dinner, drinks, and tried to warm up, it was really cold at this point.  When we left Port Austin we had a great tail wind to the finish but we were very cold and drained from battling the wind.  It was a miserable ride to the finish.  Only article of clothing I wish I would have brought was my waterproof shoe covers, I would have been a little more comfortable, other than the shoe covers I think my clothing choices worked well, with the help of the plastic bags of course.

Next week is the Indiana Randonneurs 600k... Scheduled too close?   We'll find out.  If completed I receive Super Randonneur status.

By bike:  304 miles
By feet: 0 (Saving legs for Rando series)