YY, Oh YY?

What was I thinking yesterday? That I'd get in a 30 mile ride before the storms rolled into town. Just a few clouds overhead when I left, but the situation changed quickly. By the time I'd reached the top of FO skies to the south and west were dark and rainy. Do I turn around? Well, noooo... I'll just drop down FO to OA, turn around, climb the beast and head home. Worked like a charm; I didn't get rained on until I was about half way up the steep end of FO. COLD rain and wind. For about 10 minutes. I had to stop to put my phone and wallet in plastic bags. I'd have put on the light jacket, too, if I'd had it with me. Starting back up again, my chain came off the small ring. Why did I even think I could squeeze in a ride?

Tonight, however, was so much different. If there was a problem it was that it was a bit too cool for riding without the jacket and a bit too warm to ride with it. Oh well. It was up Bliss then down FO into a wind strong enough to keep me under 50 mph. After riding past Hayfield, I put the wind to my back as I rode along, then up, County YY. At the top, I headed west on Highway 33 then turned onto the southbound section of YY that dropped down to Highway 14/61. This was the first time I'd been on this part of YY and it was a wonderful ride. The road was in good shape and wound through more of the cool, green rural landscape that lies east of La Crosse.

Why do I ride? The challenge of cold rain and steep hills. And the reward of County YY and the roads like it.