Harden up points

I was both pleased and dismayed as I pulled into the Bicycle Shoppe this morning. I was hoping no one would show. With a 100 % chance of rain and high winds I would have rather stayed indoors. However, to my dismay others had shown up and were waiting. The good news is that we had a great turnout for such a dismal day!
We rolled out a couple of minutes late with a tailwind. Blasting up to Francis Marion National Forest pretty easily, I was not looking forward to the powerful headwinds surely waiting for us on the return trip. After the pee stop on Steed Creek, the rains hit. It was raining pretty hard quickly and the rain capes came on. Once we got fully soaked it wasn't bad out, the jackets adding warmth.
With the left turn onto Halfway Creek, the headwind hit as did heavier rain. The conversation present earlier in the ride died out as we put our heads down to grind it out to the finish. After an eternity on Halfway Creek Rd,we finally hit 41, cut back through Park West, Rifle Range Rd, and back to the Shoppe. 3:15 ride time and 61 miles later, we could dry off. 2 HTFU points were allotted to all in attendance as well as 1 bonus point to Myles for riding the fixed gear.
1st awesomely atrocious day of the 2011 season and I'm glad now that I did it! Thanks to all for showing up and making me ride! Next week we'll go for 4 hrs and hopefully better weather so come on out!