Checked the WBZ radar before leaving the house and saw this mass of red and yellow moving Northeast across central mass. It looked like it would hammer Sterling at about 8:30 or 9:00am. So I figured I was good for the M45 time slot. Nope - not even close.
We just made it up the hill after the neutral roll out and under I-190 when babooom....lightening, thunder, and rain that came down so hard that it hurt and completely blinded me (and the caravan drivers I came to find out later).
We're hamering down Hayden Row and Old North Row Rd and there are torrents of water with sticks, leaves and whatever else was on the shoulder but was not getting pushed into the road. With each passing kilometer, I'm dropping back further and further within the field because I couldn't see a damn thing and didn't dare take my hands of the handlebars to take my Rudy's off. Lightening is flashing all around and now I'm seriously thinking..."wow - I'm gonna die out here".
Before I knew it, we're turning onto Rt. 12 and I'm pedaling through 12 inches of water out of that corner and the field is pulling away from me. I stand to accelerate and feel the water being squished from my shoes and gloves. I now weigh 15 pounds more than I did before the race started. And that was that. I couldn't bridge on the uphill section after the turn and road 3 laps before calling it a day.
On a brighter note, Len Engels stayed near the front and survived to complete the race and probably scored a top 10 or 15 for his efforts. Got some good pictures of him in the thermal blankets as he became the poster child for hyperthermia.
I'll post those later.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)