The latest forecast has increased the chance of rain to 70% at ride-out time in Mountain View. But do not lose hope. I've seen far too many times where the weather has turned out downright clear and sunny despite a forecast of near-certain rain.
That said, here's generally how things work on a likely-rain ride morning:
-- About two hours before meeting time, I start checking the radar to see what's approaching. If a total washout is near-certain (i.e., the radar is an explosion of color), I may decide to cancel the ride then. Either way, I will post an update to this blog. If you have access to the net in the morning, please check first before calling me, because I'm probably busy getting ready for the ride myself!
-- If a ride is still possible, I continue to check the radar, especially over our entire ride route, since we usually travel across more than one of the Bay Area's many microclimates. As meeting time nears, I may still decide to cancel the ride. If so, I'll always post a notice to this blog.
-- Even if a ride is cancelled, I will always show up at the meeting point at the designated time. And I might not make the decision on whether to cancel until after I have arrived at the meeting point, depending on what the weather is doing.
-- If a ride is cancelled, some riders may choose to individually ride the designated route. These rides are strictly unofficial and are not sanctioned or controlled by ALC. You can use our route sheets, but you're probably on your own.
I know it's disappointing to travel to a meeting location only to have a ride cancelled. But safety is always our first priority, and especially this early in the season, it's best to err on the side of caution. There will be another day to ride.
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