Friday, January 22, 2010

Delta Marsh


The week started with a lazy coffee-ride with my friend Karen. As we approached the parking at the botanical gardens after a loop to zoo lake, we were thinking about cycling a loop through Delta Park. But when we reached her car a few minutes later, it was already pouring. She offered to take me home, but I declined - i'd be ok in rain, it's hail that i'm scared of.

It's about 10 kays back to my house - I managed to outcycle the storm and i was dry (bar the mud from all the puddles everywhere) until I had to turn up in Delta Park. When the first drops fell, i heard them clank on my helmet. A few tiny hailstones, and then clank clank *clank*. I had to find shelter, and quickly. I wasn't going to make it to the playpark, so opted for a tiny little tree - the only one i could find - while watching the singletrack turning into a river.

A line from the pina-colada song kept ringing in my ears:
"Yes, I like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain.
I'm not much into health food, I'm more into champagne."

getting caught in the rain ... maybe ... but i'm not into hailstorms!

When the storm calmed down, i continued up Delta park. It was deserted. When I came down it about 2 hours ago, there were cars and kids and dogs all over .... not a soul, just a white layer of hail and raging singletrack-rivers. I had the park all to myself. It was about 4 in the afternoon, almost dark but lots of daylight left.

The park was exceptionally muddy, but the wet grass was like a wash&go - by the time I reached the tar on the other side of the park, my bike had no sign of mud.

Getting caught in the rain? maybe .... hailstorms? exhilirating!

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