A TT Tale.....

I arrived at the TT course around 5:50 and swept the course, set up the signs and was back at the start of the course by 6:20pm.   All was going as planned.   The red cells were hugging the north shore of Oneida Lake and passing to the east.  Skies were clear behind the red cells.  All was good with the exception of the swirling wind. The group opted to wait a little longer to let the wind die down.  Typically, the wind calms down after the cells pass by.  I monitored the OCC radar and it confirmed no rain for at least 45 minutes.  

Mark and Dante "those clouds ahead look a bit ominous."     

Me, replying confidently  "radar doesn't show any precipitation from them.  No worries.  Have I steered you wrong yet ? "  

Despite the sour forecast all afternoon, 4 TTers rolled to the line.  Three others had informed me that they were riding earlier in the evening to avoid any potential rain.  The first rider, Robin Jones, took off on his single-speed bike at 6:50pm.  Then Mariana, and then Mark and Dante on TT bikes.    As I packed up my laptop, a lightening bolt to the north,  "what the hell ! "     The winds began to swirl again, some drops of rain... okay, the last hurrah of the red cell to the north     I had only driven half mile and a there's a crack of lightening to the South !!     "This doesn't make any sense ! " Big fat rain drops start falling.   The revitalized cross wind forced Mark and Dante to turn around before they had gotten to the 3 mile mark.    Smart move !     I picked up the race sign at the1.5 mile mark and the rain became steadier.  A quick check of the radar revealed an army of red cells roaming the TT course !    Mariana's Mom ,Karrie, was there and we agreed it would be best to pick her up from the course.  I drove the course in reverse to catch Robin on his way around the course.   I kept muttering  "how did this happen !?"     I met Robin at the 5 mile mark.   It was still raining steadily, but at least the crazy wind had tapered off.  Robin opted to soldier on. I trailed behind him in the comfort of my vehicle.  

So, what happened?  I proposed the following theories....

1.    A vindictive Mother Nature devised an ingenious plan to hide her red cell army above 40,000 ft beyond the reach of radar.

2.  Wayne Mahar hacks the OCC Weather Control System as well as the NOAA Doppler Radar service in Binghamton to freeze my screen to not update with new images. Something akin to Mission Impossible II or any other heist movie.

It is with renewed hubris that I sink into my chair to contemplate my REVENGE......   queue the psychopath music....

Brian

TT Directeur

PS:  this is what happens when you go through TdF withdrawal.