WE dodged a major weather bullet just now. Severe (quite) thunderstorms just passed through the area with hail, heavy rains and wind. Hines Drive, venue for our Bikesport Nankin Mills Duathlon last weekend, is now a suitable venue for a submarine race. It is closed and flooded- water covering the road by about 1 foot.
Grosse Ile however, is reported as dry (at least not flooded) and unimpeded.
Race proceeds according to plan pending additional weather incidents. When driving to the race be aware that there may be downed power lines and electricity outages rendering some traffic lights inoperable. Please plan additional travel time. Both bridges to the island reported as open and operable as of this hour.
-Just got another call from the course reportig water over the road on Grosse Ile at the corner of Church Road and East River, but water is reportedly draining rapidly into the river and expected to be clear within the hour.
Damn. This may ground the first flight of the Bikesport Blimp. Mario Bonano will be our blimp captain tommorow weather permitting. He is at the airport now with the blimp and the gas to inflate it.
That storm front seems to be charging past pretty fast. It’s already clearing up here in Southfield.
btw we’re planning on being out there to spectate, cheer, and for my wife to practice her sports-photography chops. But I can’t find any directions to the race itself (the island is pretty easy to find). I hope the airport is pretty well indicated on local signage.
In the midst of training for Lake Placid. Only have Muskoka on the calendar prior to the race. Think I’ll dust off the footpads and head to Grosse Ile this weekend. Maybe this year I won’t gag up a lung. Although, I hope I can have another solid ride there…looks like a different course, so should be interesting.
If you see me struggling, give me some encouragement… I’ll be the 200lb slow pasty white kid on the Kilo…
I hope everything works out for the race. I accidently left my mini long-haired dachshund out on our deck this afternoon when I went to volunteer at my kid’s school (he’s got a VERY small bladder and pees in the house if I leave him in – yes, it’s a glamour life!). The poor guy got caught in the storm; he was quite traumatized when I got home. We gave him a warm bath and everything seems right with the world now.
BTW: Swam this morning at Lifetime Novi at the same time as some FAST members. Impressive, especially the chick who had muscles I can only dream about. One of these days I’m going to join.
I watched the local news at 5:00.(My parents live in south Dearborn Hgts)They said parts of Lincoln Park and Allen Park were flooded.I was considering taking Southfield to 75 to get to G.I.(I assume Telegraph is under water at 94)Is Southfield passable?Maybe I will take my canoe and paddle my way there.
Weather.com has been changing the forecast like crazy, in the past few hours! It went from “partly cloudy 72F/9AM” to “Scattered T-Storms 67F/9AM”…
Looks like I’ll have to pack sleeved stuff.
Speaking of FAST guys, I got passed by one of them on the bike leg @ Nankin Mills, made me feel like I was standing still - noticed the same blueish jersey on the second run, passing him back!
FAST has a well organized training system - it should help a great deal!
Put your head between your legs and kiss your butt good-bye.Just checked weather radar.There is a line of storms from Kalamazoo to BFE.All look to be headed for Detroit area.I am sandbagging the house and hooking up the generator.If I live through it I will see you at G.I.Go to www.weatherbug.com and download your own desktop weather service.
True… luckily the freeways (at least I-75) were driveable.
The bike course had a few watery spots, including a foot-deep pothole that twisted my bike’s bullhorns out of control/hands…sending me towards my first road-rash! It had to hapen sooner or later… and I’m glad I got away easy - skin off from right-elbow, right knee and right hip + few achy spots wherever the frame came in contact w/ the legs. The landing on the pavement did not trash the bike so I continued right after I made sure things are functional (and put back the dropped chain). Unfortunately my Tri-shorts are hardly useable (they peeled instead of the skin) and my timing watch went into the ditch as well.
Oh well, I consider myself lucky that this is all I got from the storms-riot in the last 24 hours!
Oh man, glad to hear you are ok Shony. I hit that same hole as I was being passed so I couldn’t go around the puddle on the left. I heard a loud “ping” and thought for a minute I could have broken a spoke but everything seems ok. Must have been the chain.
Does anyone know where results may be posted? Will they be on your site Tom?
