On grey days like yesterday it's hard to want to get out and ride. It's cold. It's raining... The list of excuses goes on and on and eventfully the ride doesn't happen. Or we wait for the dry and sunny window, only to have that window never open. Again, the ride doesn't happen because of the lack of motivation to take a chance with the conditions. But what are we missing when we choose to let the weather win and allow the grey, heavy clouds to affect the motivation needed to hit the trails? On the front it would seem that all we are missing is suffering in the chilly conditions. If suffering is all we need, the indoor trainer works just fine for that. That isn't why I ride though, and suffering inside when there's hero dirt to be found is never the answer. So I bundle up and head for the Canon, knowing that the decomposed granite of Columbine will never be so perfect and the traction down Jacks will be like glue.

What are we missing indeed? Everyone wants to get out on the sunny days, enjoying the bluebird skies Colorado is famous for. Riding can be an exercise in patience those days, sharing the trails with people from all walks of life. But when the clouds descend, there is solitude. Peace. The views people flock to the mountains for are hidden in the fog, buried in clouds and rain. It's not a day for the tourists, but it is the perfect day to ride. There's no such thing as bad weather - only bad clothing. So I make sure I've got some warm clothes with me and being climbing into the clouds.

Motivation is the key. Why are we riding? If it's just to get fit, then making the effort and risking a soaking might not be worth the reward. There might not be any rewards in the misty mountains there. But for me and so many other riders, it's not just about being fast or being fit. Those are benefits - side affects of getting out and seeing the world in a whole light. The motivation is to find new adventures, even on the local trails I always ride. Climbing up High Drive into a different world. Making the turn onto Jacks and being limited only by how far I could see in front of me. Same trail I ride every week, but completely different under the shroud of clouds. That is where the motivation lies.

Find your motivation. Understand why you do what you do and then the world will open up.