Algore was right! (I say that in jest, of course. He may be right, but one day of unseasonably warm weather doesn't prove it, any more than a day or week of unseasonably cold weather proves him wrong.)
Once the sun went down, we got a significant and soaking rain.
I know - it soaked me!
I can't say I wasn't warned; I probably pay more attention to weather forecasts than most, except maybe farmers. But you've gotta get where you're going, and I happen to do most of that by bicycle.
Last night I was riding home from a family gathering. Some of my family members were surprised I was on my bicycle. (Why?) Some felt misplaced pity as I rode off into
the rain and the dark. And I imagine a few people who crossed my path in their cozy, warm automobiles felt either pity or superiority or both.But the ride was no problem!
I was adequately visible, with lights front and rear. I wore the Gore-Tex jacket. (The pants would've been nice, but when the worst-case scenario is a 20 minute wet ride, they aren't mission-critical.) When I got home, I changed into some dry, comfortable sweats and slippers. My shoes dried overnight, and I'm back in business.
And I enjoy the "payback."
Yesterday was one more day when I wasn't paying for gas, car insurance, depreciation, parking, etc. One more day I wasn't sitting in bumper-to-bumper.
More significantly, I'll declare confidently that I enjoyed that 68-degree afternoon more than my car-driving family members, as I went on a fantastic "lunch break" ride in shorts. I'm no psychologist, but I'll go out on a limb and say that since I occasionally endure a rain-or-snow-in-the-face bike ride, I probably enjoy the lovely, perfect days more than people who never experience wet-face, except in the bathroom. My "spectrum of experience" is far wider than the folks who choose to seal themselves up in a protective cocoon.
Today promises to be upper-50s, with the possibility of another evening rain storm. Maybe I'll be home before the rain hits. And maybe not. In either case, I look forward to it.
2 comments:
I got soaked too on the way home from working at the Boise Bike Project. I had pants that kept me dry but I found my jacket is only water resistent.
I assume it rained at Bogus last night. I would like some colder weather as we need some snow. There was an article in the Statesman prepping us for higher rates from Idaho Power. Plus I want to ski for another month.
Good on ya, and welcome to the wet. Up here in the coastal Pacific Northwest, riding wet is more the rule than the exception, and guess what - it's never killed me. For sure, folks in rolling boxes don't have to deal with falling water, but you're absolutely right; the box keeps you from feeling the nice stuff, too. As they say in Denmark: "You're not made of sugar!" Val
Post a Comment