Riding the Storm Out

[tommymck]

OK, so I'll admit it... I'm a fair weather rider, except for those occasions when I take the bike on an extended trip. Most of my riding is either commuting the 20 miles or so to work, or evenings and weekends cruising. If there is rain in the forecast, the bike stays at home in the garage.

Today was the relatively rare exception where un-forecast relatively severe storms cropped up at quitting time. I could have just waited things out. Would have been simple really. But I sensed that I would enjoy the challenge of getting home relatively safe and dry.

Without the right gear, riding through a full-blown thunderstorm is just plain no fun. Particularly at highway speed. But using your eyes to avoid storms is pretty neat actually, so long as you have options with routes.

It took about 20 minutes longer, but I managed to avoid active showers by using my senses and knowledge of the local surface streets. Both the bike and I got wet from road spray, but it was really fun adjusting the route in real-time based on what my eyes and feel for relative wind told me.

And of my four bikes, the CB is the one that I feel most comfortable doing this sort of thing on....

[Stichill_imp]

Adversity is adventure still in progress. Personally I never remember the discomfort but I revel in the re-telling of the experience.

[LongRanger_imp]

Me too, but my rose-colored glasses have gotten foggy as of late.

[Sorg67_imp]

I am pretty much a fair weather rider too, but in Florida, getting caught in rainstorms is difficult to avoid completely.

My approach is to embrace the fact that I am going to get soaked and there is nothing I can do about it. Once you accept it, it is not so bad. At least in a warm Florida rain. A northern cold rain might be a different story.

I rarely wear rain gear since it is too warm.

I am usually on my way home when I get wet since I do not head out in the rain. So, there is a warm shower and dry cloths at the end of the ride.

[KiowaEagle_imp]

I am pretty much a fair weather rider too, but in Florida, getting caught in rainstorms is difficult to avoid completely.

My approach is to embrace the fact that I am going to get soaked and there is nothing I can do about it. Once you accept it, it is not so bad. At least in a warm Florida rain. A northern cold rain might be a different story.

I rarely wear rain gear since it is too warm.

I am usually on my way home when I get wet since I do not head out in the rain. So, there is a warm shower and dry cloths at the end of the ride.

Bring a bar of soap and you could save a lot of time and on your water bill!

[Guth_imp]

I don't go looking for rain but I don't always shy away from it either. In fact, I was amongst the very first of the "Got Drenched While Bringing My CB1100 Home From The Dealer On The Very First Day Club" here in the USA. (We're not all that exclusive as it turns out, lol.)

[VLJ_imp]

I don't go looking for rain but I don't always shy away from it either. In fact, I was amongst the very first of the "Got Drenched While Bringing My CB1100 Home From The Dealer On The Very First Day Club" here in the USA. (We're not all that exclusive as it turns out, lol.)

[Guth_imp]

[VLJ_imp]

I do go looking for rain to ride in sometimes, mainly to test the waterproof-ness of my gear, and also because I like the sound of rain pelting my helmet, but I never do it on the CB. Nope.

For all her beauty, she is simply too much of a pain to clean.

[tommymck]

I am pretty much a fair weather rider too, but in Florida, getting caught in rainstorms is difficult to avoid completely.

My approach is to embrace the fact that I am going to get soaked and there is nothing I can do about it. Once you accept it, it is not so bad. At least in a warm Florida rain. A northern cold rain might be a different story.

I rarely wear rain gear since it is too warm.

I am usually on my way home when I get wet since I do not head out in the rain. So, there is a warm shower and dry cloths at the end of the ride.

Bring a bar of soap and you could save a lot of time and on your water bill!

Bring a bar of soap and you could save a lot of time and on your water bill!
I live in Anne Arundel County on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. Nothing but wells around here. No water bills....