Fair Weather
It’s almost winter. The weather has been changing and there have been some pretty rainy days. While the weather’s gross and I have other transportation options, I still end up on my bike.
I’ve been told I’m weird, but it’s all relative. Everybody’s bad weather commute has an element of the ridiculous.
And while I don’t really like being out in the elements it still makes the most sense to me. After all, rain is just water and a bike is just the quickest way through the mess. All weather is fair weather if you have a good raincoat.
As my daughter visiting from Scotland says TX Fall is like Edinburgh high summer, we are just getting to the point where we can actually wear rain gear without getting heat prostration (and wetter than we would without the rain gear). I ride in anything short of a hurricane as far as winds are concerned, and light rain without waterproof gear. Moderate to heavy rain is dependent on outside ambient temperature, as TX people keep their A/C turned to way too low a temperature to get wet during the summer whether from rain or sweat from wearing rain gear. If it’s cold enough to wear rain gear without sweating then I wear rain gear in moderate to heavy rains and ride in same. Or if I have a dry change of clothes at my destination I ride in moderate to heavy rains when it’s too warm to wear rain gear.
Normally able to cycle to work I all weathers. Currently 40mph winds on south coast. So I am afraid that I wimped it an drove to the station. We all have limits…
Usually, like you, I prefer biking to other ways to commute when it’s raining. But, now that the days are getting shorter, I always feel that everyone thinks I’m on a suicide mission. The combinaison of night and rain seems not safe (I mean even less safe than the usual perception of “riding a bike is so dangerous”). So sometimes, I take mass transports for peace of mind.
Oh, and what drivers don’t realize is that a rainy day doesn’t mean it’s going to rain all day long 😉
By the way, I’m curious regarding your galoshes. Do you keep them all day? Do you have spare shoes at work? I might buy some one day.
“But, now that the days are getting shorter, I always feel that everyone thinks I’m on a suicide mission.”
Yeah, but you know you’re not, right? So it’s fun.
Unless you think you ARE on a suicide mission. In which case, the bad guys have won.
“Yeah, but you know you’re not, right?”
Yes, I know I’m not. I’m perfectly happy and looking forward to the next day 🙂
“So it’s fun.”
Well, when it leads to have to convince again and again the ones you live with that you’ll indeed come back home safe and sound, the fun part is not that obvious. One step at a time as it’s said and honestly it’s getting a little bit better.
Have a good ride everyone!
Well, if the ones you live with buy into the ‘cycling is deadly’ propaganda, you probably need to show them the statistics, which are cited and interpreted here:
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm
I love my Showers Pass rain jacket, perfect for me.