October is a tough month for cycling in the Midwest, specifically for finding openings in the rain that correspond to openings in the schedule. Today presented a forecast of rain throughout the day, but there appeared to be a tiny opening between weather systems on the radar. I decided to take that opening, and rushed out to get on the trike.
I learned or realized several things as a result of this experiment, and they are, in no particular order:
- My Columbia nylon "noisy pants" are not nearly as water resistant as I thought they would be.
- I do not own any actual rain gear.
- Fenders might be a more worthwhile accessory that I had originally thought.
- A break in weather systems on the radar does not necessarily equal a complete break in the rain.
- My accessories that claim to be waterproof/resistant - my lights and iPhone 7+ - appear to be good to that claim, at least for this short ride. And...
- A visible lightening strike in the distance is a terrifying thing when you are sitting on the open road. On a metal frame. A wet metal frame...
It’s the last item that ended the experiment. I turned tail and went home. I had originally planned on a short ride - about 7 miles - that I knew would turn me around quickly, but I bailed a little over two miles in.
Still - getting some time on the road - wet or not - is better than getting none at all.
I swear it seemed like a good idea at the time...