Went on a ride this week and it was cloudy, but the chances
of any rain were low according to the Weather Channel. I took off and at my
25-mile turnaround point there were black clouds above and sprinkle starting to
hit the pavement. I ate some snacks and headed back, hoping the rain carrying
clouds would blow behind me. But about three miles down the trail, I suddenly
realize it is raining hard, and the pavement is wet for the foreseeable future.
At first, I was a little ticked, because the forecast hadn’t
mentioned the 100% chance of rain pelting me in this stretch. I had about 23
miles to go, and really hoped I was just riding through a small rain cell.
Then I remembered what another rider I met on the trail a
few months ago said about his experience getting caught in the rain while on
the bike.
“I enjoyed it,” he said. “I just decided to embrace it and
it was fun.”
I think a little bit of the ability to enjoy rain on the
bike is how warm you are. If you’re warm, sure, what’s the big deal about
getting a little wet? But, if you’re freezing your butt off, your hands and
toes are numb, uh, it’s kinda hard to embrace the situation.
I once rode an organized ride in the Sierra foothills from
start to finish in the rain, since I had paid money to do the ride and didn’t
want to feel ripped off by staying home. It wasn’t cold, it was the beginning
of June, but it really wasn’t exactly warm either! At the halfway point where
there were snacks, I got off the bike and it wasn’t too long before I was
shivering and needed to move around. The brakes squeaked mightily on some steep
downhills, to the point where the wheels were too slippery for the brake pads to fully grab the
rims. So while I could slow down, it seemed like I better not have to stop,
because I probably couldn’t! Seeing was difficult all ride long because of the
droplets on my glasses. I couldn’t take them off, because I’d really be blind
then without the prescription lenses.
I narrowly missed hitting a concrete lane divider, because
of droplet-impaired vision, a very close call that would have caused me to
crash.
I got home soaked to the bone and discovered a sloshing
sound coming from my bike frame. I took off the seat post, turned the bike upside
down, and a surprising pour of rainwater drained out.
A few months later I definitely didn’t embrace rain. That rain, which started while riding down the curving descent of a climb-heavy ride in the
Sierra foothills, turned to sleet! My buddy Marc and I had climbed to the ride's turnaround point in heavy
forest, where the weather was misty from the cloud cover, but wasn’t cold at all.
But then we started the descent. About two miles in, we hit a
heavy rain cell that pelted us mercilessly. The air temp had dropped to frigid
in a heartbeat, and as we slowed to navigate the turns in the rain, I began to
hear hailstones popping off my helmet. Hands and feet were instantly numb, and
Marc had pulled over ahead of me under a tree.
I just kept riding, not wanting to be in this situation any
longer than possible. I hoped by descending more, the chances of getting out of
it fairly quickly were good. Yes, eventually we rode out of the hail and rain, but the
air was very cold for most of the remaining descent, so the tough part was
braking with numb hands. Toward the end of the descent we hit some beautiful
sunshine, and oh man, the warmth from those rays was welcome.
Last week I just told myself the rain I was riding through
was nothing compared to that hail ride. I was plenty warm, just a little wet.
Sure enough, after only a couple miles, the rain stopped and the pavement was
dry. So I guess I took the rider’s advice and just embraced it. But I still say
the air temp, if very cold, can definitely inhibit one’s ability to embrace
riding in the rain. And hail can in no way be embraced when it is hitting you,
freezing you, while you try to continue riding without a slip and slap-down
crash.
So on that note, here’s a video that gives good tips on
riding in wet weather and keeping the upper hand over a potential suffer-fest.
Check it out…
On the trail
Passed I guy I often see on the trail, Ruben I call him for
no particular reason. He’s a tall thin man with long black hair, cruises
upright on his hybrid seemingly lost in his world. This time I smelled
cigarette smoke as I came up behind him, and sure enough, he had a lit one in
his left hand as he rode. Smoking and riding used to be more common, I’m
thinking. I’ve seen photos of old Tour de France riders smoking while on their
bikes. I read somewhere, that at the time, they thought it helped their lung
capacity. Anyway, Ruben isn’t trying to win the Tour de France, he just cruises
the trail for his own unknown reasons. But he’s out there a lot. His lungs
might not be in the best shape, but his legs are probably pretty strong.
Maybe smoking and riding is his mental therapy, and it works for him. Ride on,
Ruben.
Til next time, remember to strap on a helmet every time you
get on the bike. And then make sure to keep the rubber side down, ride safely
and have fun.
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