Monday, October 11, 2010

Are you down with the wetness?

So, this morning, for the first time this school year, I think, I was forced to don my rain suit and ride in the rain on my way to the high school this morning. Thankfully, it wasn't also cold. This is how it went down. I left the house and was about a third of the way when it began to rain. I pulled up under the awning of an abandoned business front on Main st. so I could add the layer of rain suit over my khakis, shirt and suit jacket.

I keep my rain suit in my pack-pack. I keep my back pack in the rear drive side collapsible wire basket attached to my rear rack. I keep the rain out of my back-pack by applying a generous coat of 3m Scotch guard. I applied it three years ago and it seems to remain effective at keeping the contents of the back-pack dry. I carry my rain suit in the back-pack at all times and carry the back-pack with me to school at all times, too.

My rain suit is in pretty sorry condition. It's about ten years old or older, for one thing. It's gray, which is a bad color for bicycle commuters, but when I purchased it, I had no intention or even any thought of using it to commute by bicycle. I've further increased its unappealing appearance by attaching some home made reflective strips to it in some prominent places I thought likely to reflect headlights. The worst aspect of my rain suit is the ripped open crotch. But, if you've been reading this blog, you've already read about it.

Riding my bike in the rain is actually pretty enjoyable. Perhaps it's because I do it so rarely I still find it novelty enough  to like it. I think I like the additional reflected lights on the wet road surface which appeals to me. Also, it may be my imagination but, I think my bike rolls along a little easier when the road is wet. The third reason I think I like it so much is because there are generally no other bike commuters out in the rain, and I like saying yes when students and faculty ask if I rode my bike today in the rain.

I'm thinking of trying to become a follower of some of other bicycle commuter blogs in hopes to network with some other like minded individuals. Lately I've been thinking about career change in order to find one which involves riding bicycles. Perhaps networking with other cyclists may facilitate this a little better.

That last paragraph was off topic from riding in the rain. However, I'll close with this: Riding in the rain is just that. Riding in the rain. It's a matter of being prepared and having the right mind set. It doesn't have to be miserable. That being said, I don't live in a place that's considered "rainy". Get out there and give it a try.

Keep on commuting by bicycle!
-MWBC

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I welcome your positive, relevant comments and questions. Also, I welcome the opportunity to form a network of like minded individuals by sharing information, links, etc.