Wet

So today I woke up to this.......

I was scheduled to have a morning push-bike ride before heading into work but as any avid cyclist knows - two things are common on pushies in the rain......punctures and crashes.....usually in that order........

I was already up so I turned the pedals over on the trainer while watching the morning news.......Damn - I hate static/wind trainers....... boring as hell.

So the rain had already peeved me off once this morning......no pushy ride......

It was going to peeve me off at least a couple of times more......

I've had my RST Touring gear through three Winters now - it has always been rock-solid, dry and warm.........after this morning I think it may need to be retired......

About half way through the commute I could feel water getting in.........DAMN!.......I usually leave a spare pair of boxer shorts and socks at the office - for some reason I had taken them home recently and not replaced them...........I remembered this as my crotch was becoming increasingly cold and wet.....D'oh!

Oh well.......nothing for it.......get in nice and early and use the spare chairs as makeshift clothes airers.....then......do the trick with the hand dryer to get the boxers back to a wearable state.....

I've just recently had the jacket re-zipped and of course......the new zip is where it failed.......great!

But that's not the worst part.......the trousers are done......It was not long after I set off that my butt started to feel a little damp......a little further into the journey and it I felt a "zing" of cold water get in...........arrrhhhhg......

At this point it was game over......the boxer shorts were gone....my socks were soaked and the boots were filling up.....a noticeable squelch every time I put a foot down at a set of lights....Yippee!


Definitely time for some new gear......

Although the Trekker helmet is great in the Sunshine.....it really is NOT great in the wet.....I've never had a helmet which fogs quite this badly.....


<-- Just giving the gloves a chance to "hang out" and dry.....





I ride an Ape but this morning.....once again.....I felt like a Duck....

Quack quack....

\BitSar

Rain Mode

I was watching the radar closely last night while sitting at the office...............bloody hell.............a nice fat band of rain on the way.....

I thought I'd pick a gap and try to get home...............I didn't have my wet gear today......this morning was hot and sunny......but you know Melbourne.......very unstable weather.

Turns out I left at precisely the WRONG moment......my gap had become a large sweeping front of rain, wind and lightning which obediently followed me all the way home.....

I don't actually mind riding in the rain.......the only thing I don't like about it is it makes the bike bloody filthy. 

In the past I used to avoid riding in the rain like the plague.....these days I just select "Rain Mode".........both on bike and in mind.........relax and get on with it. 

After riding in bad conditions over the years you learn to adjust your style accordingly.......cornering with less lean angle......using more engine braking and less active braking.........increasing your buffer from all four corners.....being SMOOTH.......all techniques which will help to keep the rubber road side down......

Riding in the rain isn't all the bad.......just select Rain Mode ---> Both on Bike and in Mind.

\BitSar

--Dried out now.......last night I swear I thought I was a Duck.......