I finally had a commute! Hooray! I rode ~19 miles to the Bike Alliance in downtown Seattle through precipitation that varied between heavy drizzle to heavy rain. In addition, I rode south into sustained 20- to 30-mph headwinds, with up to 50-mph gusts (according to the newspaper weather report). I rode across Lake Washington on the I-90 bridge in these exciting conditions (I got a ton of spray off the road splashing into my face, ear, and entire left side of my body, but didn't want to take my hands off the handlebars to wipe my face because I was afraid of a sudden gust of wind), and came out alive and kicking on the other side. I only got turned around twice, but that was with my GPS telling me the route, so... And then I rode home a different way, on back roads through downtown Seattle, by the University of Washington, and up around the northern end of the lake, another 18 or 19 miles. By the time I got to my destination each time I was soaked to the bone; my GoreTex "rain pants" utterly failed me on the way in, so I just wore normal Spandex on the way out and was perfectly warm, if soaked, by the end. My rain jacket has also failed, so I may try washing it with Tech Wash, which I hear re-waterproofs clothes pretty well.

My final analysis: I'd have to describe it as "hilly, windy, rainy," and not necessarily in that order. But also possibly pleasant and definitely doable, which is good, since I'm gonna be doing it nearly every day of the week starting January. I am happy to be commuting again -- it felt like getting back on the wagon after a month of pure recreational riding.

Tailwinds, commuters. Now for me it's back to NaNoWriMo.