rides 5-26

[redrhodie]

Watched the weather, and although it looked foggy out the window, it appeared it would lift within the hour (or so they said ). Put on ss jersey, shorts, and threw on arm warmers, thinking I probably wouldn't need them. Thank god I had them, because it was not foggy, it was raining. I would not have ridden my fast bike in this, and haven't tried my new tubulars in the rain yet. Well, it had to happen sometime. I can say, they're pretty slippery on the corners, but it was all good, no headers.

Came home for a quick bike change for a market ride. Packed my pannier full with all the essentials, milk, bread, eggs. Oh, it's always an adventure when there's eggs in the pannier. Usually, I ask the cashier to rubber band them closed, but I didn't today. Got a few other things. Had enough room to lay my heavy lock beside everything in the bag. Rode home kinda fast, trying to keep warm, as I was still in my wet clothes from the earlier ride. Rounded the corner into my driveway, hit a bump, and my pannier goes flying into the air, landing with a thud, egg side down on the pavement.

Can you believe it, not one egg broke! How lucky is that?! I'll be taking that corner a littler slower next time, and maybe figuring out a way to tie the pannier down.

[indigoiis]

Now see, I like that. I think you do have the solution - trust they won't break!

Let's see... my ride today. I had this perfect, clear, moment of joy as my two commuting companions flanked me on either side as we cruised up the Cranston portion of the Washington Secondary bike path on our way to work. Our pedals in sync, and no one around, we sang Devo's "Whip it".

Like Charlie's Angels on wheels.

[Geonz]

Mark your calendars 'cause today I did get rained on. Yesterday was more typical -- there were storms brewing but they were behind me going in to work, just starting to spit on me as I approached but kindly waiting for me to get in before pouring. Going home the spitting part started halfway home and I stopped to put my rain stuff out and realized I'd left it in the office. I took off fast and implored the darkening clouds to be kind, and it stopped raining. I actually had plenty of time; I was home and had snacks, water, a book and a flashlight and helmet all ready to head down to the basement when the sireens went off. People saw rotations and the like, but huzzah hooray, nothing touched down.
Today ... it was raining. Just raining hard. Happily, that other raincoat I got impulsively does a very good job -- it's not Gore-tex, but I was only wet where I forgot to zip the neck fully to the top. My $8 faux gore-tex pants didn't do quite as well because there's already a place where they're ductaped together and the zipper on the pocket is stuck, so I had serious enough wet areas to go to the bookstore and get sweatpants which, I realized later... there ought to be a law... they DO NOT HAVE POCKETS!!! What's up with that ?!?!?
My little bike had an appointment at the bike doctor's -- happily, it is only spitting now. I cruised down and told them about the brakes that sing in the wind, and the snap crackle pop of the pedals, and the looseness of the headset was pointed out to me. Yes, if it needs replacing do that, even though I had considered getting a Transport (when I had to risk parking Giant Xtra on campus without a lock, making a sandwich out of two abandoned Huffies)... this is, after all the only bike I have that will make margaritas.
I'll take the bus down to the bike shop this afternoon and fork over the dough and ride her home... *probably* no extra recreational riding unless it clears up.

[FunSize]

Red - I probably would've cried had a broken all those eggs! Its amazing not one was cracked!

I had a memorable ride today.

So my weather check said between 7 and 8 pm I had a 50% chance of rain.

I totally lost that gamble.

I added a little loop to the bike path out and back because the clouds seemed to be farther north than where I was. About 5 miles from home on the way back the heavens opened for the only storm of the day. It just started pouring on me, then hail. There was lightning directly above me and when I passed a runner who was in a ditch I thought, maybe I too should get in a ditch? So I rode my bike off the path thinking to myself, there is lightning - trees are bad. So I find a spot that is sheltered by trees (because it is hailing) but not directly beneath one. The bike path is in a forest, so, no true saftey from lightning struck trees.

Then right as I get off my bike a tree f-ing falls down across the bike path from where I am!

Holy ****, trees are still bad.

I run across the bike path and leap into a deeper ditch not guarded by trees, still being pelted by hail, so I can keep an eye on the trees incase any others feel like falling over, too.

It let up a little and I continue my ride home, finding huge branches across the path as I go. I'm lucky I stopped when I did or I could've been hit by one of those! I got home just in time to not get stuck in another torrent.

I don't think I've ever witnessed a tree collapse.

That is probably the mose interesting thing that has happened to be on a bike.

[redrhodie]

Red - I probably would've cried had a broken all those eggs! Its amazing not one was cracked!

I had a memorable ride today.

So my weather check said between 7 and 8 pm I had a 50% chance of rain.

I totally lost that gamble.

I added a little loop to the bike path out and back because the clouds seemed to be farther north than where I was. About 5 miles from home on the way back the heavens opened for the only storm of the day. It just started pouring on me, then hail. There was lightning directly above me and when I passed a runner who was in a ditch I thought, maybe I too should get in a ditch? So I rode my bike off the path thinking to myself, there is lightning - trees are bad. So I find a spot that is sheltered by trees (because it is hailing) but not directly beneath one. The bike path is in a forest, so, no true saftey from lightning struck trees.

Then right as I get off my bike a tree f-ing falls down across the bike path from where I am!

Holy ****, trees are still bad.

I run across the bike path and leap into a deeper ditch not guarded by trees, still being pelted by hail, so I can keep an eye on the trees incase any others feel like falling over, too.

It let up a little and I continue my ride home, finding huge branches across the path as I go. I'm lucky I stopped when I did or I could've been hit by one of those! I got home just in time to not get stuck in another torrent.

I don't think I've ever witnessed a tree collapse.

That is probably the mose interesting thing that has happened to be on a bike.

Glad that turned out okay! Sounds like you did the right thing by getting in that ditch!