Rainy Day Woman

Chocolate milk, over by the rabbit!

There was a family-friendly athletic festival at the park where we gathered to start our ride today. Momentarily stumped for a meaningful connection between bunnies and milk products, I found the answer quickly [pun intended]: it was a branded rabbit.

Here is my collected wisdom about riding in the rain:

Once you're wet, you're wet.

Profound, huh? What I mean is that it just doesn't matter any more, once you're wet.

We did not set out to ride in the rain. The radar images were clear; the skies were not. The closer we got to the base of our planned climb, the bigger were the drops pelting us. Low clouds bump into hills, rain comes down.

Agreeing that it was a bad idea to climb (or descend) steep, slippery hills, we reluctantly cut our ride short. Twenty miles were sufficient to hone our wet-road-riding skills: Stay clear of the slippery bits (painted road markings, metal grates and utility covers). Cross railroad tracks with extreme care. Brake early, to squeegee the water off your rims before the pads can get a grip. Plan to clean and re-lube your bike.

The best part: peeling off the grimy, clammy layers when you get home and indulging in a long, hot shower.

How many gallons does my hot water heater hold?

Just enough.