Even Odds

4:15 a.m. At just the right phase of my sleep cycle, I woke up. Wide awake. At a most unnatural hour. Despite my best effort not to engage my brain, eventually I could not deny that the sky was getting lighter and the birds louder.

Another unnatural occurrence: Fifty percent chance of rain showers. I peered at the radar map before setting a foot on the floor. A bright green band was approaching the coast; in all likelihood, I would stay dry. Almost as an afterthought,I donned my rain jacket. [Which ensured, of course, that I would not get caught in the rain.]

With my building in sight, a few sentinel drops arrived just as I exited the trail. As I expected, the real downpour came later. First, there was breakfast: Greek yogurt parfait, fresh melon and strawberries, and a mini croissant with freshly ground peanut butter. Next, a videoconference: Here, it is completely unremarkable to be clad in sweaty bike clothes. Finally, time to clean up: A hot shower, soap and fresh towels provided. Elsewhere, any one of those benefits would be treasured by the typical bike commuter. I fully appreciate this, and more.

The cold front having passed through, my evening ride was actually chillier than the morning—and briefly, wetter. A mysterious burst of rain on the trail was, thankfully, short-lived.

A pleasant pair of rides to bracket the workday: the usual 39 miles and 1,000 feet of climbing, including one gratuitous morning hill climb (for the view across the valley). Traffic was light ('tis the season), and there were surprisingly few fellow cyclists on the road. Put off by the threatening skies? Ha! Fifty percent chance of no rain.