How is everyone?

[cool runnins]

Good Saturday morning Xers,
I haven't posted in a while, and it doesn't look like a new thread has been started here for about that same amount of time so here it is. Weather forcast for my area is:

Saturday:
Cloudy with a few showers. High 64F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Sunday:
Cloudy. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the mid 40s.

I know that I sound like a whimp, and you may just be right, but I don't ride in the rain. I had two nasty falls in the rain (one nastier than the other) and I just can't shake the fear that hits when I'm on a wet road, so for me Saturdays out.

Hope this morning finds everyone in good health, have a great weekend.

[Hodad]

Good Saturday morning Xers,
I haven't posted in a while, and it doesn't look like a new thread has been started here for about that same amount of time so here it is. Weather forcast for my area is:

Saturday:
Cloudy with a few showers. High 64F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Sunday:
Cloudy. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the mid 40s.

I know that I sound like a whimp, and you may just be right, but I don't ride in the rain. I had two nasty falls in the rain (one nastier than the other) and I just can't shake the fear that hits when I'm on a wet road, so for me Saturdays out.

Hope this morning finds everyone in good health, have a great weekend.

Doing fine Bruce. Well, I always say, ride within your comfort level. I've had to ride in the rain so I just tried to learn how to do it safely if there is such a thing. I commute daily as you know so I just had to make it as comfortable as possible.

I seen an article on the Soundrider board that helped me. Gearing up correctly helps a ton. I also found learning to control the bike on unstable road conditions is a must. I will find a dirt road to ride for a bit getting used to the feel of the bike moving around.

I guess the best thing is to avoid riding in it if you don't have to or if you aren't up to it. Last week, I drove 2 days because I just didn't feel up to the ride. No shame in that.

Well, gotta get busy. I declared war on the tent catepillar invasion. I won round 1 but gotta get the stragglers. We had them bad this year and I was too busy farting around to get them before they got mobile. My Plum Cherry tree and my Alders are almost bare. I suck, I shoulda moved on them sooner. Oh well. My commanding general is calling. Have a good day and hope the weather clears for you.

Best Regards to Mrs. Wildflower.

Al

[manwhorides]

The biggest biotch about ridin in the rain is the clean up afterwards. I hate that enough to where I really limit my rain ridin

[cool runnins]

Both times I went down it was because of unforeseen road conditions. Once was on a road that trucks hauling corn had been driving down and the first rain brought up corn juice. Let’s just say the whole road was like ice, even cars were sliding out on it. But the really bad one was heading to the coast to visit my brother. The roads were wet but it wasn’t raining. I had on a full vinyl riding suit (this saved my ass) I was rounding a corner and next thing I knew I was on the pavement rolling from my stomach to my back (not end over end) about ten times. Ended up on my back and slid down the road about 100 feet on my back side. I watched my bike heading towards a ditch but it stopped just short of it. When I came to a stop I laid my head down on the road (even though I did have a helmet on, it never touched the ground once, and I must have been doing a lot of head rotations for that to happen). Next thought through my head was CARS. So I jumped up and ran over to my bike, picked it up off the road (took every ounce of strength that I had) then started cradling my right arm because it hurt like hell. I tried to get the suit off so I could take a look and couldn’t so I just danced around on the side of the road flipping the cars off as they drove by me with out stopping to see if I needed any help. It was obvious that something had happened, turn signals lying in the road, scrape marks leading up to where my bike was, but no one stopped. Had to ride to my brothers so he could help me off with the suit, punched a hole in my elbow but the only damage to the suit was the pockets in the front ripped out, that’s it. I thought I must have screwed up, riding in the wrong part of the road, you know down the middle instead of on one side or the other and hit oil from the years of cars driving down the road. Come to find out later that weekend that the night before a truck had lost its hydraulics on that corner and the rain just brought it up. Anyway after both of those whenever I’m on a wet road my mind keeps thinking what else is there that I can’t see. I don’t want that fear to cause something else to happen. So there you have it my fear of riding on wet roads.
Probably more than you ever wanted to know about me.

[Hodad]

Wow, Bruce that was heck of a deal. I guess I don't blame you. I guess I just got used to the risk. I have to ride as much as possible for commuting purposes so I try and reduce it as much as possible. I remember when we started into the rainy season last year, I was pretty paranoid, worried I would fall at every turn. I just kept at it and practiced braking and turning until I was comfortable and soon relaxed.

Anyhow, not pluggin for foul weather riding, but just that I like riding in the rain as much as on dry. Riding is riding to me and my goal is to become an all around year round rider. :D

Take care Bro.

[cool runnins]

Wow, Bruce that was heck of a deal. I guess I don't blame you. I guess I just got used to the risk. I have to ride as much as possible for commuting purposes so I try and reduce it as much as possible. I remember when we started into the rainy season last year, I was pretty paranoid, worried I would fall at every turn. I just kept at it and practiced braking and turning until I was comfortable and soon relaxed.

Anyhow, not pluggin for foul weather riding, but just that I like riding in the rain as much as on dry. Riding is riding to me and my goal is to become an all around year round rider. :D

Take care Bro.

Yeah Al, prior to these things happening I never even considered it as a risk. I knew well enough that when the roads are wet to stay away from the middle of the road especially on corners, and I also knew that after a long dry spell the first rain can and will bring up road oils. Now I just can’t shake that uneasy feeling when the road is wet, and that can be just as dangerous as hitting the slick stuff. So unless I get caught in it I just think it’s safer for me if I just don’t do it.
Oh by the way, I know that you use your bike to commute to work. So I thought I would tell you so do I, but when it’s raining I use a slightly slower bike, a twenty one speed mountain bike. :D I only live about 8 miles from work and at my age I figure I can use the exercise so I usually ride that about 3 or 4 times a week.

You take care as well,

[Hodad]

Wow, Bruce that was heck of a deal. I guess I don't blame you. I guess I just got used to the risk. I have to ride as much as possible for commuting purposes so I try and reduce it as much as possible. I remember when we started into the rainy season last year, I was pretty paranoid, worried I would fall at every turn. I just kept at it and practiced braking and turning until I was comfortable and soon relaxed.

Anyhow, not pluggin for foul weather riding, but just that I like riding in the rain as much as on dry. Riding is riding to me and my goal is to become an all around year round rider. :D

Take care Bro.

Yeah Al, prior to these things happening I never even considered it as a risk. I knew well enough that when the roads are wet to stay away from the middle of the road especially on corners, and I also knew that after a long dry spell the first rain can and will bring up road oils. Now I just can’t shake that uneasy feeling when the road is wet, and that can be just as dangerous as hitting the slick stuff. So unless I get caught in it I just think it’s safer for me if I just don’t do it.
Oh by the way, I know that you use your bike to commute to work. So I thought I would tell you so do I, but when it’s raining I use a slightly slower bike, a twenty one speed mountain bike. :D I only live about 8 miles from work and at my age I figure I can use the exercise so I usually ride that about 3 or 4 times a week.

You take care as well,

Hey, I understand. I would too if I was closer to work. :D