Riding in the rain

January 13, 2019 § 4 Comments

We don’t have much of that thing known as “weather” in SoCal, so when seven or eight consecutive raindrops fall in the space of 24 hours, there are two approaches:

  1. It will be sunny tomorrow, so, “No.”
  2. It’s not going to rain again until September, so, “Yes.”

The “No” is self-explanatory. The “Yes,” less so. As someone who has lived in lots of places, all of which had weather, including Texas, which has what is known as “hell,” I’ve always favored riding even in awful weather. Here’s why.

  1. Contrast. Riding when you are wet and cold and miserable and hungry makes you appreciate being dry and warm and happy and having a full tummy.
  2. Skilz. Sometimes the roads get wet when you aren’t expecting it. Riding in the rain is the only way you can learn to control your bike when it is wet.
  3. Fashun. Inclement weather allows you to buy new ensembles.
  4. Revenge. Normally, wheelsuckers get a free ride if they can hang on. But not when it is raining. Then, they have to drink the dirt, grime, oil, toxic runoff, and acid rain spewing off your back wheel. This is THE reason to never ride with fenders. Sorry, Fender Dude.
  5. Non-humblebrag. “I rode,” spoken after a six-hour deluge just above freezing, says it all.
  6. Satisfaction. Collapsing on the couch after a crazy hard wet-cold ride, all toasty, under a blankie, and with a full tummy … best ever.
  7. Novelty. Everything looks, sounds, and feels different when it’s raining hard, especially the chugholes you run over because you can’t see them. And everything looks so beautiful when the rain suddenly clears and the sun pops out over the Pacific Ocean.
  8. Conditioning. Riding in shitty weather makes you tougher. Sorry, but it does.
  9. #socmed. You get to crush it post-ride all over the ‘Gram, the ‘Bag, and the Stravver when you rode twice around the block in a light sprinkle.
  10. FTR. You gotta ride irrespective of the climate because your date with destiny is approaching fast.

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