Day four - Biking in the rain

This was an adventure. Today I got to do my bike run to the bank and Wal-Mart in the rain. I’m not kidding, it was actually fun.


I wore my new exercise suit, and a bit yellow poncho made of very light waterproof fabric. The temperature outside was about 66 degrees, and the rain was everywhere from a very light drizzle all the way up to quite steady rain that’s actually out to soak you, not just dampen your shoulders a bit.

When I got to the bank the first thing I did was I stripped off my jacket. Even in the rain, that simple lined windbreaker was too warm to wear after biking up and down hills. 

When I got to Wal-Mart (same parking lot/area) I shopped for about five or ten minutes before realizing I was still just too hot. I wasn’t just damp from the rain, I was sweating bullets. So I stripped off my pants as well. Luckily I’d chosen to wear my spandex biking shorts underneath.

I was sad that I couldn’t strip off my shirt too.  Though my shirt was a simple elbow-length scoop-necked cotton knit shirt that I thought would be breathable and comfortable, it seemed dreadfully thick and insulative in those circumstances. I’m going to have to always start building my biking layers up from a very skimpy camisole from now on. I hope the world won’t be too horrendously shocked.

Speaking of shocked, I felt self-conscious wearing spandex shorts around the store. I’ve heard the old saying that “spandex is a privilege, not a right”, and I'm pretty sure I'm out of both the age and weight categories they had in mind when they made that one up.   My one comfort was that my whole outfit was black, so it didn’t look like I was really trying to draw attention to myself. I kept checking out of the corner of my eye to see if anyone was making faces at my behind.   But no, I seemed to pass as totally uninteresting and not ridiculous at all. And this was even when I passed groups of teenage girls that I know would have laughed at ANYONE.  So I feel pretty good about that.  I’m not a freak after all.

On the way home the rain really came down. It spotted and steamed up my glasses, and made it hard to see. Cars were pretty considerate, more or less, and I’m very grateful because the roads were slick.  I was glad I had such a bright yellow poncho to help me be visible.

The Yuba Mundo Go-Getter bags really did their job!  They said they are weatherproof, and they are not kidding.  Nothing inside the bags got even a little bit damp before getting home.  I’m really happy with how well they worked.  Stuff I tossed in my wicker basket up front got pretty well baptised, though.  I think I want to come up with some mini-tarp I can strap over it.  I’m sure I can fashion something out of an old tablecloth and some grommets and bungees.

Speaking of covers, actually I want to make a whole bike-cover as well. It would be nice to be able to leave the bike in the rain without worrying that the seat will be soaked, or other parts. Then again, maybe a shower cap would be good enough to keep just the seat dry. But if I should ever need to store my bike somewhere the rain might touch it, I’ll certainly want a waterproof cover to keep it from rusting. It’s a good long-term project to think about.

Day four was a success! Four down, twelve to go.

EDIT:  I forgot to mention that I biked very slowly today, and didn't even try to ride up the steepest hills. Aside from that walking, though, I really didn't need any extra rests.  When I got home, I was very tired and sweaty and soaked, but not wiped out like before.  I'm glad to see some of my stamina built back up so quickly.  :D