Rainy Days and Monday....

Well, I got both today. A rainy Monday! What better way to combat that kind of negativity than with a bike ride in the rain.

Weather.com said 40% chance of rain in the morning, and only 10% this evening around the time that I will be riding back from BWI, so I set the alarm and figured I would assess the situation when I woke up. At 4:15 the patio and the driveway was dry, so I saddled up and left the house. There was the occasional rain drop, but nothing serious. Until I got to Whites Lane. It was raining hard enough at that point that I stopped to put my rain shell on. It rained steady from Whites Lane to BWI. When I arrived at my bike box, it really started coming down, so I pushed the bike into the box and carried all my clothes to the area that has all the newspaper vending machines. It is under cover and dry. I am sure the people didn't appreciate my wet bike socks hanging off the handle of the USA Today box, but oh well.

The problem with riding in the rain is really NOT the rain. We wash our bikes with water. We wash ourselves with water. It is the dirt and sand that gets on everything when it is wet that wreaks havoc with the bicycle. I will wipe the chain off and re-lube it before heading home to hopefully minimize the wear and tear on the chain.

All in all (now that I am dry in my office) I am glad that I decided to ride. I certainly commend again Clint, Clif and Chip for riding their fleche in 40 degree rain... in the middle of the night... uphill. It was in the 70's and miserable riding in the rain.