I'm on the road at 0530.
Rain = check!
Wind = Check!
This was one of those rides when you know that you will be soaked to the bone. You motivate yourself however you can. You turn over the pedals knowing that you will not see another two-wheeled soul all ride long.
It rained. It rained a lot. It rained so hard it hurt through my jacket at only 20 mph.
But it was warm, not hot, and not unpleasant.
Throughout the ride my glasses kept fogging--a new experience. All winter and spring I rode in the rain, and I never had a problem. This morning was different.
The fogged lenses occluded the lightning. I thought I saw some flash, but I kept attributing it to car and truck headlights. Then I heard the thunder.
How long was it between the lightning and the thunder? Flash...rumble....still distant. Roll on, and hope that it is heading away. Flash...RUMBLE... Another strike, this time closer, and the thunder more insistently following the flash. Decision time...where do I go? There's a service station, with a small alcove...just enough for me to fit. Pull in and wait it out.
Staring out at the rain I watched more lightning, heard more thunder. Since it was not a cold morning, I did not get chilled...just a bit tight. Fifteen-minute wait, then the thunder seemed to pass, and off I went.
Back on the road, the rain fell harder. It was a Miami rain--like a bathroom shower turned on to its fullest intensity. Blinded, riding into the wind, and fighting the resistance of the water, I realized that a simple ride in the rain had turned into an epic. All I wanted to do was to get home safely.
Fortunately, despite the hour and the conditions, most drivers were generous of spirit, and considerate of the road. People waited for me to pass through intersections. They slowed down, enabling me to cross traffic. They were wonderful. With a wave and a thumbs-up I thanked them.
The weather made for crap conditions, but it tempered drivers and driving. On this morning, it was a fair trade.
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