The rain missed me!

As usual, the forecast included showers and scattered T-storms. I always have to hope that \”scattered\” T-storms are far enough apart for me to ride between them.

The highest chances for stormy weather were after 1:00 pm; and between that prediction and the hot weather, I started my ride at about 6:40 am. The clouds were already starting to build up; and eventually I could see rain ahead. By that time I was some 20 miles from home; and could only hope that the rain stopped before I got to it.

Happily, it did; but this was strange: the bike path was mostly dry; but the road running alongside the levee was wet! I must have been right on the edge.

Cutting-Edge Cycling

It\’s a rare treat to have almost no wind for any ride; but on long-ride day it\’s extra special. Today I averaged a hair over 13 mph; and I rode 55.70 miles. For me, that\’s progress. Towards the end the breeze seemed to pick up; and I\’m glad it waited until then.

Goin\’ Home

Again on the way home, I could see rain ahead; and again, it missed me. I got home about 11:45 am; and 15-20 minutes later, I noticed that it was getting darker. Within half an hour, it began to rain; and there was some close lightning, too. Thank goodness that missed me! It makes me very uneasy to get caught on the levee when the lightning moves in.

Today I tried a Detour bar as part of my on-bike food. Detour bars taste good; but they seem to make me thirstier than other bars. I don\’t know why; but maybe I should avoid them, at least as long as the weather is hot. I probably needed to take along more electrolyte drink than I did; and during the final 15 miles of todays ride, I longed for some COLD water! Cold water to drink, that is. Cold water falling down from the sky is another matter.

During this season, there are tall grasses growing alongside the bike path; and now they\’re spewing seeds everywhere. My legs get covered with those seeds, because they stick in my sunblock. It\’s quite a mess; and my road bike is a mess, too. Thanks to all the rain we\’ve had, there are plenty of places where I have to ride through wet or muddy spots; and now the bike has dirt splattered all over it.

Yes, the rain missed me — but I almost hoped I would get some to wash my bicycle for me.