Let it rain?! What right-minded cyclist says that?

I don\’t suppose that many of us want to ride in the rain. Sure, in hot weather rainy rides are a bit cooler; but wet-weather riding has its hazards, as we know.

Now that the Summer\’s heat is past, we don\’t want the added chill of wet-weather rides. A poncho keeps at least some of the rain off; and can also keep you a bit warmer.

But there\’s a catch. I\’ve always found that a poncho is too likely to flare out to the sides. When I try to look behind me, all I can see is that poncho! Needless to say, a flapping poncho adds wind resistance; and can make a bicycle difficult to control.

This morning I set out under gray skies. I knew that the chances of precipitation were expected to increase as the day went on, so all could do was ride and hope for the best.

The road bike is still in the shop, so I rode the hybrid. That let me use the trunk. I packed my poncho, just in case. I no longer have a handlebar bag, so I had to pack my ride food in the trunk, too. Of course that meant stopping and getting off the bike whenever I needed a bite to eat!

I rode out to my usual pit-stop place, then came back home. With two miles still to go, I felt the first few drops. The drops gradually became more frequent, and I hoped to reach home before it really began to rain. Fortunately I did.

We still haven\’t gotten any real rain; but as long as I\’m home, I\’ll paraphrase the song: Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain!