Rain

Man has this been a rainy summer!

It started out okay, but for the past month, it's been raining several times a day. The radar map above is typical, though the gap between rain storms is a bit more than usual.

I biked all winter, so got used to biking in sub-optimal conditions. But those beautiful upstate NY sunny days we had earlier in the summer are such perfect biking weather, I got spoiled. I find my mood is great, my biking is great and overall I feel great when it's a beautiful sunny, breezy day. I know I need to just zen out and accept fate, but when rain clouds roll in it gets me down.

I've sort of figured out, based on the radar weather photos, how long I can go out without getting caught in a dowpour, but I don't always succeed. This past week I did a 40 mile ride, out to Locke then back via Groton. As I was headed toward Locke on Lamphier, I saw the gathering dark clouds. From the radar I knew what was coming -- a big storm. It was coming faster than I thought.

From Locke to Groton is about 6 miles. I went as fast as I could, and could feel the dark clouds chasing me. Just as I got across the Groton village line, I felt a few drops. Knowing I had only seconds before the downpour, I pushed myself to get to a coffee shop on Main St. I got there just as the downpour began. It was a huge one, sheets of water, strong winds, a real to goodness summer storm.

Unfortunately the coffee shop had closed, but the good thing is, it had an awning and a doorway, so I brought my bike into the doorway and hung out there for about 40 minutes until the rain had slowed to a drizzle. The ride home was fine, the storm passed and by the time I got to Freeville, another 6 miles down the road, the sun was out.

Yesterday I decided on a short, 22 mile ride, thinking I could squeeze it in between rain clouds. I started out on wet roads, then by the 11 mile mark they were dry, but on the way back in it started drizzling.

So this has been my life the past month or so, checking the weather radar, trying to figure out how far I can get without getting wet, waiting for the right opening... which I'm doing right now.

Here's the storm that's on its way, about to hit:
I'm hoping the forecasts are right, and that it'll clear up this afternoon, after this coming storm -- which looks like a big one that'll last a while -- passes through. And then, they're promising a few sunny days.

I won't believe that until I've biked them.

PS as I finish this post, the big raindrops have started falling...

Late edit: So I ended up going out in what looked to be a big break in the rain. I headed north to Genoa, dry roads, no problem, the dark heavy rain clouds all to the east and headed away. But then, turning west on Rt 90 toward King Ferry I saw a rain storm. As I entered King Ferry the drops started, and I made it to the covered gas station there just as it downpoured. I waited for about 1/2 hour until it got down to a light drizzle, and took off south on 34b. It was good until Lake Ridge when it started raining, and it rained all the way until after Lansing. I got home very wet, and it turned out it had barely rained at all at home. . .