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09-17-08, 09:18 AM
So, my first commute in after all the rain. I knew there would be some wet spots but ... WTF?
I get to the first lake and go to lowest gear and power through the soggy field on my commuter bike. Sloshy and wet but no real problems (just don't have to put a foot down). I thought that would be the biggest lake ... I was wrong. There was no way around this lake without turning around and going another 12 miles out of the way (or riding on Barrington Road ... forget it). So I decide to try to ride the edge in the grass again. It keeps getting deeper and I've got over 200 feet yet to cross. Oh boy, now my shoes are hitting the water, still a long way.
Well, now I'm up to my knees ... yes knees! in the water. I have my panniers on my bike and there are nearly underwater. I thought I was going to clear the top of the front wheel (the axles were submerged long ago). And the stagnant water is real nice too, no dead worms, duck feces or anything ... yech! I power through as I really have no other choice.
The panniers stayed pretty dry surprisingly. No electronic gear was damaged on the inside. So, motor on. This was the last of the ponds, by far the smallest.
http://www.pbase.com/colorchange/image/103262477/large.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/103262483/large.jpg
So now I'm sitting in my office after washing off my shoes and rinsing off my socks, wearing bike socks, fan blowing on my shoes stuffed with newspaper ... and hoping they dry out for the ride home. I'll be taking the long way. ;)
I get to the first lake and go to lowest gear and power through the soggy field on my commuter bike. Sloshy and wet but no real problems (just don't have to put a foot down). I thought that would be the biggest lake ... I was wrong. There was no way around this lake without turning around and going another 12 miles out of the way (or riding on Barrington Road ... forget it). So I decide to try to ride the edge in the grass again. It keeps getting deeper and I've got over 200 feet yet to cross. Oh boy, now my shoes are hitting the water, still a long way.
Well, now I'm up to my knees ... yes knees! in the water. I have my panniers on my bike and there are nearly underwater. I thought I was going to clear the top of the front wheel (the axles were submerged long ago). And the stagnant water is real nice too, no dead worms, duck feces or anything ... yech! I power through as I really have no other choice.
The panniers stayed pretty dry surprisingly. No electronic gear was damaged on the inside. So, motor on. This was the last of the ponds, by far the smallest.
http://www.pbase.com/colorchange/image/103262477/large.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/image/103262483/large.jpg
So now I'm sitting in my office after washing off my shoes and rinsing off my socks, wearing bike socks, fan blowing on my shoes stuffed with newspaper ... and hoping they dry out for the ride home. I'll be taking the long way. ;)