I don't know if anyone here has a death wish or special attachment to riding in heavy storms, but I've had a few really exhiliarating experiences lately that make me want to ride more. Not to say that my parents are very happy about this.


A few weeks back we had tornado-level storms come through my suburban area on a Tuesday night. It just so happens that Tuesday night is trivia night at the local pub (Ballydoyle's in Downer's Grove for anyone by me) and trivia simply can not be missed. My dad had the TV to the weather channel which was blaring red danger zones all over where we live, but my friend and I asserted that we would make it to the bar, no problem.

We hit the pavement pedaling like madmen and made it about half a mile before the wind started blowing....HARD. and in circular motions. And then the rain hit. I almost got blown straight off my bike while zooming down a hill, which was my first "oh shiii" moment. We pedaled furiously through the downpour and wind, making decent time, but visibility was quickly reduced to a few feet in front of us.

My 2nd "oh shi-" moment came when we hit the downtown area of DG and the streetlights went out and then the houselights across the street went out as well. It was about here that I hit the drops and really started going, but I didn't have enough time to react before a branch fell on top of me. Only the very crown and small branches hit me, but this thing was BIG. A foot to the left and I would've been really hurt...my buddy behind me said this thing was at least 15-20 feet long coming off of the tree. About here I couldn't see my friend anymore, so I ignored the pieces of sheet metal whipping around the air and turned around, doing a few laps before I saw him pull up and we sprinted into the bar, soaking and pumping with adrenaline.

It turns out a tornado touched down not two blocks south of where we were right then.

Now am I an idiot? Certainly, but I'd like to think a little brave as well. I mean, wow, did I feel alive after that.

There was another severe storm this morning while I was riding to work, and while it had a few hairy moments (rain water knocking my right contact out of place, momentary blindness) it was still a lot of fun. I love thunderstorms and seeing lightning strikes and the whole sheer tempestuous beauty of the thing.


tl;dr
Has anyone else ever had severe weather experiences, and if you have, did you enjoy them?