Grrr ... I thought I would get in at least four bike commutes this week and perhaps five. The forecast on Sunday called for mostly clear weather all week, with a slight chance of rain on Wednesday. It was raining yesterday when I got up and radar showed a lot more coming, so I drove. Good call because it rained 3-4" across the area, breaking a record for the date. Forecasters said the rain would stop overnight. I checked the radar when I got up and no rain was showing, so packed all of my gear and planned to ride. However, when I get ready to leave home I hear rain pouring down our gutters. Check the radar again and nothing is showing, so I walk outside and it is raining very hard. It was drizzle but definitely a soaker. I waited around the house another 15-20 minutes, but still no letup so I drove again. Very frustrating.

I know a lot of bike commuters ride in the rain but I don't if I can help it. First, I need my glasses to see and the rain makes it very difficult, particularly heavy mist and drizzle. Second, my commute distance is pretty long (15+ miles) and takes about an hour, which means I get soaked if I ride. Third, my route follows several roads with a lot of traffic, including a high school with lots of teenage drivers. Fourth, I hate cleaning my bikes after riding in the rain.

The plus side of all this is that I'm riding a bike tour next week and probably should scale back my miles this week anyway, as the tour will be close to 500 miles. I also should stop by my doctor's office before the trip to deal with some minor issues, and I've been too busy to do that. So, I'll make good use of driving today.