We've had a lot of rain lately, and coupled with lousy weather forecasts, that has made for challenging commutes. The forecasters called for heavy showers all day on Wednesday, so I drove, but we ended up getting just a trace of rain. Thursday the forecast was calling for light rain and perhaps none at all, so I rode to work and of course it rained all day and I got soaked on the way home.

One good thing came out of my drive to work on Wednesday, as I finally broke down and bought a rain jacket at the bike shop. I got a good price on a Craft rain jacket, and I've had good luck with their products in the past, so I bit the bullet. The jacket got a good workout yesterday and performed well. My big problem with rain jackets in the past -- which is why I didn't own one -- is the lack of breathability. The Craft jacket has pit zips, a liner and breathable outer fabric, so I was very comfortable in temperatures ranging from about 60-65 F. It probably would be too warm for anything over 70 F, however. If this rainy weather keeps up, I'll probably be in the market for a warm-weather rain jacket.

My other big problem with riding in the rain is the mess it creates. I spent about 15 minutes cleaning my bike after getting home Even tho my fenders did a good job keeping most of the crud off my bike, the wheels were just plain nasty. Also, it's a steel frame and I didn't want to leave it wet.