"Drivers will face difficult conditions."

I biked today, should be a fun ride home.

Break out the granny ring

I heard the wind forecasts this morning and I left the bike at home.

I'm looking foward to the tailwind as I ride home on Sammamish River Trail.

I'll release a balloon this afternoon. Maybe you'll be able to see it as it blows by on its way to Canada.

Yesterday with the winds I was thinking to myself "At least it's not raining". Today, it is raining.

There's few things I like more than riding in conditions that the drivers whine about -- especially if I'm going further than they are

True. Although today you may not be going faster. Be careful out there everyone.

I am waiting for my computer to do a couple more runs of a dataset before hitting the road. I need to shut it off, they tell me, and I really need at least the beginning of the last few iterations. All the cagers I work with will be gone by then, would be nice if the rest of the roads are similarly depopulated, but I'm not betting on it.

My goretex gloves are guaranteed to soak through quickly at this rate.

What section of the SRT do you ride? I'm usually on my way home to Redmond (from Woodinville) between 3:30 and 4:30pm.
Can't miss me: Black helmet with yellow reflecty tape stripes, orange/yellow reflecty vest and an orange backpack, ugliest and most sticker covered mountain bike in all of Redmond, and I'm freakin' gigantic (6'6", 260#)
Flag me down some day if you see me. I'm the guy stuck riding into the wind to get home.

So far, just a little gusting down here. I'm heading home!

You guys are lucky. It's barely exceeding 10 mph over here...

Wow, it is madness out there. The wind is kind of annoying, but where the hell did all the wet stuff come from? Downtown there were streams of water coming down Pike, Eastlake had a whole other meaning as the entire right lane was a lake, and I had mid-shin deep water on the BGT near U-village. The cagers weren't moving much, but when they were they weren't looking for anyone else. I heard sirens the whole time. Wow. Now that I am home, that was a pretty fun ride!

i've been home all afternoon, but i have to keep the deadbolt locked on my front door. apparently the wind is stronger than my latching mechanism.

Ha. It was starting to rain and gust pretty hard right at 5 so a coworker offered me a ride. We head down Denny to get on 99 and it is a parking lot. We sat through 4 light cycles at Westlake. By that time the rain had completely stopped and (since she had not gone out of her way yet) I suggested I get out and ride it the rest of the way (which is most of the way really). My tires started hissing and my headlight started going dim in Fremont and by the time I pulled in both were just about done, but I made it home. I would not be surprised if she is still sitting on Denny. I guess the news was right

Worst weather days to ride, are also the worst weather days to drive. And drivers cant 'go around' the parked cars in front like us

My current commute is more wind friendly, last year i had a long way along the river with zero wind protection, now im almost always on streets with houses/buildings down both sides.

That's the same system that has those poor bastards pinned up on Mount Hood, doing their best to not become frost bitten, frozen desserts. Y'all have fun with that. Might I suggest some light reading for y'alls travels: The Darwin Awards.

Seriously, keep your heads out there, sounds rough.

--A

Ride report:

Left work at 5 and the rain was coming down HARD. Rode down the 520 hill and my glasses were covered with water, oncoming traffic completely blinded me. The Sammamish River flooded in one spot although I didn't see this until I was riding through the water that had come up over the bank and onto the trail. This brought my HR up a wee bit so the legs started to churn a bit harder. I'm not saying I dailed it up to 400w after giving Sammamish River 'The Look', just that I tried to pedal faster. Cruising along, when out of nowhere a bolt of lightning seems to crack just overhead. Thunder immediately follows, so I sprint to the next overpass and hundle under it for safety. I wait about 15 minutes until it seems clear then try to sprint to the car, dodging fallen branches, deep puddles and as CliftonGK1 mentioned in another thread, the dreaded rabbits.

Funnest ride I have had in awhile.

I usually ride to Redmond from Bothell at 7am and back to Bothell at 5:30pm. Silver helmet, blue jacket, black glasses and a huge backpack. I'll keep an eye out for ya.

on the ride home tonight at 9 PM (Greenlake/Downtown Seattle - about 6 miles for all you out-of-towners) I saw two cars stalled in a foot of water underneath Highway 99 at Mercer Street. The Mercer Street underpass looks closed until further notice. Commute tomorrow will probably be a mess for the cagers.

Gale force winds. I declined my usual M.O. of riding across the Fremont Bridge grating in the travel lanes and rode on the walkway instead. Felt it was prudent. Its getting a bit windy out.

oh, that was yours? actually i couldn't see a thing once it started raining this afternoon.

wow, you guys had it rough today. we've had winds between 40 and 90 kph all week, but it looks like we got off lightly compared with you.

My wettest ride home....ever. And that's saying something living in Seattle.

Not sitting in a car or bus was priceless however. It may have been damn windy and raining like the dickens but I was smiling ear to ear. Rivers on the roads and sidewalks... I was like Lieutenant Dan.

+1

It was an adventure thats for sure. I rode from Gasworks to King Street station. Man what a zoo for the cagers.It was basically riding through rivers and lakes with an occasional dry spot. One wind gust stopped me dead in my tracks at 2nd and Spring. When I got on the Sounder heading north my fellow commuters looked at me like I was insane. But then again looking back I(we) must be to ride through all that *****

Just one commercial plug: Thank God for Seal Skinz socks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They rock!

It was bad out there! I left right around 5.

I got a bit wet - not sure how much was sweat and how much was rain. Seemed like the rain went through my Performance rain pants. My feet were OK until I rode through a puddle.

Came home, power went out at 10. Used the bike lights...

Nastiest stuff I'd ever been in. The gusts were strong, but I just stayed relaxed and didn't weave around too much.

I think I heard two trees fall during my ride.

I'm in Boston and on the local news (as much as I hate to watch it) last night they showed video of a jet attempting to land in Seattle, I think, but the pilot aborted the landing at the last second. It was scary stuff to watch the wind throw that hunk of metal around and it got me to thinking about all you guys and girls out there in the Northwest talking about your plans to proceed with commuting. I hope you're all alright.

Nah nothing can keep you totally dry when it comes down like that.