Rain!!! It's Been So Long!!!
 

After a gorgeous summer, here in the PNW we are sliding into fall with winter following close behind. Last night it was pouring down rain. All night I listened to waterfalls outside my window, thinking about getting up at 4:30 am to ride to work in the dark storm. I couldn't wait! In the morning, I pulled on rain pants, booties, took my yellow Burley jacket from the closet where I'd placed it in the spring, buckled helmet over cap and was terribly disappointed to find that the rain had dropped itself out. I rode through puddles and enjoyed the few drops that still fell. Hoping I catch the worst of the next rainy day!

No, I don't think I'm crazy. I like riding to work in the rain. Get that "man vs nature" thing going, face dripping and sides steaming, the hordes of summer cyclists are gone, its only the real commuters on the roads now. Look at each other with respect. Even drivers seem to pay a little more heed to the speeding deep sea diver lit up like Coney Island.

Any other rain lovers here?

Yup. I'm missing the cool, drizzly rides down 45th ave and up Sand Point in Seattle... Especially as I've parked my bike in this 100 degree humid inferno we've had to live through these past couple weeks in So Cal...

I'm with you jyl, I love the rain. So no you are not crazy, I to like riding in the rain.

I rode home in a heavy thunderstorm last night, got completely soaked, and loved every minute of it.

I like rain for the same reasons: being "hard core", no roadie geeks passing me, drivers giving me more respect. Bring it on!

I never look forward to riding in the rain, but I never fear it, nor does it dissuade me. In so many ways, the ride in the rain is proof of life. Rain is just part of nature, its okay, I embrace it.

I've ridden in a thunderstorm at 5am in the morning. I have a very good rain suit and It never bothers me to ride in the rain.

Riding in the rain gets my machismo genes awake and revved. I can't say I love it, but it doesn't slow me down much. Rain is really nothing - now, the freezing fog, and I just look over at my trainer and set an appointment for after work...

Rain? What is this "rain" you speak of? Actually, we got our first rain in weeks just a few minutes ago.... not enough to even get the pavement wet though. We'll probably get all kinds of rain just about the time the farmers start picking corn.

1st rain puts the summer's oil leaks in suspension , and there is the inevitable rear ender, when driver A stops ..

but driver B has an attention lapse , and late braking on the Wet results in Hydroplaning rather than slowing down as before..

I never mind riding home in the rain but riding at 4:00 A.M. in the rain knowing a lot of car and truck drivers are barely awake is not reassuring to me, for this reason I won't do much riding in the winter here in the PNW. I ride through an industrial park area and there are a lot of semi and delivery type trucks. Pretty unnerving for me. I'll live to ride another time.

With the rain gear I have. I don't even think twice about going out. Lightning bolts are a different story.

In San Diego, it rains so infrequently that it's not worth my effort to buy serious rain gear. A few days a year I just ride a little slower (to minimize spray from unfendered wheels) and generally get wet. If I lived somewhere else, I would spend the $$ for proper kit, but I can deal with what San Diego can dish out.

People at work think I'm crazy, but I just tell them I have the superpower of being completely waterproof. Any amount of rain can fall on me, and I won't be harmed in the slightest.

Of course, it helps to have a shower and a locker and a towel at work. (and of course at home)

I don't really like riding in the rain, it's just better than going running in it. Thursday I was on my motorcycle. Between the wind and the rain, my riding suit leaked. No biggy, it was warm. The lightening really had me scared, especially having just read about the guy in WA who was hit a few hours earlier on his motorcycle.

It's been so long since we had rain, I've forgotten where I put my rain cape. Our rain levels are at a quarter of normal and most of that falls in the night.

I often wonder whether we will get to a place where we can engineer the weather to rain whenever we want, i.e. however many days of the year we want, and only between 10pm and 4am.

I'm in Vancouver BC; similar climate to you in the PNW. I don't mind the rain (especially if it's not a torrential downpour). What does scare me a bit though is reduced visibility and stopping ability for the drivers around me.