1st rain ride
 

Actually it was the 1st time 15 years, but I'd forgotten how much fun it can be. I had planned to meet up with another BFer in the area, but the forecast was pretty bleak for today so we decided to wait until tomorrow for some better weather.

I had nothing to do, so a short 14 mile ride to the closest bike shop sounded like a good idea. I needed some Clif bars, a couple of extra tubes, and some CO2

Riding in Tennessee(near Memphis) for the 1st time was a blast. This place is awesome. The roads are narrow with a 6" shoulder, but everyone that passed me gave me plenty of room. There was only a couple of places that required a gear shift, but it's not pancake flat either, just gentle rolling hills allowing me to average much higher speeds(20+mph) than at home near Las Vegas.

The shop I was going to visit in Munford had gone out of business(2 or 3 years ago) so I figured I'll head back home after getting some Clif bars. The workers at the grocery store had never heard of them(or powerbars for that matter) so a banana and an orange would have to suffice.

When I started toward home, the sun came out, and I thought it was going to get real nice.....then it happened

PSSSSSSsssssss. 2 flat tires. Stupid Chestnut trees!

Rain, 2 flats(only 1 extra tube and no CO2), and the 8 mile walk home did nothing to dampen my spirits. A passing jogger told me to use the pump at his house down the street(even though nobody was at home):eek: . That would never happen near Vegas

This place is great. It just needs some nice long climbs.

Rain riding really is wonderful. Once you accept that you're going to get completely wet, it's great.

Rain TT yesterday got me a cut tire (250 miles old -- in the trash) -- no TT time b/c of the flat. Still enjoyed the ride though :)

The part that killed me was the people in the grocery store. They had never heard of Clif bars:eek: and only one person there knew that they didn't carry Powerbars. I can only imagine his response if I asked where do they keep the hummus:D .

So you're saying that neither you OR your bike melted?
Get out!

A ride in the rain every now and then is nice. Come spend a winter in Oregon and see if you're whistling the same tune. It's hard on the bike and gets real old after a while, especially if you need to wear glasses. I think rain riding in general is more enjoyable on the mtn bike.

If you like the rain so much I'll gladly trade you a rainy day for a sunny one. I have about 200 I could spare.

In Southern Nevada we get about 5 inches of rain a year. I'm sure we could send a few sunny days your way:D .

I get my Clif Bars at our Walmart here. Not a bad deal at .98cents. I am a bit of a rain weeny. There are so many warm dry days here I just don't ever get the urge to ride in the rain and spend all that time cleaning the bike when I am done although there are some really hot days that I wish for a downpour mid-ride.....

I got some Luna bars at Wally World, but had no luck with getting a tube. It's killing me, there's a dozen tubes on my boat and I brought 1 with me:mad: . I've never used Slime patches, I'm used to the old Rema TipTop patch kits. Do they work well? Any not so obvious pointers?

I hope the Luna bars don't turn me into a moody little b****.:rolleyes:

It's not the rain I mind, it is the mud thrown on me and the bike. I did a couple rides last January and looked like I was riding offroad. Cleaning up the bike wasn't as difficult as getting the sand out of my rain jacket, jersey, bib tights, shoe covers, gloves, etc. I would also add that a HE, High Efficiency, washer doesn't seem to work that well with lots of dirt.

But, I did enjoy the ride while it was in progress despite the cold, wet conditions.

You can also buy Powerbar Harvest Bars or Cliff Bars in boxes of 24 for just under $20 at SAMs.

Pointer #1.......I will bring you a few tubes :)

Like the poster from Oregon wrote I also have about 9 months of wet weather to give you. Here in Western Washington I hardly ever commute during the winter months since I start work at 6:00 am and it doesn't get light here in the dead of winter till about 8:30 in the morning it so freaking scary hoping you will be seen in the rain or fog its not worth it to me, and I'm light up like a christmas tree and also have one of those reflective lime green vests the road workers wear, but now the weather is improving and I have started to commute at least twice a week

Thanks.

I asked the people at Wal-Mart if they knew where I could find a bike shop, and they looked at me like I was blue.

When I asked "where's the Childrens Gun Department?" The girl said, "it's all the way back on the left".

Scary.

I think this is the nerest shop to you. Lots of eye candy as well....

Fenders, fenders, fenders, they really are a must have to get any enjoyment out of a rain ride. Some may say they look stupid, and they might be right, but those people only ride in the wet once a year. For off-road riding it's the best way to keep mud out of your eye and gravel out of you chamois (that hurts). Get a set of clip-ons if you plan to ride in the rain more than once a year. Full wrap on the road bike will keep you and then bike a lot cleaner too and will also keep gravel out of your shorts.