Rain

[pegkerr]

The weather has been miserable all week, over 90 degrees and generally over 65% dewpoint. Hot and steamy. It has made riding the bicycle to and from work Not Fun.

This afternoon, about 3:00, there was a bit of rain, which dropped the temperature to about 80 degrees by the time I'd left at 4:30. I kitted up in tank t-shirt and spandex shorts (don't look!) and headed out to the bike trail along the light rail. As I rode, the rain started again, a light sprinkling. Slicking down my arms, cooling my back. The coolness prompted a bit of extra energy in the metronome steadiness of my legs, up and down, round and round. Breathe, breathe, breathe, feeling the muscles bunch and extend in my quads and calves. Stopped at a light and took a swig from my water cup and started again. The sky was gray, the weeds along the train bed bobbed with the light collision of the raindrops.

The air smelled of hot concrete, dirt, ozone and rain.

Comments

[castiron.livejournal.com]

It's just so wrong for July to be warmer in the northern U.S. than in Texas.

[kokopoko.livejournal.com]

I wish it would rain here. So stinking hot and dry. All the rain always misses Sioux Falls and nails Iowa and Minnesota. WAh!

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

No, no: Minnesota has been experiencing a severe drought. This is the first rain we've seen for quite awhile.

[jbru.livejournal.com]

I will glance at your spandex shorts, you saucy wench! And I'll enjoy the view. ;)

Glad you enjoyed the ride, I hope more rain pushes through tonight and continues to cool things off.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

That's one of the great joys of bike commuting, imho: the ride that you thought was going to be miserable that turns out to be magical. Riding in a downpour is never much fun, but a light misty rain after a long dry spell - priceless. Same for riding home at sunset after a hot, humid day when a little breeze comes up and the sky turns all mother of pearl. Mmmmm.

I'm fairly jealous

[dragonet2.livejournal.com]

Between KC having no coherent public transit program (we're split between two states and between that and really farked up policies It would take me two hours to get to work if I rode the bus..., no train period).

And I have a 28 mile round trip daily, with no safe way to ride a bicycle there. I go basically from downtown to southern suburb. On a positive note, I'm counter-commuting so in the morning the highway is really clear for the short points I have to go between.

Sigh.

After RenFest I may try to get a used treadmill or elliptical walker, we have space in the basement complete with a TV position to keep me from being bored.