Dodging Rain Clouds

 Yesterday I woke up to 83 degrees and dark overcast skies. At first you might think that going for a ride may be questionable due to threatening rain but for me this is the perfect riding conditions. Temps were warm but at hiway speed are perfect. The sun hiding behind clouds means no shadows and very consistent visibility. That also means there are no hidden dangers in dark corners as I sweep through the country back road twisties that I've plotted out in my head over the last forty years. To a lesser extent, wet roads also mean less dust, pollen and for some reason less bugs.

 A quick look at the radar revealed a big red blob of nastiness encompassing the entire lower half of Minnesota and heading my way. I decided that there was a three hour window if I didn't want to get wet. I chose the Ultra for this ride just in case. It already has all my wet weather gear in it and offers decent protection from the elements. The sporty doesn't offer me much more than the middle finger in terms of rain protection.

 I don't seek out the rain and I try to avoid it when riding but if its gonna rain then so be it. I once started an Iron Butt ride in the rain. That ride was over 1100 miles in 19 hours and half of it was in the rain. One time while on vacation I led a group ride where it started to rain. It was coming down pretty hard even by my standards and I never stopped. I know a few people weren't too happy with me at the time and they bailed out but as I think about the people that followed me, it turns out they are the ones I still vacation with every year. Birds of a feather ride together or however that saying goes.

 That three hour window was just about what I needed to run down to the casino in Wisconsin Dells and try my luck. As it turns out I found a machine that wasn't very hungry and actually paid me back more than I put in to it. Not a lot but enough to pay for fuel and dinner. I may have stayed longer to "re-invest" but I got a glance out the window and noticed it was pretty dark outside. Once out to the bike I scanned the sky and determined it would be wise to don the rain gear.

 I like this kind of riding. The weather is questionable with gusts of wind bending the trees and fast moving clouds continually changing my perspective on what may come next. The roads were wet and I could tell from leaves and sticks on the road that a wicked front must have just passed through. The road was still steaming and my bike was kicking up its own spray from the wetness. My one hour route would be mostly back roads with only two small towns to pass through. Out in the open I scan the skies for signs of a storm and try to adjust my route and timing to avoid getting wet. I guess its a game because as I said, I already had the gear on and don't mind the rain.
 I could feel the temps dropping the further north I rode. It was now fifteen degrees cooler than when I left the house and I could tell I was creeping up on the back side of the storm. There wasn't a road to turn off onto to scooch around the rain so I decided the thing to do was stop and smell the roses. When I saw a small boat landing in the marsh I decided to check it out and waste some time. I thought I could take some of those nature shots my wife is always posting on facebook but I don't see things through the lens the same way she does.

  I'm not sure who's using this boat landing cuz its a bit rough.

 I wouldn't think the water level would be low because we've had a wet spring/early summer until the last week.

 This is the bottom of the landing. Your basic f150 isn't launching shit in this muck. There was a time when I would have gone out and bought a boat just to have an excuse to launch it and monster truck through this mess. That time has passed. Not sure why.

 Back on the bike I pretty much followed the back side of that storm right to my house. It was a great ride and it turns out I didn't need the rain gear but somehow I suspect if I hadn't put it on things would have been different.

Later.