I left my folks place around 9 - pitch black rural roads, raining as heavily as I've ridden in this year, and about 10C... I was in my full gear so I was toasty and warm and DRY!

I headed out - and I was the only vehicle on the road - with the high beams on I had a spectacular light show. After about 20 miles I caught up to a van - the road spray and the low beams meant I had a hell of a time seeing the lines.

Now - this definately wasn't a ride for a young rider - this was not a ride to be thinking once about what you were doing with the bike, the whole ride I spent watching for the road and watching for debris. BUT I was able to do that - and you know what - this was a fun ride.

On coming traffic completely blinded me several times - I was able to ride sections of that road completely from memory which was a bit dicey and I probably should have stopped. Each time it happened I wiped the visor off and rolled back on. I was using the vehicle aheads brake lights to mark the center of the road (the reflection of the brake lights on the road came together in a triangle at my bike - marking the middle of the road).

The thing was - the warmth and dryness contrasting the miserable rain outside was very comforting and a sort of sublime experience. The light show was spectacular... it was one of those days when you were only thinking about the ride and the whole experience just about overwelmed all of your senses...

Anyhow - I'm home safe, and will have to have another rain ride this year - perhaps this time with some daylight ;)

Rubber side down all,
woot.

I remember a couple of rides like that. The first was going from Edmonton to Edson, Alberta. The wind was so strong I was going forward canted to the right by about 15 degrees, to lean into the cross winds. Stuff was flying towards me like in the trailer for the movie "Twister". It began to pour, so naturally, I wound it up to about 140km/h, since I figured the cops wouldn't be out clocking. It was a hell of a ride, although I did have a slow spill on a mud covered road later that trip. Scratch one new rainsuit. It was interesting. That little GS was a trooper.



The second time, I was leaving Calgary at about 9pm. It was summer, so I figured the weather would be decent. I was wrong. Once I got to around Olds, which is about 1/4 of the way to Edmonton, it beagn to POUR. I had no raingear. I got stuck behind a semi, and was blinded by the spray whenever I went out to pass. Well, it was so bad behind that truck I decided to risk it anyway, all the while the words from the song "I'm stalled in the fast lane.." were going through my head. It took about 7 seconds to pass that truck, but it seemed a LOT longer. I managed to get to Red Deer (1/2 way), where I figured I lay up for the night at my brother's place. Of course, he wasn't home. The gutters were flowing like rivers, I was soaked and cold and wet, and had another hour and a half of riding to go. I went to a local convenience store, bought a couple of newspapers, stuffed them down my pants legs, and inside my leather jacket, and bought some dishwashing gloves and put them inside my leather gloves. I headed out and went as fast as I dared (Highway 2 is heavily patrolled). Let me tell you firsthand, the newspaper trick works amazingly well. I wasn't cold, and the dishwashing gloves also helped immensely. My old biker jacket was also unbelievably waterproof; I could just begin to feel water entering my jacket pockets as I was nearing home. Of course, just outside of Edmonton, the skies cleared, the stars came out, and I couldn't look heroic at the stoplights, riding in the monsoon. Another guy on a CBR1100XX pulled up. He had come throught the same storm. We nodded at each other knowingly. It had been a hell of a ride. That $500 900 Seca was, and still is, the best bike I have owned.

Two great stories!

Most of my riding experience has been in dirt, and with a long hiatus from riding, I don't feel like I have the street instincts I should have just yet. I doubt I'm ready for rain, but the winds here in Sacramento are piciking up, especially along the River Road. A couple times I've felt like I might blow off the levee.

It got me thinking about the merits/faults of a windshield and/or fairing, as well as what to do in a high cross-wind (besides pull over).

Any thought?

Lost my last response...

Great stories! It's always interesting to hear what other people have been up to.

One more story - one that reminds me of the 'knowing signal' of another rider.

Awhile ago - maybe 2 years ago now - I was riding home. It had turned cold on me, and I wasn't as prepared then as I would be now. I had on full gear, but only summer weight gloves and combat boots - as opposed to my JR insulated/waterproof boots and winter gloves.

As I was riding home it started to snow and I was getting pretty cold and just wanted to be home. The hand pains were wearing off and I was getting that knot in the stomache that told you that you really needed to get somewhere warm soon.

At this point I'm convinced that I'm the only biker to be stupid enough to be out in this weather. I was actually more convinced that I had made a bad decision and should have taken the cage... oh to be in cage with such luxuries as a heater fan and a windshield.

Now - at my lowest point on this ride I stop at a stop light - cursing it for holding me another minute in now what was becoming a heavy flurry - perhaps 2 inches of snow were on the road. At this point - low and behold another idiot shows up. He pulls in next to me at the light and I flip the visor up to see who it was... I holler over - nice weather!

At this point - it was a strangely biker only moment - he is straddling his frosty UJM - snow packed against his chest - obviously as cold as I was... Right there - I thought to myself - this is probably the last ride of the season and that this crazy fella next to me is also thinking the same thing... it certainly was a memorable end to a good season. An experience no cager will ever have - the strange bond between bikers is amazing.

The rest of the ride home was fanatastic - the snow was beautiful, the air was crisp (to put it mildly) and I knew someone else was out there on 2 wheels...

Thanks - I needed you to jog my memory...

Woot.