A long time ago, a.k.a. 3 months ago, I lived in southern California. In SoCal there is no rain, and at most there is a very light drizzle. Southern Californians tend to drive like maniacs at the best of times and are significantly worse drivers in the “rain”. They go out and empty the stores in case of a flood.
I am proud to say my family was never like those southern Californians. I have always loved rain because water is a life-giving substance, it is cleansing, and it smells nice and gave me a break from P.E. I loved to rebelliously run around without a hood in these fake rains. The rain seemed so romantic: the perfect scene for meeting your true love or brood.
For one year in high school, I lived in northern California. Right in the middle of the redwood trees rain is drenching and is accompanied by harsh winds. I was shocked by the severity of the weather. However, I still liked the rain because I never had to stand in it.
I was a sophomore at the time, so my mom drove me to school. And the school was completely covered because of how much it rains there. Once the school year was over, my family moved back to southern California for my last two years of high school.
I knew when I decided to attend UC Davis that there would be rain: it is an “Aggie” school in the middle of a farming state. Knowing in my head about statistics did not prepare me for the physical reality of water everywhere.
On January 8, 2018, there was more rain than the whole month of December. Of course, I decided to find my classes the day it rained, instead of a dry day. After my first real rainy day, I was much less enthused about rain.
I still love rain, but I do not like cycling in it. I saw some people on Monday who were able to bike and hold an umbrella over their head (HOW?!). I am not coordinated enough to do that, so I got soaked. My rain hood kept falling off my head, my jean legs and bottom were wet in seconds, and my glasses got very foggy. Plus, I went so slowly that I may as well have been walking!
I think that this first real rain experience gave me a good learning experience. I learned by watching other cyclists that your rain hood goes under your helmet. I also found that gloves are good, but they need to be waterproof or you will not be able to use them for long.
I also found that keeping a hanger in the bathroom to hang wet jackets will help them dry. Beanies keep your head warm and dry-ish; scarves are also good for shielding your neck and nose. This is pretty obvious, but quickly saw in class that students who walked with an umbrella were the driest.
Lastly, have a nice warm drink or shower when you come home. I think that for the next rainy day, I may put my bike under cover early and break out my umbrella! Good luck to you cyclists in the rain.
Cover image source: Pexels