Rode Home in Rainstorm
I went to my uncle's house after work to assemble his new PC.
The weather man predicted rain and thunderstorms 'round 8:00, but I estimated closer to 9:00. The computer setup shouldn't take any longer than that, so I decided to ride my newly repaired motorcycle. It was 90-degrees outside, so I skipped the jacket, and made good time.
Setting up the PC went well, and after installing Windows (he wants to game), adding anti-virus, downloading the necessary drivers, and performing the minimum updates, we were done at about 8:30. A little clean-up and we were done. They suggested maybe a bite to eat to repay me for my time and effort. I wanted to get home, but was hungry and having a good time chatting, so I agreed.
They drove their car and I rode my bike to a nearby pizza joint. The sky was clouding up overhead, and looked a little menacing to the West. A few drips fell from the sky, but it had already spit a little rain while I was at their house, so I thought maybe that was all that was due for a while.
Before our pizza arrived, the deluge appeared. The skies darkened and the lightning began. We were inside with music and a bit of a crowd, so we couldn't hear any thunder.
Around 10:30 I had started giving up hope that the rain would subside and began preparing myself for the twenty-mile long ride in the rain. The wife called on the phone and asked where I was; she'd been trying, but I couldn't hear the phone ringing over the noise of the bar. I explained that I was safe and dry, and I was just waiting out the storm.
Around 11:00 I'd had enough and set out. The rain had slowed to something managable, and the lightning seemed to have moved to the East. I set out slow and steady. The last time I rode after a rain (which was not the only time I'd ridden in or after a rain, mind you) I dumped my bike going around a corner.
Before I made it to the freeway the rain seemed to have stopped falling from the sky, leaving only the road splash to continue to soak me. I rode in the right lane, about 10MPH slower than the speed limit, occasionally slowing for curves, dips, or other difficult to interpret road conditions.
It was late enough that the roads were pretty clear of traffic, so my pace didn't bother me. I considered taking the parkway or other streets, but decided the slower speeds, stop signals and signs, and more likely water hazards would make that trek a different kind of dangerous.
The whole ride was just wet. For a bit the few drops that fell stung afer my shirt soaked through. Other than wet I was fine; it was still warm, so I wasn't wet and cold, which was something good.
Occasionally some headlights would appear in my mirror, and quickly they'd overtake me. Usually they'd merge into another lane (if they weren't already there) and pass harmlessly. A few more than I thought really would decided to merge immediately in front of me; once barely clearing my front tire at 50MPH. WTF is up with that? They got a horn or finger or both.
I made it home safely, tucked the bike in the garage and gave it a quick wipe down with a towel. I sloshed into the house and removed my waterlogged sneakers. What a night.