one last rain ride

We’re getting pretty close to the end of the rain season here in southern California. Although, I have to say that the weather/climate does seem to be very different this season. We’ve had a lot of rain spread gradually throughout the season – 81 centimeters. I feel like summer could be unusual too. Maybe a little more mountain west feel to it – may be a good summer for thunder showers which seem to have their own secret non-annual recurring cycles.

Last night we got a quick un-forecast rain event. It was raining pretty hard for several minutes and then trailed off quickly to light rain. I was out in town all dressed up in tweed coat and such for an event. Me and the Mule were luckily under cover through the downpour but we did ride home through the light stuff. It was pretty nice, actually. Dressed up like that, and without my front light – having forgotten to take it off the recharger from the night before – and with the light rain and darkness, too, for some reason, I felt quite euro. Like I was riding home like a normal man in Belgium.

The tweed coat is great for night riding. It made me realize that there is some method and evolution to its design. It’s warm and somewhat water-oblivious and nicely breathable.

As for the no front light well that didn’t really seem to make any difference. I don’t think motorist really register when they see a tiny little bike light heading toward them anyway. It almost seems like I’m more visible to motorists without the light because they sense the faint presence of a human in the dark better than they can grasp the meaning of a light that isn’t a blue halogen bright flood that so many of their horseless carriages seem to employ these days.

Plus somehow feeling normal (like a normal Belgian) on the bike gets transmitted to those around you. It was a very mellow ride even though there were still a lot of cars out and it was raining. Channeling euro riding normalcy into the American worldview may already be getting us somewhere.