Leaving work late only to find it starting to rain and facing a decision to ride without or without raingear. My Revit rain suit has remained unused for over a year as I continue to choose wet over dry. Laziness is at work, at least partially as the thought of unpacking and donning the suit seems dizzying. And a rough part of me just likes getting drenched. I suppose every rider has a different dance when considering riding in the rain.
Riding west towards the setting sun and approaching rain revealed little of what would happen. Roads wet but not drenched left a slippery film cabable of dispatching the best rider in a weak moment. Sudden flares of sunlight easily blinds the unprepared daydreamer. A few minutes inside a store on the way home had me wondering if I would ride wet or dry.
Minutes later sweeping along a backroad towards home confirmed the wisdom of my choice to leave the rainsuit untouched. The lone trees that punctuate the farm fields throughout Pennsylvania reflect the care and functionality in place by farmers of previous generations. Those trees were often left in place to provide noontime shade for a team of plow horses while the farmer walked back to the house for lunch. Few were left with painters or photographers in mind 70 years down the road.
One last stop to admire the late day light painting the landscape before turning the Vespa towards home. Some days you get wet and others leave you dry. I was glad to miss a downpour and the need to pull out the rain suit. Just a bit too tired and worn to think too much about the rain.
The age old conundrum of riding to suit or not to suit – that is the question. I usually 3 season riding gear that if it’s hot I can zip off or zip out something, or alternatively zip in for cold or rain. It makes my commute easier in every way. I did get caught out the other day with my summer mesh jacket and luckily I had a windbreaker so I was good. Your pictures as always are stunningly beautiful, this definitely is a favorite blog of mine.
In the hot weather my gear is not waterproof, resistance, or protective against moisture. I just am resigned to get wet. We’ve had some tremendous downpours lately that I am glad I avoided.
Thanks for the kind words about the pictures. There’s just so much left to see in the world!
I enjoy how safety is seamlessly woven into your writing. “Sudden flares of sunlight easily blinds the unprepared daydreamer. ” Thanks for putting together such a well written blog! And the pictures are good too.
Jason,
I’m just trying to remember the things that go through my head while I’m riding. Most of the time it’s just noise or things best not reduced to words — at least not here.
Bonjour Steve,
Très belle photos comme d’habitude !!!
Un jour, je viendrai rouler en Pennsylvanie avec toi !!!
Merci pour vos aimables paroles sur les photos. Permettez-moi savoir si vous obtenez jamais en Pennsylvanie.
I always look forward to reading your posts. I too enjoy riding around and ur pics are beautifully done. What kind of camera do you use Sir?
Thank you
Ride safe
Joe
For almost all my photos for the past year or so I’ve been using a Canon G15. It’s rugged, produces RAW files, and has a fast aperture – f1.8 to 2.8 maximum for wide and telephoto respectively. Those relatively big apertures allows more control of the feel of the images.
Steve:
Whether it’s HOT, HOT or Rain, Rain, you get wet anyway. One from sweat, the other from water. Which do you think is more refreshing ?
bob: riding the wet coast
I’ll take water over sweat anytime. And on really hot days I douse myself with water while riding.
That looks like our skies every day for the last couple of months. The Roadcrafter eliminated the rain gear or not decision for me and I’ve relegated the rain suit to a box in Barrow. There with my old HJC helmet in case I need to get out on a four-wheeler in the rain.
Love the single tree photo though I can’t spot the Vespa anywhere in the frame…
A friend keeps telling me I need to get a Roadcrafter suit and he’s probably right about it being more utilitarian. But my eye has been lured to some of the waxed cotton Belstaff riding jackets…
I kept looking at the tree photo wondering what was wrong. Now I know!
These days, a little rain while riding is a great thing, cools things off nicely in the sweltering summer we’ve been having here in Colorado. Is the rain warm in PA?
The rain is warm on some days and frigid on others. Just as the landscape is diverse, so is the rain. I’m not ready though to describe the rain as Forrest Gump did.
So, THAT’s why I see those lone trees on farmland all throughout the Commonwealth? Always impressed by how much you know, Steve!
– Joe from Scootin’ Da Valley
Similar situation here in Toronto two days ago, as well. They forecasted a chance of rain/T-storms. Almost the whole day was dry, but when I left my workplace I could see dark clouds looming over the area I’d be riding into. While I’m used to getting soaked while bicycling, somehow having the thick riding jeans turned into a wet sponge didn’t look appealing. So I put on rain pants. As soon as I got on Gardiner Expressway, the downpour started, also with hail, fortunately very briefly. In few minutes the rain was over, but then there was an encore from cars going the opposite direction (I was in the left-most lane),
sharing their big puddles with our lane. So I was grateful for the rain gear. I did sweat a little bit, but fortunately it wasn’t too hot. Cheers, Michael B.
hi my name is peter bayes from northam wa i ride a 50 cc motorscooter the rain is like riding is like shit its very soippery/ thank you