Weather

In spite of the cloudy sky and high chance of rain, we checked radar just after 8am and determined we could get a 10 mile ride in if we hurried. We quickly got ready to go and then off we went heading east. It was muggy and warm, but cloudy as I said so not too bad.

Better than the weather was the traffic, very few cars/trucks but several cyclists. Just the way we like it. Once it was time to turnaround we decided to ride a little further since the sky didn’t look threatening, then a little bit further again before we decided we should turn around and head home.

As luck would have it, I heard the first roll of thunder about a mile from home. We just got our bikes in the garage and ourselves in the house before the heavy rain started, quickly followed by lightening and thunder with only 1-2 seconds between.

Close call, but a good ride. Hoped to get at least 10 miles and ended up getting 21 miles.

With coffee in hand, snug in the kitchen we quickly recounted all the times we have avoided thunderstorms while out riding. Rain we have biked in, particularly on the Katy Trail, but thunderstorms we have always been able to avoid. Twice on the Katy Trail we managed to out maneuver storms. Our first time we rode in rain, but got to the bed and breakfast moments before all hell broke loose. Another time we rode as hard as we could do to beat a severe thunderstorm headed our way and did. There is nowhere to hide on the trail if you are in between towns, which you are most of the time.

In all the years I have been riding I have actually only been caught in lightening/thunderstorms once. Even then I was able to find a deserted barn to wait it out in.

Now that I have said all this, I’m sure next time there is a thunderstorm and I am riding I will be pelted by hail, blown over by wind and struck by lightening. :-/