Even when we lived in Rochester, NY, which is the home of Kodak Headquarters and where the local joke is that it's "The World's Biggest Darkroom". No, even when we lived there, I never saw so much rain. Not all at once anyways.
Remember this Colorado meme?
Well, here's the latest one:
So I'm sick of rain now. Never thought I'd say that here. I mean, I still and will always like rain, but a bit of a recess would be nice. My heart goes out to the people who have lost property or worse.
I've never known schools to be closed for "rain days", but several had to close today. There are just so many roads that are either flooded or totally washed away. And my and Magnum's Alma Matre, CU Boulder, was literally deluged and has been closed for two days. I feel for the parents who just sent their little freshmen up there. How nerve racking.
BUT, I've managed to... well, manage.
After the atypical rain took me by surprise for my commute to school and sent me to the dreaded shuttle bus on Wednesday, I made a few adjustments. I've bicycled myself to class the last two days, when at times it was rather like submarining in.
I nabbed a DriDucks jacket that I found in Chaco or Wolfgang's stash (it's all a collective mess, pretty much), and I MUST sing its praises!
That stuff is The Bomb! Super duper lightweight, but kept me dry as the naked part of a duck!
Thursday, I wore the jacket over a pair of nylon adidas windpants. Mother Nature totally laughed at the nylon adidas windpants. They didn't last 30 seconds before being completely saturated. See figure 1.
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| Figure 1 |
Figure 1 represents just after I arrived back home. I know the photo is grainy/blurry, but the only ones available to take it were China, Napolion, King Reese, or the unnamed fish. Right, like fish could take a photo...
Anyway, Napolion took it as he's the smartest of the bunch.
The point is, everything covered by the DriDucks jacket is dry as Colorado in June. The adidas nylon windpants are embarrassed.
So, it was back to the drawing board (closet) for a little tweaking.
I found a rainsuit that was probably Chaco's from when he was about in 7th grade. I don't know the brand, it's just made of basic rubbery stuff. The pants were a bit short, but would do. I wore them with the DriDucks jacket for this day of delugional bicycle commuting.
Success!
This time the dryness went all the way down to about mid-shin where the rain pants stopped. Good enough.
In other rain gear test results:
- Spraying shoes with Camp Dry does nothing if rain enters them through the ankles.
- I think I now know where THE most powerful hand dryers on campus are located.
- Wearing unpleasantly damp shoes for about two and a half hours does not cause trenchfoot.
Not liking the rain, but at least I got my ducks in a row.
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18 comments:
First it was fire; now it's rain. What's next, brimstone (whatever that is....)?
Mad props for toughing it out in the rain -- total street cred, right there. My (motor)cycle has been the only 2-wheeled vehicle in the parking lot more than a few times. One coworker, on a particularly rainy day (and we know RAIN* here....) questioned my sanity; I told her I just washed my car and didn't want to get it dirty....at which point I questioned my own sanity.
Anyway, enjoy the ride -- just watch out for the crazies!
*It's just like sunshine; it just comes in liquid form
You go Girl! I'd have caved by now and been back on the shuttle. Don't you get cold sitting in class? Nah, I forgot. It's just ME that's the wimp.
Does Tessa have her own set of DriDucks? I'm bettin' she's the lone bike on the racks these days.
The few die hards I saw while I shamefully sat on the shuttle - along with the memories of Bike Lady - inspired me. I should note that the foldup electro-bike has been conspicuously absent *snicker*
I thought orange juice was sunshine in liquid form? Well, you KNOW rain.
The rains were thankfully rather light when I rode in on adidas windpants day. It was the ride home that soaked them in record time, so I wasn't sitting drenched during class.
Tessa is a bit of a princess and has stayed home. Bella of the sturdier (doesn't like it if I call her fat) frame and tires is the goddess of raincycling.
And you're not a wimp, you just don't like getting ice hosed.
I thought of you when I saw the stories in the news...btw if you have been married for 23 years, did you get married when you were, like 7?
Best of luck to you with keeping safe and dry. I saw some footage of the flooding--so terrible!
"I've never known schools to be closed for "rain days", but several had to close today. There are just so many roads that are either flooded or totally washed away."
Wow. Now THAT is a lot of rain. Way too much rain. Yikes.
Yeah, when I was "like" 7...
Thanks, it's actually pretty impressive from a nature study point of view. Really horrible and scary/sad in ways too.
It's strange having helicopters flying out to stranded communities. Some places are just a mess, the repairs will take a long time. Powerful stuff, that rain can be!
Fire? Floods? Torrential rains? Boy, you Coloradians must have really pissed off the gods. Good thing you have a plan to stay dry. Was curious to hear how those green tires work underwater.
I had the same issue you had with my wind pants for the last half marathon. Was completely soaked from the waist down by the time I was 1/2 mile in.
I guess that's why they're called wind pants and not rain pants. Of course, it's not how you feel, it's how you look!
Great last line, Abby!
Anyway, I heard about the flooding on the news this morning and hoped it wasn't affecting you too badly. Sounds like you are swimming through it just fine. What crazy extreme weather this summer. It has not affected us, but we'll get our turn just like everybody else. The problem here is the salmon run. Our rivers got too warm this summer and now the Sockeye don't want to spawn.
"The World's Biggest Darkroom" could apply to my area in winter, too, sometimes.
Cheers, and thanks for your comment on my blog today :) :)
I thought of you as I watched the news the other night. Your state is definitely one of extremes when it comes to weather. It sounds like the rain and flooding in some parts was downright life-threatening. Glad to know that you and yours are okay.
Way to show that rain that Abby can't be held back by a little H2O!
Gads, drought, rain, fire, and in some places ice melting. Just Gads.
I'm with Shadow...you're a tough girl!
As much as I like the outdoors, I can't see biking in the rain.
Hang in there with the change of routine and its surprises. Mine has changed, too, and I'm trying to keep my smile. :)
I think I've said this to you on another post, but everytime you post about another unforseen event, I feel like cheering you on! Go Abby...Go Abby...Go Abby... :)
Forget to say...and "You're" still smiling. Nice photo by Napolion.
I have to deal with wet feet most days. I used to bring spare socks, but since trenchfoot hasn't shown up, I just deal with it nowadays.
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