Yesterday, the weather forecast said today the skies would be "partly cloudy-to-sunny" and whatever chance we'd have for rain would come late tonight or in the early hours of tomorrow morning. When I woke up this morning, the sky looked heavier and grayer than I expected it to be. I turned on the radio. Sure enough, the forecast had changed to "occasional rain and drizzle."
So I figured I could get out before one of the occasions and, if I got caught in one, I could ride or wait it out. Although a fairly cool day for this time of year, I wouldn't have minded getting caught in a shower, especially a light one.
Including my "beater" (the Schwinn LeTour), I have three bikes with fenders. Reason and logic would have dictated taking one of them. But, I have one of those lives in which not much is dictated by reason or logic. So, of course, I took one of my fenderless bikes--Tosca, my Mercian fixie, to be exact.
Needless to say, I did get caught in one of the meteorological "occasions" that was forecast. I rode through it, and another. Not surprisingly, I ended up with some dirt and mud spattered on the wheels, frame and seat and handlebar bags (which cleaned up surprisingly easily).
Unless I've had a particularly long or hard ride, or I simply don't have time, I clean my bike before I clean myself. It's not that I care more about my bikes' than my own appearance (although I think my bikes are far more capable of looking good than I am!). Rather, I always thought that it didn't make sense to take a shower, then to get dirty again when cleaning my bike.
After giving Tosca her wipe-down, I turned toward the sofa and saw Max:
Hmm...Maybe I was grungier than I thought I was!
So I figured I could get out before one of the occasions and, if I got caught in one, I could ride or wait it out. Although a fairly cool day for this time of year, I wouldn't have minded getting caught in a shower, especially a light one.
Including my "beater" (the Schwinn LeTour), I have three bikes with fenders. Reason and logic would have dictated taking one of them. But, I have one of those lives in which not much is dictated by reason or logic. So, of course, I took one of my fenderless bikes--Tosca, my Mercian fixie, to be exact.
Needless to say, I did get caught in one of the meteorological "occasions" that was forecast. I rode through it, and another. Not surprisingly, I ended up with some dirt and mud spattered on the wheels, frame and seat and handlebar bags (which cleaned up surprisingly easily).
Unless I've had a particularly long or hard ride, or I simply don't have time, I clean my bike before I clean myself. It's not that I care more about my bikes' than my own appearance (although I think my bikes are far more capable of looking good than I am!). Rather, I always thought that it didn't make sense to take a shower, then to get dirty again when cleaning my bike.
After giving Tosca her wipe-down, I turned toward the sofa and saw Max:
Hmm...Maybe I was grungier than I thought I was!
