Got Rain? Make Rainbows

If you are lucky enough to live in a place that doesn’t have snow and ice in the winter there is still bad weather to deal with. Whether you let the rain dictate when you ride or not, there are some things you can do to be more comfortable when the weather doesn’t agree with you. Sometimes stormy weather can enhance your rides, I love it!

Featured image is a picture of deep puddles and a rainbow down the trail. Here, we found another rainbow. We saw 5 rainbows that day all on the same ride!

You probably know by now I live in northern California. We have cold wind and rain during the winter. I had to find a way to stay dry and warm during storms. Water resistant clothing just isn’t good enough when it starts to pour and you are miles away from home.

I was lucky when it rained last February it was a warm winter so riding home soaked wasn’t bad and we were still having a drought. Not so this year.

Another rainbow across the San Francisco Bay.

I looked at rain suits at bike stores and REI and are they expensive. It costs even more to get the pants. I grabbed my Chromebook and started looking at cheaper alternatives.

A double rainbow greeted me from my living room window before my ride.

I found one on Amazon after looking at a lot of cheap stuff. A full suit with pants for $14 and I was thrilled when it got delivered. I was a vision when I tried it on. Lol! Next time it rained I was ready.

Me in the pouring rain staying dry. You can see the raindrops in the photo.

I put on the suit and went riding to see how it performed. It was awesome. It didn’t get in my way biking and I was able to wear the hood under my bike helmet. Only my feet and hands got wet and that’s fixable.

On this day I lent my pants to my friend I was riding with but you can see them here.

Both the pants and top have snaps on the wrists and ankles that keep them out of the way. The plastic material is thick and reinforced with flaps on the pockets. A hood keeps everything dry with nothing going down your neck. It was important to me that I could roll it up small enough to fit in my bike bag.

I almost got a rain poncho but bicycles and ponchos don’t mix they’re too baggy in the wrong places and could get caught in your chain or spokes.

Plastic can be hot because it doesn’t breath but I haven’t had that problem since I wear my suit at the most, 2 hours. They are coming up with new materials but they can be expensive. The few times I’ve had to wear this makes the price I paid for it sweet.

Being warm and dry in the rain gives you the freedom to explore on days when everyone else is inside. It puts you in a certain class of cyclists because not everyone will bike in bad weather. There’s a kind of peace to riding in the rain I enjoy very much.

Water water everywhere. I’m so glad I have full fenders on my bike!

It’s so important to be comfortable while exercising before and after warming up. Motivation can freeze up when facing bad weather but once you get out there it’s all worthwhile. I know how hard it is when faced with a very windy day but I always feel better for doing it.

You can get some beautiful light on stormy days.

When I get home I always have some great photographs to look over and share, the kind you can’t get on a sunny day. It makes me feel alive.

If you compare this photo with the other photo in this article (above) you’ll see it’s similar but not the same, they’re 2 different rainbows from 2 different days.

This was taken this morning from the same area (my living room window) as the first one. They both were taken half an hour apart, one from last week, one from this morning around 8 AM. I’ve never seen 2 rainbows in the same place before but now I know if conditions are right it can happen.

It was amazing!!

I have never ridden a bike in the winter. In cold rain yes, but not snow and ice. I do know a few brave souls who ride to work all year. I give them an award of the highest respect for they are the cream of the crop of cyclists everywhere. I’m not worthy! I’m not worthy!

Hope you enjoyed the rainbows along with the riding in bad weather advice. Since this is a new site I’m still gathering readers and I want to thank you for being a reader. I’m happy to have you!

Consider leaving some comments? I’d like to know about you and your interests. What kind of weather do you bike in? How’s your health?

What are you thinking?

Signs You Might Be A Cyclist

You’ve seen “them” riding on their fast bicycles hunched over, no fenders, wearing colorful stretchy biking outfits and zooming by you barely managing a nod. Cyclists!

I swore this would not happen to me as I turned up my nose while riding (sitting up) on my vintage touring style bicycle on the Bay Trail. Of course, in no time I was wearing colorful stretchy biking outfits while zooming by people…and nodding.

~gasp~

I was one of “them”!

There are many kinds of bikes to choose from sporting all types of riders but there is a common thread throughout that bonds us together as cyclists. The rituals and quirks that rub off on us as we navigate our lives around our bicycles are all signs that we are becoming cyclists. Isn’t it good to belong?

Photo from MapMyFitness

Signs You Might Be A Cyclist

• You can’t recognize your biking friends when they aren’t wearing colorful stretchy biking outfits.
• The “check engine” light in your car has been on for months, but the most minor mechanical issue on your bike is fixed first.
• You have at least one social network profile shot of you posing on or next to your bike with a gorgeous landscape behind you.
• Your bike has a nickname.
• You also know what it’s like to use choice words when a vehicle cuts you off or a hater honks and nearly startles you off your bike.
• You run errands after your bike rides while wearing your colorful stretchy biking outfits.
• You spend more time biking spending weekends and planning vacations around bike rides and rides with groups.
• Stripes on your thighs and ankles, cut-out shapes on the tops of your hands, your colorful stretchy bike outfits tan lines will incite laughter at the beach and pool.
• You ride to and from work because it’s the fastest way, and you’ve become a pro at changing in the office bathroom.
• You don’t notice the grease on your clothes or tear in your pants until you’re at that meeting.
• If you’re a woman, you take better care of your favorite bike clothes than your finest lingerie.
• If you’re a man, you have smoother legs than your woman.
• You embrace fluorescent jackets, vests, and shirts. The brighter, the better.
• You know what it means to do time in the saddle.
• You’ve felt the shame of having to walk your bike up a hill and the pride of conquering that climb on your bike after a few weeks’ of riding.
• You have more colorful stretchy biking pants (or shorts) in your laundry basket than jeans.
• You’re baffled when your roommate or partner doesn’t understand why your bike can’t be stored outside.
• Some of your hardest falls have happened when you’ve stopped or slowed to a crawl, which doesn’t make sense but happens none-the-less.
• You take a bad fall with bloody hands and knees, but your first question is whether or not your bike survived.
• You look and feel better than you have in some time, can’t stop smiling, and have oodles of extra energy.

~large smile~

For me, dressing to bike is part of the fun. I buy from Fabletics, Under Armor and Ross. Those pants were on sale and made my roommate snicker when he saw them.

You may not have fallen prey to all of the signs yet but I predict you will. If you fall in love with cycling you’ll enrich your health and life becoming stronger with more energy. Welcome to the club!

You’re a cyclist! One of us, one of us, we accept you, we accept you!

Another Year To Bike

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, it’s the first of January and there’s a whole new empty slate in front of you. What will you do with it?

I don’t do resolutions anymore for the New Year, I refuse to do them! I don’t think one year ever went by where I did something that was on those lists. I just blundered through each year hanging on by my teeth anyway.

The thing to do is pick one thing, one important thing that you want more than anything, (this must be something doable, not a magical spell or witchcraft) and learn how to achieve it. Do research on it and practice it until perfect. Put the effort into it that will bring the results that make you happy.

If you want to outlive everyone, stick around for your kids, stay healthy and strong enough to enjoy the rest of your life independently then  I ask you to consider living healthier this year and riding a bicycle is something people of all ages can do.

Last year was very good to me! After riding for months I finally felt comfortable enough to really enjoy my rides. I look forward to and get excited about them. It was not always that easy.

I rode bicycles growing up but now I was much older (old enough to break bones easily), I could barely make it up the easy hills and the wind worked against me. I had to get used to sharing the trail with critters, walkers, runners, families with kids, and other bikers.

I had some falls stopping or starting my bike (the hardest thing for me with my disability) but my balance got better. It was a good 7 months where I was shaky and uneasy on my bike. Now I feel great and want to share the side effects of bicycling with you!

If you have bad knees, hips, need joint replacement or have joint pain I urge you to try riding a bicycle this year to help strengthen and maybe relieve some of that pain. Exercise can improve bad joints.

My knees always hurt with swelling and I still need both knees replaced (I have windswept knees) but biking this last year has made them so much better it’s unbelievable. My knees are much stronger for walking and no more cane!

This year I am continuing what I started in October of 2015:

• keeping my weight regular by logging what I eat, 1500 calories/daily of good healthy food
• no sodas or sugary drinks
• watching my daily macros (carbs, fats, and proteins)
• drinking 8 ounces or more of water daily
• riding my bike every other day (that’s 4 times a week)
• getting at least 7 1/2 hours of quality sleep a night
• multivitamins and chia seeds daily

Soon, I will add weight training a few times a week. As I get older I want to keep the strength to lift things for myself and get around without needing help. There are many good articles about staying active and what to do to maintain your health and good looks for many years to come.

Staying strong is important. My one important thing (if you haven’t guessed) is my biking because without it I won’t be healthy and happy, ready to enjoy the rest of what this new year has to offer.

Let’s be harder, better, faster, stronger this year!

Happy New Year!