Wet ‘n’ Wild

You may have noticed we got some rain here last Thursday.  Not just your normal Scottish rain, but the full on ‘I’m not sure if there’s enough air left to breath’ saturation level of precipitation.

I’d have taken a photo, but my phone had no chance of surviving and (annoyingly given later events) I’d left the waterproof bullet camera in the bike cupboard.

As a massive bonus though, the rain wasn’t cold and I was wearing lyrca (soaking wet baggy shorts are only slightly less uncomfortable than a wire wool vest), so I had a great time.  Some bonus information bullets:

  • If you haven’t got a home-made mudflap on your front guard, for the love of your crankset (upright) or suspension/chain/rear derailleur (recumbent) go and make one tonight.  If you haven’t got mudguards at all don’t worry – I’m sure the muddy backside look will come into fashion soon.
  • When the road is covered in standing water, take up a wide primary position that makes it obvious that close passes from cars will be hugely unpopular.
  • If you’re driving, adapt to the fact that you can’t see anything out of the windscreen by slowing down, and don’t pass close enough to cyclists to pressure wash them with the bow wave from your wheels.
  • SON dynohubs continue to power lights even when immersed.  This is down to German Voodoo.
  • Related to the above point, if you are absolutely certain the road surface is good beneath the water there is nothing more fun than hooning a lowracer recumbent into a really deep puddle.  With sufficient care you can get the resulting spray above the height of your head.

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Rob please don’t leave your “waterproof bullet camera” behind again – I would have loved to see a photo! Next time hopefully… (not that I’m wishing you torrential rain but I think another similar episode is practically a certainty given this summer’s current record)

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