The Neverending Story

Besides a two year hiatus when my son was born, I’ve been riding my bike to work almost every day since 1987. It doesn’t change with rain, shine, hail, snow, thunderstorm, a plague of frogs, zombie apocalypse or the expiration of a Mesoamerican calendar system: I ride my bike.

Yet when I roll in on a day like today, when rain is forecast, people at the office still ask me, “What are you gonna do when it rains?”

How do you answer that question?

74 Comments

  1. Easy. I get wet.It's not so bad. I do dress for it, so I don't get soaked, but getting a bit wet is fine with me. I pack a change of clothes in sealed plastic in my paniers, so I'm fine when I get to work (and there's a change of shoes waiting for me).I ride until the snow piles up enough to make the roads impassible on a bike (the lanes get so narrow that cars get really aggressive about sharing the road – it's just not worth it). That's about 3 weeks in January. Other than that, it's all bike.

  2. Easy. I get wet.

    It's not so bad. I do dress for it, so I don't get soaked, but getting a bit wet is fine with me. I pack a change of clothes in sealed plastic in my paniers, so I'm fine when I get to work (and there's a change of shoes waiting for me).

    I ride until the snow piles up enough to make the roads impassible on a bike (the lanes get so narrow that cars get really aggressive about sharing the road – it's just not worth it). That's about 3 weeks in January. Other than that, it's all bike.

  3. I put on a raincoat? Yeah, idiots are prone to missing simple answers to simple questions. I used to get the same thing when I was riding a motorcycle. I'd say, I only have a motorcycle, and quick as a shot, they'd comeback with, "But what if it rains?" My initial response was "I get wet", but somehow the response was not processed. You get on a motorcycle in the rain, and you get wet! It's not like it will hurt you, right? (Now COLD and WET are two different things, and the combination is mostly bad news.)So the next question was, "What if it gets rainy out, and its cold?" For that I had a motorcycle cops jacket (blue Cordura nylon), and a windshield on the bike. At speed, a windshield is about all you need on a motorcycle. When you slow down or stop, a raincoat is enough and on a bike, a good raincoat is all you need. And if it get dark? Turn on a light!

  4. I put on a raincoat? Yeah, idiots are prone to missing simple answers to simple questions. I used to get the same thing when I was riding a motorcycle. I'd say, I only have a motorcycle, and quick as a shot, they'd comeback with, "But what if it rains?" My initial response was "I get wet", but somehow the response was not processed. You get on a motorcycle in the rain, and you get wet! It's not like it will hurt you, right? (Now COLD and WET are two different things, and the combination is mostly bad news.)So the next question was, "What if it gets rainy out, and its cold?" For that I had a motorcycle cops jacket (blue Cordura nylon), and a windshield on the bike. At speed, a windshield is about all you need on a motorcycle. When you slow down or stop, a raincoat is enough and on a bike, a good raincoat is all you need. And if it get dark? Turn on a light!

  5. I put on a raincoat? Yeah, idiots are prone to missing simple answers to simple questions.

    I used to get the same thing when I was riding a motorcycle. I'd say, I only have a motorcycle, and quick as a shot, they'd comeback with, "But what if it rains?" My initial response was "I get wet", but somehow the response was not processed. You get on a motorcycle in the rain, and you get wet! It's not like it will hurt you, right? (Now COLD and WET are two different things, and the combination is mostly bad news.)

    So the next question was, "What if it gets rainy out, and its cold?" For that I had a motorcycle cops jacket (blue Cordura nylon), and a windshield on the bike. At speed, a windshield is about all you need on a motorcycle. When you slow down or stop, a raincoat is enough and on a bike, a good raincoat is all you need.

    And if it get dark? Turn on a light!

  6. People in my office are used to it by now. After turning down countless rides, coworkers don't even offer anymore.

  7. People in my office are used to it by now. After turning down countless rides, coworkers don't even offer anymore.

  8. People in my office are used to it by now. After turning down countless rides, coworkers don't even offer anymore.

  9. People in my office are used to it by now. After turning down countless rides, coworkers don't even offer anymore.

  10. i've designed a pair of all weather executive panniers for using in the office as well as going to the gym or tennis court. the 2 bags clip together to form an all in one weekend bag. Check em out, would love to know what you think http://www.michaudapparel.com

  11. i've designed a pair of all weather executive panniers for using in the office as well as going to the gym or tennis court. the 2 bags clip together to form an all in one weekend bag. Check em out, would love to know what you think http://www.michaudapparel.com

  12. i've designed a pair of all weather executive panniers for using in the office as well as going to the gym or tennis court. the 2 bags clip together to form an all in one weekend bag. Check em out, would love to know what you think http://www.michaudapparel.com

  13. i've designed a pair of all weather executive panniers for using in the office as well as going to the gym or tennis court. the 2 bags clip together to form an all in one weekend bag. Check em out, would love to know what you think http://www.michaudapparel.com

  14. When I was bike commuting my answer was usually "get wet" mainly because the people who asked were annoying.

  15. When I was bike commuting my answer was usually "get wet" mainly because the people who asked were annoying.

  16. When I was bike commuting my answer was usually "get wet" mainly because the people who asked were annoying.

  17. When I was bike commuting my answer was usually "get wet" mainly because the people who asked were annoying.

  18. I do think there's a correlation between the folks who ask the question and their general cluelessness. "Put on a coat" is my answer, or "get wet." Perhaps I should say "turn into a faery queen and waft through the air." Though 'til this year, I answered honestly "it doesn't rain on me." That usually bemused 'em. Yea, they still ask it, after all this time.

  19. I do think there's a correlation between the folks who ask the question and their general cluelessness. "Put on a coat" is my answer, or "get wet." Perhaps I should say "turn into a faery queen and waft through the air." Though 'til this year, I answered honestly "it doesn't rain on me." That usually bemused 'em. Yea, they still ask it, after all this time.

  20. I do think there's a correlation between the folks who ask the question and their general cluelessness. "Put on a coat" is my answer, or "get wet." Perhaps I should say "turn into a faery queen and waft through the air." Though 'til this year, I answered honestly "it doesn't rain on me." That usually bemused 'em. Yea, they still ask it, after all this time.

  21. I do think there's a correlation between the folks who ask the question and their general cluelessness. "Put on a coat" is my answer, or "get wet." Perhaps I should say "turn into a faery queen and waft through the air."
    Though 'til this year, I answered honestly "it doesn't rain on me." That usually bemused 'em.
    Yea, they still ask it, after all this time.

  22. I routinely get people that say "Oh, you ride a motorcycle?" when I have on a motorcycle jacket, gloves and my helmet in my hand. I usually say "No, I just like being extra safe in my car". But I don't often ride my motorcycle in the rain, nor my bike given my random days and visits to school sites.

  23. I routinely get people that say "Oh, you ride a motorcycle?" when I have on a motorcycle jacket, gloves and my helmet in my hand. I usually say "No, I just like being extra safe in my car". But I don't often ride my motorcycle in the rain, nor my bike given my random days and visits to school sites.

  24. I routinely get people that say "Oh, you ride a motorcycle?" when I have on a motorcycle jacket, gloves and my helmet in my hand. I usually say "No, I just like being extra safe in my car". But I don't often ride my motorcycle in the rain, nor my bike given my random days and visits to school sites.

  25. I routinely get people that say "Oh, you ride a motorcycle?" when I have on a motorcycle jacket, gloves and my helmet in my hand. I usually say "No, I just like being extra safe in my car". But I don't often ride my motorcycle in the rain, nor my bike given my random days and visits to school sites.

  26. "It's really no problem, I brought soap!"How could all these wimps be the descendents of the pioneers?

  27. "It's really no problem, I brought soap!"How could all these wimps be the descendents of the pioneers?

  28. "It's really no problem, I brought soap!"How could all these wimps be the descendents of the pioneers?

  29. "It's really no problem, I brought soap!"

    How could all these wimps be the descendents of the pioneers?

  30. I'm sporting a cape this winter and it is cozy. It sits on my shoulders like a tepee. But my response to that silly "rain" question has always been the same… it's not very different from you walking in the rain. I dress appropriately for the weather, just like you would !

  31. I'm sporting a cape this winter and it is cozy. It sits on my shoulders like a tepee. But my response to that silly "rain" question has always been the same… it's not very different from you walking in the rain. I dress appropriately for the weather, just like you would !

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