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Article (9) Staying Dry Is Not
Just About Comfort
by Rod Jones
It doesn’t seem possible
that just a year and a half ago, Florida was suffering through a four-year
draught. The lakes were down, the aquifer was low and water
restrictions were the norm. Those were bad times in every way but
one. For us bikers, at least we didn’t have to worry about getting
wet when we took our scoots out for a ride in the country. Now, a
day without sunshine is like, well…, like yesterday, or the day before, or
the day before that. It seems like all it does is rain. And
rainy days cut into our riding time. Let’s face it, we ride to have
fun and riding in the rain isn’t a whole lot of fun. So on rainy
days or days when rain is inevitable, we often cancel our rides or shorten
them to avoid the rain. Nevertheless, being prepared for rain is
something we all need to do—we may not have to start out in the rain, but
at some point we will have to ride in it.
Preparation for riding in
the rain starts with rain gear. A good rain suit may not make riding
in the rain fun, but it can keep us from being miserable, and also make
our ride safer (more on that later). Rain suits can be one or two
piece and made of many different materials.
No matter what they’re
made of, however, they all seem to have one thing in common—they’re a bear
to get on over our boots, especially when we’re getting wet and we’re in a
hurry. An easy solution is a simple plastic grocery bag slipped on
over the boot, which allows the boot to pass smoothly through the leg of
the rain gear.
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A complete set of rain gear
should include waterproof gloves and a way to keep our boots dry.
Waterproof gloves can be as high-tech and expensive as Gore-Tex, or as
simple as extra-large rubber gloves worn over our leather gloves.
The main thing to remember is that regardless of what gloves we choose to
wear, we need to retain positive feel of the brake and clutch levers, as
well as the throttle control. If our wet gloves become slippery and
start to degrade our sense of feel—the best bet is to take them off.
The solution to dry boots can also be high-tech (waterproof leather or
Gore-Tex) or low-tech (rubber boots or coated nylon gaiters). Again,
the important thing is to make sure that in our effort to keep our feet
dry that we don’t compromise our ability to shift gears, brake, and
maintain stability as we come to a stop and place our feet on the ground.
Eye protection is also a
must (in fact, it’s the law), but our normal sunglasses are not the best
choice when the dark clouds move in and the rain starts. To improve
our ability to see in reduced light conditions, a yellow or clear lens is
a better alternative. And here in Florida, where we can be caught in
particularly heavy deluges of rain, a pair of swim goggles can come in
handy to keep the water from streaming down into our eyes.
And the best place to carry
our rain gear? The right side saddle bag. Why? Because if we
have to stop on the side of the road to don our gear, we will be farther
away from any traffic, and our bike will be between us and the roadway.
Being wet and miserable can
be a distraction when riding. So rain gear can help make our ride in
the rain safer by keeping us dry and comfortable. But it does more
than that. It helps prevent hypothermia, which can develop in
temperatures as high as the 70s. (Ever notice how the temperature
plummets during a thunderstorm?). And if we’re riding, even mild
hypothermia can be dangerous, since it effects dexterity and mental
alertness. What causes hypothermia? Cool temperatures, wind,
no sunshine and, most importantly, wet clothing.
Hmm…sounds like riding in the rain without rain gear. Be safe and
have fun.
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