I went to Brisvegas Saturday. Left home and it started to rain a little,
then more, then more, and then even more, and yep, then even more rain.
Heaviest rain I've ridden a bike in. Ever!
Couldn't see
more than 20 to 25 feet at best and was focused on not running in the
deep lines created by heavy transport, as they can be anywhere from 1
inch to 3 or 4 inches deep, so a good chance of aquaplaning, or even
worse hitting a submerged pothole. Oh, and the rest of the time I ws
focused on trying to miss potholes that emerged from the trailer ahead
of me. It had bright tail lights in the spray and rain so if he could
see the road, I was okay following.
Besides.. it isn't wise to
try and stop or slow down a lot because chances are a large semi will
bear down upon you and not seeing you until it is too late, shuffles
you off the mortal coil. So, is best to keep going.
This ride was the most awesome moment by moment adventure I can remember since rally driving, last century.
Ok, how wet did the old bloke get ?
After the first hour, and finally off the range, I stopped at a Servo to empty out the boots I was wearing. Seriously. My
gauntlets where heavy and had a stream of water leaking out of them.
Leather jacket was 4 x heavier than normal, the quilted jacket
underneath was saturated. So was my phone, my tobacco, everything, money stuck together, lol.
Before I emptied my boots I topped up
the fuel tank and when paying for it inside I looked at the floor..
there was a puddle of water around my feet, and it was growing, fast. I
told the girl behind the counter that she will need a bucket and mop
where I'm standing, she thought I was joking cause she didn't look.
Oh well, she would have gotten a nice surprise when she saw it. River
in aisle one!!
Anyway, I got about a glass of water out of each
boot, another quarter glass just from the socks, each glove accounted
for another quarter glass, and, about two or more glasses from the
inside jacket, too mch was in the leather jacket
on the outside. It was so heavy to take off and put back on again.
But, what an adventure!
The
tyres on Pearl worked perfectly, except for one patch where the bike
aquaplaned for a couple of feet, and one time in the City on a
roundabout. Okay so it is double-pissing down with rain, 70% of peak
hour traffic, and as I lean around to the right (still in 2nd gear
slowly riding) the front tyre slipped followed immediately by the rear
tyre. I didn't see the oil or diesel or whatever was there but "caught it"
right away as it did a double flop and continued down the road.. Upright
Like I said, a great adventure.
Rode
home Sunday morning and it pelted down going through Brisvegas but
began to ease after that to light-ish showers. Was even sunny at home. I
could see the town lit-up in the distance while all around was various
shades of rainy, cloudy greys. Was like having a light in the window to
come home to at night.
I was glad to see four other bikes on the
road Saturday, all Cruiser styled, and one with pillion. That's the
spirit, its only water after all.
