Tuesday 5 March 2013

Heavy Rain + Motorcycle = Adventure

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.

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