First trip in the rain

Who cares about fashion when the weather forecast is for rain, heavy rain, and possible thunderstorms?

Friday afternoon we set off for Indian Lake, smack dab in the middle of the Adirondack National Forest, a 2.25 hour ride from our home in southwestern Vermont. We knew it was going to rain, but we had fantastic plans to explore the Adirondacks with Wayne and Colleen for the weekend, and we weren't going to let a little rain get in our way.

I wrestled myself into my FroggToggs rain jacket and  boot covers before we left, feeling a bit like a deep sea diver with the extra bulk. It was sprinkling when we left, but by the time we reached Granville, NY we were riding through a steady, heavy downpour.

Guess what - I stayed completely dry!

It was a unique experience riding pillion in the rain. I could barely see, but Mike reassured me his vision was fine. If you've ever opened your eyes underwater, or smeared vaseline on your glasses, you have a good idea of what the world looked like through the visor of my helmet. Since I couldn't look at the scenery, I paid attention to the sound. I've always enjoyed listening to rain pounding on the roof, and it's even better on my motorcycle helmet! Riding through the rain, exposed to water coming down from the sky and also water kicked back up by passing cars, ended up being a fun experience.

I'll be honest - I was surprised that I stayed dry and not even a bit damp. No rain dripped down my back or seeped through the seams. My jacket came down low enough over my pants to prevent wayward leaks. Mike didn't wear his booties, and his feet were completely soaked. Mine were absolutely dry! No squishy shoes for me the next day.

My one complaint was my leather gloves didn't keep my hands warm or dry. I'm going to try out the waterproof mittens that I wear for winter running during the next motorcycle ride in the rain, and am betting that they'll keep my hands as dry as the rest of me.

Saturday and Sunday the weather was warm, sunny and dry, just as predicted. I'll tell you all about those days in posts later in the week.

Footnote:  After spending some time at the nearby laundromat to dry their clothes, Wayne and Colleen decided to purchase raingear for future trips.

Prepared for any type of weather

Mike and I are in the final planning stages of a dream trip:  a tour through the Alps on a BMW 1200! We lived in Augsburg, north of Munich, for almost 3 years when we were first married, and we can't wait to go back. We never rode a motorcycle in Germany, although friends of ours rented a bike when they came to visit and of course had a blast. Now it's our turn!

Here at home if the weather forecast is for rain, we stay off the bike. We  have to be prepared for any type of weather on the 12-day tour of the Alps, so we purchased rain gear from Froggtoggs. It's not specific for motorcycles, but it's waterproof and large enough to fit over my motorcycle gear. Plus it packs down into a very small bag, which of course is essential when we have to carry everything with us on the bike.

Here I am modeling the rain pants. Of course they have to be big to fit over my bike pants, which already make me feel somewhat like a sausage. Just wait until you see the full outfit.....

Now I know what my kids felt like when they were little and I dressed them in their snowsuits. When they fell down, they couldn't get back up without help. Hopefully I won't fall down, but I haven't yet tried getting on the bike wearing this stuff. Stay tuned for that story.

You may wonder about the hood. Does it go:

1. under the helmet
2. over the helmet
3. neither

#3 is correct, because the Trek Toad jacket (I am not making this up - that's really the official name. Now I look like a huge magenta toad) is not designed just for those of us fortunate enough to ride motorcycles. The waterproof and breathable material is designed for any type of outdoor activity. I'm just going to hope that I don't have to move very fast or very far when I put this stuff on, because it seriously limits my mobility. At least I'll be dry!

Obviously a woman didn't design this gear, because no female I know wants to look like a magenta toad, even if we're dry while riding through a rainstorm on a motorcyle. A friend of mine always chooses form and style over function and I can't wait to hear her reaction when she sees this outfit!