Tornadoey Ride in

I sat on my covered patio this morning for a good 5 minutes debating whether or not to ride in this morning.  The word (that probably doesn't really exist) that kept popping into my head was, "tornadoey."  This seems like a "tornadoey" morning.  The sky has a weird tint to it (maybe it was my yellow tinted lenses in my shades) and it's pretty darn still right now: "tornadoey"...

When I woke up, around 7:00, it wasn't too bad out.  I knew it was supposed to maybe be stormy this morning but it didn't look too bad at that point.  Then, as the time to ride got closer and closer, so did the storm.  I don't remember the last time I've had this much of an internal struggle!

Do I ride, or do I drive; do I ride or do I drive; do I ride or do I drive. 

I decided to ride.  I pulled out my trusty Marmot rain jacket and hoped that my bag was at least pretty darn water resistant.  At one point, one of my excuses was the fact that my laptop was going to be joining me on my soggy commute and I didn't want to risk ruining it, just to ride my bike in today. 

So as I sat on my porch, every excuse in the book ran rampant through my helmeted head: obviously the rain, the fact that I ride a steel bike and that doesn't sound like a good combo with lightning, that I should bring my dog (but I didn't...Copper called in sick today), time restrictions, all of them!!

That's why I'm extra happy that I rode in today.  I overcame all of my excuses (both legitimate and lame) and arrived via bicycle today to the bike shop!

At times this morning it was almost like the rain was toying with me.  Each time I'd talk myself into riding, the drops got bigger and came down faster.  Every time I'd stand up to walk towards my car, the storm seemed to lessen.  What a strange morning.  I don't know how much of it was in my head, and how much of it was actually the weather.  I couldn't resist the thought of riding in the rain but at the same time, I didn't know how much fun it would actually be, getting pelted in the face with hot rain drops. 

Turns out, once I had been on my bike for probably 5 minutes assaulted by the storm, the rain let up substantially and I pedaled, smiling all the way, into work.  The only incident I had on the ride in this morning was a horn honk from a gentleman in a rather large, loud pick up truck.  I turned to look at him as he raced past me on 16th St. and he didn't really look upset.  I'm not sure the purpose of his honking; I waved and continued the ride. 

Who else rode today?!

-SJ