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Wettest Ride Of My Life


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I ref HS football and generally have about an hour commute to get to the fields on Thursday and Friday nights. I've only taken my suburban once all season because I would rather load up and take the VFR. Who wouldnt, right??

So yesterday they had been calling for rain all day, but nothing happened. I grabbed my stuff, loaded up the bike, and headed out for Senatobia, MS. Below is a summary of my ride, based on the first 18 minutes that I was rolling video.

I've never ridden in wind so strong, or rain so heavy. VFR was totally planted and did great.

I can never remember how to embed youtube vids here... :(

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Just went through something similar on our Yosemite trip. We were thinking maybe 15 minutes of rain or maybe little pockets of rain here and there, not an hour and a half of it! Glad you made home, albeit soaked, but home none the less. I think more and more of us are finding the need to have Frogg Toggs with us when we ride now. Being it is getting closer to winter may be a factor but the weather across the globe seems to be getting out of whack lately!

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It will get really silly if you feel the bow wave of your front wheel slosh over your boots.......

(did that when Doubled from Canada paid me a short visit and we rode to Kinderdijk)

double1_zps9fc68242.jpg

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The most I became wet on a bike was on my way home from work at night. It had been raining none stop for a week or so. I came over the bridge on my little scooter but didn't see the road was flooded, I hit the flood at 35mph and ended up sat in the ditch with water up to my waist!

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I had a pretty miserable couple days during my tour around Lake Superior last year. It was July, so thankfully it wasn't cold, but I rode through rain for parts of three days, including something like three straight hours one of those days. I didn't even want to leave the hotel one morning, but there was no let-up in sight, so I went out and rode another couple hours in it. It didn't help that my rainsuit leaked and my Goretex gloves didn't work either. :sad:

Riding in a steady rain is very mentally fatiguing. Physically, too, as you try to maintain the best possible line to avoid hydroplaning. It was also frustrating not having any way to effectively dry my riding gear and clothes at most of the placed I stayed.

Glad you made it through that nasty commute. Bonus points for you for riding through the rain!

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I remember when I was in High School and I rode to school on my XL125, in the morning is was dry and no signs of rain, then during lunch time the clouds starting forming and by dismal time it was coming down in buckets. Of course I had no rain gear but figured I was only 4 miles from home how wet can one get?! Well I certainly found out but since I was already wet and it wasn't that cold, I decided to have some fun on the way home. While riding on one side street, the center of the street had a 'V' shaped water channel that led to some storm drains, so I stuck my foot out and placed my heel into the water and watched the water spray fly! Well, I did this a few of times until the one time when I was about to pull my foot back up, the tip of my boot went into the water and then I nearly kicked myself in the back of the head with my heal! Needless to say, that was the last time I stuck my foot into the water channel. It was fun at first, but I cut my losses at that point.

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Well, thanks for the reminder. Ridding in a downpour sucks! Riding wet roads just makes you a better rider, purely a Darwinian response. You survive, you get to mate...

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Reminds me of my rainiest ride a few years ago on the DR650. I was on I-90 in western Montana trying to make it into Idaho before nightfall. It was cloudy but nothing threatening although (being the prairies), I could see a big rainstorm advancing like a wall from the south. You can also see miles ahead on the interstate in those parts, so it looked like I would miss the storm. Unfortunately, a few miles later the road turned south and before I realized what was happening I was in a heavy rain. There was nowhere to pull over with cover, so I used the first intersection I could find. By that point the wind had picked up too, so strong that one of the waterproof gloves that I had dug out of my duffel blew off the bike and into the tall grass beside the road. I went chasing after it providing some entertainment for the other drivers. I was already pretty wet, but I put on all my rain gear and the covers on my luggage. I started off again heading west on the interstate and the rain got heavier and heavier ... to the point that the lines on the interstate disappeared and it just looked like a shallow, two-lane river. Cars were driving at 20 mph so I did the same, using my left hand as a shield wiper. After a few miles I came to an overpass with several Harley riders sheltering underneath.* I wasn't too far out of Butte, MT so I decided to try to make it there. The DR has semi-knobby tires so I figured I would have decent traction as long as I kept it slow and upright. I made it to Butte, found a room, and after I had unloaded my bike and hung all my wet gear around the room to dry I went out on foot in search of dinner. By that point the wind and rain were dying down, though the gutters were still running with torrents of rain. I've been in a higher winds since (on the VFR) and heavy rain, but that was the worst of both that I've experienced on either two wheels or four.

*Question: I've read that sheltering under a highway overpass in a storm is a bad idea. I never do it anyway, but I can't recall why. I think it was either that someone driving a car might go on to the shoulder and take you out, or flash flooding, or maybe both. Anyone know?

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Reminds me of my rainiest ride a few years ago on the DR650. I was on I-90 in western Montana trying to make it into Idaho before nightfall. It was cloudy but nothing threatening although (being the prairies), I could see a big rainstorm advancing like a wall from the south. You can also see miles ahead on the interstate in those parts, so it looked like I would miss the storm. Unfortunately, a few miles later the road turned south and before I realized what was happening I was in a heavy rain. There was nowhere to pull over with cover, so I used the first intersection I could find. By that point the wind had picked up too, so strong that one of the waterproof gloves that I had dug out of my duffel blew off the bike and into the tall grass beside the road. I went chasing after it providing some entertainment for the other drivers. I was already pretty wet, but I put on all my rain gear and the covers on my luggage. I started off again heading west on the interstate and the rain got heavier and heavier ... to the point that the lines on the interstate disappeared and it just looked like a shallow, two-lane river. Cars were driving at 20 mph so I did the same, using my left hand as a shield wiper. After a few miles I came to an overpass with several Harley riders sheltering underneath.* I wasn't too far out of Butte, MT so I decided to try to make it there. The DR has semi-knobby tires so I figured I would have decent traction as long as I kept it slow and upright. I made it to Butte, found a room, and after I had unloaded my bike and hung all my wet gear around the room to dry I went out on foot in search of dinner. By that point the wind and rain were dying down, though the gutters were still running with torrents of rain. I've been in a higher winds since (on the VFR) and heavy rain, but that was the worst of both that I've experienced on either two wheels or four.

*Question: I've read that sheltering under a highway overpass in a storm is a bad idea. I never do it anyway, but I can't recall why. I think it was either that someone driving a car might go on to the shoulder and take you out, or flash flooding, or maybe both. Anyone know?

I never heard that being under an underpass in a storm is dangerous. BUT, any time you park on the side of the highway is dangerous because people are less attentive and could take you out in a heartbeat. I always say, speed is not the issue, it is differentials in speed that is dangerous. You ever get that chill up your spine when you get something large pass by you at a greater speed? Impacts suck. :wacko:

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I was on a time crunch to get where I was headed, or I would have probably stopped with that other guy in the vid... I can certainly see where an underpass would be a dangerous place in a deluge, because of the already-distracted and vision impaired drivers trying to also take shelter. BUT, I don't see it as anymore dangerous than being out there moving along with them.

And after my last few days of running video whenever I ride, I'm tempted to start saving clips of stupid drivers and make some Driver Shaming vids. :) I just need to watch my language so it can be family-friendly. LOL

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I have learned that there is nothing more valuable than top notch rain gear to include boot and glove covers. I was on a 4500+ mile loop last month and spent two days in severe down pours in MN and WI. My only issue now is having to have the face shield cracked open to the first notch for fresh air and anti-fog assistance. After an hour in heavy rain. I'm blowing water out of my moustache to keep it from running into my mouth. Aside from that, I'm as dry as a driver in a car. Two full days of that stuff and it never soaked through, even at the seams.

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I spent a weekend in heavy rain touring the Adirondacks in NY. The worst day found me in Saratoga where I pulled in to the car museum figuring I could spend a couple of hours drying out and waiting for the rain to stop. A TV crew was shooting video in the museum that day and all that was open to the public was the gift shop. Road 1.5 hours back to the motel in the rain and hung all my gear over the shower rod to dry. Had a huge puddle on the bathroom floor the next morning.

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I commuted daily for more than 15 years in Seattle, plus skiing every winter in the Cascades where conditions were often marginal. Riding in the rain was a fact of life. As one of my skiing buddies said, "There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing choices."

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I've only ridden in heavy rain a few times. But people don't realize what pelting raindrops feel like on you hands - almost like bb's hitting. I think I would have sat it out under one of those underpasses.

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I'd be OK with having the bike sit under an overpass, provided the shoulder is at least the usual width. But I'd probably try to get to the other side of the vertical supports. That way if an inattentive driver (or one who can't see if the rain is that bad) piles into my bike, he/she won't also hit me.

Mailman - Might I ask what make/model of rain gear were you wearing in the downpour? I have (I think) a 2-piece TourMaster Defender suit I've owned for several years. I need to replace them - the jacket leaks and the pants' PVC backing is torn in a couple dozen places. Thanks in advance for the answer!

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I'd be OK with having the bike sit under an overpass, provided the shoulder is at least the usual width. But I'd probably try to get to the other side of the vertical supports. That way if an inattentive driver (or one who can't see if the rain is that bad) piles into my bike, he/she won't also hit me.

Mailman - Might I ask what make/model of rain gear were you wearing in the downpour? I have (I think) a 2-piece TourMaster Defender suit I've owned for several years. I need to replace them - the jacket leaks and the pants' PVC backing is torn in a couple dozen places. Thanks in advance for the answer!

Mine is a Gortex suit. It is from my Postal uniform supplier so I do look like a mailman when I have it on but on the plus side, it had tons of reflective striping on it. I have one set for work, one set at home ordered XL to fit over my regular riding gear, and I have a smaller set that will fit nicely over my wife/daughter's riding gear. You could probably do a search for Gortex rain gear from a civilian supplier. That stuff isn't cheap and it doesn't pack as compactly as Frog Toggs but it will keep you 100% dry for days at a time! A+++ to Gortex!

My boots covers are from Tourmaster and work well.

I found some super large rubber custodial gloves made for handling chemicals and such that are big enough to go over my regular gauntlet style riding gloves. NOTHING will get through those things plus they make great face shield wipers no matter which way your hand goes across the shield.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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I love that last pick up truck stopped right in the exit of the clover leaf. Veefer800canuke and I road through some rough stuff in Kansas twice, two separate cells, sideways rain and hail, the hail is just lovely. Thick leather feels like rice paper after about 30 minutes of getting pounded with that'

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I had a pretty miserable couple days during my tour around Lake Superior last year. It was July, so thankfully it wasn't cold, but I rode through rain for parts of three days, including something like three straight hours one of those days. I didn't even want to leave the hotel one morning, but there was no let-up in sight, so I went out and rode another couple hours in it. It didn't help that my rainsuit leaked and my Goretex gloves didn't work either. :sad:

I also rode Lake Superior last year (also in July, 20th through 27th ... maybe we crossed paths, who knows!), and had decent weather until my 1st return leg from Thunder Bay to Kenora on the 26th... I think the airbox temperature indicator on my R1 showed between 6-8c and it was raining very hard at times. Brrr!

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My wettest trip was from Mena, AR to Carthage, MO. 6 hours of downpours in October. That caused me to upgrade my boots, but do you think I've seen any significant rain since? So good gear is apparently vaccinates against bad weather in the Plains States!

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