Rain

I rode the Bandit morning, noon and evening yesterday in the sweltering heat. The burning sky never let up, it was in the 90's all day, morning through evening. I rode to my favorite coffee shop in the morning, finished my work day, and rode back in the evening to listen to a local Minneapolis band (The Nighthowlers - rockin' awesome). The heat made my sticky sport tires even more sticky. I was tilting her over to the pegs at every opportunity (just because I could :-) and never once felt the slightest "give" underneath me.

But today it's raining, and the morning ride out to a country coffeeshop was wet, wet, and more wet. My jacket and pants are soaked, my bike got a good rainwash, but I'm otherwise dry underneath. Made it to my next stop and will be continuing my work day here until the continuous soak slows down a bit...

Riding in the rain makes everything harder, and "sharpens" the ride. What yesterday was sticky as hell I can no longer take for granted. Wet tar snakes all over the road and the wet painted lines and crosswalks all refuse to let my tires stick to them. The constant rain on my visor dims my crisp view of potential deer crossings and road hazards, and in general, the whole ride becomes an exercise in focussed hazard avoidance.

Only after I loosened up the reigns and relaxed near my next stop, knowing I had made it through slick roads and a whole lot of wet and windy blind curves, did I realize that I was challenged by what I just road through. I felt that telltale tension/ache in my hands from holding onto the bike too tight and not riding in relaxed form.

What's more, I realized that a lot of my life is just like that ride - full of challenging periods that I only see after making it through. Sometimes, you can see them coming. I could have stayed home or turned around when I saw the dark clouds looming above, but I choose to take on whatever comes. Life gives us the same choice - sit and do nothing or take action and move on through. It does that with everything.

If (when) we make it through, the rewards really are instant. Relief. Perspective. Joy. Wisdom. Experience. Confidence. Being better prepared for future storms. But we only get those things if we take ourselves into uncomfortable situations and trust in ourselves enough to make it through.

Sometimes (but rarely) we have no choice at all. But honestly most of the time, we have to choose to ride in the rain. And most of the time, it's well worth the risk.