I checked the radar before I started, applied sunscreen and chose the route away from the green spots on the radar. I still got rained on. Instead of the sunscreen I should have used water repellant. I almost made it back home but at the 22.5 mile point the big rain drops started. Since I was watching the dark sky get closer and closer I thought of some places I could go to for shelter when or if the rain came. Sometimes I am out in the wide open spaces but this time a shopping center was right at hand and I found a dry spot without getting more than a few drops on me. Once I was under the roof the rain came down. Not long after it started a lightening strike hit not far from where I stood followed by a very loud clap of thunder.

It looked like the rain was going to stick around awhile so I called my wife for a ride back home where it wasn’t raining. That was only 4.5 miles away on my route but enough to make a difference. As we drove back home the streets were wet almost right up to where we turned to our house. Once I was inside a few sprinkles came down but nothing like when I stopped.

As a result of stopping my average speed was 15.9 mph and max speed was 24.6 mph. Where I stopped was just before I get back into the residential area and lots of stops and starts. Now 4 hours later the sun is shining and rain is a distant memory. Tomorrow the forecast sports a 30% chance of rain. I plan to get back on the road for some serious miles. Mileage after today’s ride: 83.5 miles this week, 166.17 for July and 3479.58 YTD.

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