It started raining about the time I got to Petersburg, so I pulled over, put on my rain gear and covered everything up. I spent the next three hours riding in varying types of rain. Sorry about all the product placement here, but I feel like a brief gear review is in orde. My Tour Master Elite rainsuit kept me a lot dryer than I would have been, but completely dry? No. Somewhere rain seeps into the jacket and slowly soaks through the front of my clothes. I ended up with a big wet spot on my stomach…on three shirts. Yes, I was wearing too many shirts.
The dampness wasn’t really a problem, though because of my FirstGear heated jacket and gloves. These work like a heated blanket, with wiring running through them to generate heat. It plugs into the 12 volt motorcycle battery. The FAQ for the “Warm and Safe” line of products says
“Q: What happens if I get wet?
A: You’ll be warm and wet.”
I can attest to this.
I didn’t even realize my gloves were takig on water until I took them off because they were so warm. They were also completely soaked through. Since they were still comfortable, my only complaint is that wet gloves are really hard to put on.
I still love my Sidi On Road boots which kept my feet completely dry and warm.
Tonight’s weather is supposed to be like yesterday’s except with ice and snow, yay! So, as is the case with any plan I ever make, these are changing as well. I’ve got some great hosts and friends here, so I’m happy to hang out. It’s nice to be back down in the south. I can get sweet tea wherever I go. There are sweet accents everywhere. I have great conversations with people I’ve never seen before. This is a very reasonable place.
Everybody I’ve talked to is excited about the prospect of getting off work because of the snow tomorrow. That’s a pretty alien concept. You guys in DC know that doesn’t happen, right? I hear there could be up to a foot up there tonight. Sorry I’m not there to see it. Is anybody expecting a free day off