Looks as though that may be our theme song for the next couple of days. I don't know about you, but I don't have the extreme phobia to getting wet, as our beloved Coolio does. Yea, if I don't have to get soaked, I'll avoid it. However, I've never stopped, dismounted my machine and picked it up to hop across a puddle just so my wheels won't get partially damp. Ahhh, I see a teachable moment for the weedhoppers...
Hydrophobia is the fear of water. Though I don't think this is actually the problem doctor. A fear of thunderstorms is called brontophobia...this isn't the precise diagnosis either, however when on the machine it doesn't hurt to have a healthy respect for those bad boys. (Brontophobia? Who comes up with these names anyway? I mean, shouldn't it be something like thunderaphobia or perhaps more acurrately lighteningaphobia?! But brontophobia? Sounds like something out of the stone age, like a fear of getting stomped on by a dinosaur!)
I think guys that have the little known fear of having to clean the bike again phobia, or as it is more commonly known among cyclists, the dreaded Roadgrimeaphobia, have more than just a fear of a dirty bike. This fear actually stems from an extreme desire to see one's own reflection in the shine of one's own machine. The roadgrimeaphobe takes great pleasure in looking at one's self while traveling down the road. Many that are cursed with this dreaded phobia have been known to carry personal mirrors in the back pockets of their jerseys. As you can imagine, both genders have been stricken by this terrible phobia.
When the roads are dry, nothing really sticks to the machine...unless of course you have the misfortune of hitting the one piece of already chewed gum that some little junior higher threw out the window of her mom's minivan as she was beeboppin' to the latest Disney Channel musical. Now you wish it was raining! Because when it is raining those minuscule pieces of sticky funk, don't stick. However, everything else sticks...especially every granule of sand between here and Mexico. Thus creating the filthy mess we all know as roadgrime. Mysteriously, the same rain that causes nothing sticky to stick to the bike also causes every else on the planet to stick to the same machine. And, it doesn't even need to be raining for this phenomenon to occur...all you need is damp roads. Whoa, maybe we just discovered a new phobia...damproadsaphobia. (Uh, be careful how you say that!) I know a few cyclists who suffer from that.
Now, we gave that explanation to say this; if you have been diagnosed, or suspect you may have, (which is actually another phobia in itself. It's called phobophobia, the fear of phobias.) any of the dreaded phobias listed above, namely hydrophobia, brontophobia, thunderaphobia, lighteningaphobia, roadgrimeaphobia or even dampraodaphobia then consider yourself excused from any ride with the remotest chance of any kind of precipitation. (However, know we will be talking about you) Everybody else, you are excused only if it is actually raining with thunder and lightening at the start time.
Tomorrow morning's ride is the delightful Pine Forest Loop. It is about 45 miles on great roads. The weather forecast is for 30% chance of thunderstorms. My advice is to check the weather map before leaving the house. Temps are a bit cooler than the last couple of weeks.
Sunday afternoon we will try to ride the UWF/Scenic Hills Loop that we couldn't last Sunday because of foul weather. Great loop with plenty of hills. I think it is about 30 to 35 miles long. Still a good chance of rain.
Please check the Ride Calendar at the bottom of this blog for all the ride details. While there, check out our next Full Moon Beach Ride date as well as the next SSORES ride!
See you out on the road,
Bob
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