Put on rain gear!!

Often I hit rain...okay, every single trip this summer has included dampness from above. At times it is an all day drizzle and I have no choice but to don the rain gear. Other times they are small cloud bursts that my riding gear will shed if it is just for a few minutes so I often forego the grunting and sweating of putting on the rain liner and pants. This was not the case as I crossed the prairies this week. This pic is of the happier moments of crossing the huge vast flats.

Approaching Moosimin Saskatchewan (a town mentioned in the song Running back to Saskatoon- The Guess who) with a darkening sky my eyes deceived me. What looked like just a thunderburst that I thought I could push through become a waterfall from the skies.
Okay, it was more than a waterfall as rain came from the side and bounced up from the impact off the ground. Fierce winds almost blew me off the road as the water poured down, quickly filling my visor with droplets inside and out.

I had to pull over as visibility was next to zero. I was only able to see pieces of the road when lightening lit up the sky. Not the ideal way to see and not a comforting feeling being exposed on the side of the road with semi trucks rolling by adding to the spray. At times even the big rigs stopped...especially when the hail began.
Although I had put my rain liner in my jacket and had the foresight to put my rain gloves on, my lower half quickly succumbed to the deluge. My nylon riding pants threw in the towel on being water resistant and my Chill Out undergarments were no match for the moisture that got through. They are usually adequate for wicking away small amounts of moisture that could seep through but this was not a light dribble.
I soon felt a river flowing inside my riding pants, down my leg and into my boots. Normally great at keeping my feet dry the Goretex lined boots were not designed to be a barrier from all angles and they soon filled with water. Rain ran down my jacket and got under the gauntlets of my gloves and soon they too were soaked from the inside. Cold water inside your garments is a feeling you wish to avoid, I have done the research for you.                                      

I have extracted a few stills from the video I took. The daylight pic is one of a storm you can push thru should you choose to. The rest was at dusk then night. Do not try this stunt at home, or in a field in the middle of the prairies.

The GoPro camera does not do well in low light but nature provided some high voltage flashes to give you all a peek.
My advice is if you do not need to be anywhere park it and wait it out and put on ALL your rain gear when you see a huge storm looming.
My clothing is finally dried out and my lesson has been learned.

Moving on now that the monsoons have passed.

Be safe
Daryl