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| I could've lingered around the office had I'd known what awaited me a few minutes later, but history is hindsight. Photo credit: Geode Hunter |
In mid-May I left work, with topped-off water bottle, dressed in tank top and skort, prepared to survive 90F degree heatwave for my 5 mile ride home. The humidity was sky-high and stormy clouds loomed over my shoulder, ready to let loose, but I was undeterred, welcoming a little rain to cool the sultry weather. No sooner had I'd turned from my workplace into the neighborhoods, spinning uphill, when thunder boomed and fat droplets fell. Then, to my complete surprise, gradually small hail pellets fell, bouncing off my arms. I laughed. The air grew cooler, rain, interspersed with hail, soaked through my clothing., making me feel more comfortable. Yet, I was still unconcerned and continued through a park following my normal route home.
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| Photo credit: NWS Twitter |
But quickly the light hail changed to dime-sized bullets, painfully pelting my bare arms, backs of my hands, pinged off my helmet, and created music on my bike rack. I still kept moving, however I glanced longingly at the dry ground beneath the leafy canopy when the storm increased, and with the potential for lightening, I knew the last place I should seek shelter was under a natural lightening rod. As I entered another park bike path, I was thankful for fatter tires crunching over hail-crusted asphalt as I negotiated hills and a wooden bridge. It was totally bizarre - and I was a little nervous - because the hail was bruising my arms. Welts were forming and veins darkened on my hands, but within 2.5 miles the ominous storm passed by. I was completely soaked. My hands were sore for a few more minutes, but in the end weren't too bad. On the rest of the ride, I mulled over the ludicrous situation and realized I had survived a May hailstorm. I'd like to think I'm a hardy soul - I have pedaled through 7" of rain in New Zealand, plus endured a monsoon rain in Thailand - but I've never felt as exposed or as humbled so close to home. At least the weather had cooled off!
Have you ever been in a similar situation that at the outset seem a little fun, if unusual, but eventually turned into a potentially dangerous situation?
Sounds like a Hail of a ride... seriously glad you are safe and sound, I had to endure a 20+mph headwind on Maui - boy it was fun as a tail wind on the way out - and rain so hard that I would have been no less wet if I'd have fallen in a creek, but nothing as dangerous as hail and lightening.
ReplyDeleteHa! Hail of a ride...
Delete"Hail of a Ride" - a better title than I came up with!
DeleteHail is a frequent weather condition locally. It can range from dime size up to golf ball sized (and even larger at times). I have also been caught in it when out on a ride. Unfortunately for me, my worst experience found me in a vast open space with nothing to allow for shelter; so, like you, I had to ride through it (well, I suppose I could've stopped and just waited for it to pass... while hail happens fairly often here, it is usually quick moving and clears out within minutes). It definitely stings as it pelts you, doesn't it?!
ReplyDeleteI've been caught in other hail storms on my bike, but nothing quite like that one during which I was pretty well stuck getting beat up by those icy bullets. Glad you were able to survive it with minimal damage and a story to tell. :)
You have more experience with hail, so I imagine you are mostly prepared for these events. And yes, it made for a good story afterwards. I certainly laughed at first, then nervously laughed, and talked to myself in the guise of commiserating with a few cyclists and walkers caught out in the storm.
DeleteI WISH I was prepared for the hail, Annie! :) I find that I almost never am, and there's really no excuse because if thunderstorms are in the forecast, rain/hail is likely coming with it.
DeleteI'd have been scared too.......
ReplyDeleteHail is one type of weather that I haven't found myself caught in while out on a ride. Getting hail at all is extraordinary any time of the year for me. I've experienced it only once as an adult, and I wasn't on a bike at the time. That hailstorm too passed in short order. My sig other and I ducked into a nearby store to avoid the storm, and it passed with 5 minutes or so.
ReplyDeleteOne time a few winters ago I was at the office when a big snowstorm hit. The storm was in the forecast but the company didn't close for the day; rather, they took the "wait 'til it gets bad, then let everyone go early" approach. The highways were backed up for miles as every other company in the area did the same thing and the snow plows couldn't get through the traffic jams. The snowfall was intense: about 3 inches had accumulated by the time I hit the roads. Even with studded snow tires, it was dicey going, and on the downslope near the office, two cars had spun out and were off the road. I crept along in the middle ring as cars gingerly (for once!) passed me. All along the ride I was battling fierce winds and near-blinding snowfall: blizzard conditions (though they didn't last the three hours needed for the official designation from the NWS). I made it home, tired, soaked, and 20 minutes later than usual, but alive.