Cycling in coastal Florida during the rainy season is always a game of chance. I certainly wouldn't recommend summer in Florida for bicycle touring. On the other hand, there are some up sides to our hot and wet weather. Like, you really don't need rain gear. You need to protect your phone, camera, and wallet from the wet. Positively nothing goes into our jersey pockets or in any of our bike bags without being first popped into a plastic bag. But rain gear for us? Why? The rain cools you down, and everything dries out just dandy in no time.
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| In Crandon Park we saw the storm clouds over home. |
That said, Al and I decided to go out for our daily ride this morning despite radar showing storms all around us. We've lost a lot of riding days this month. We need some serious mileage in the next few days.
The first leg of our ride to the Rickenbacker and out to Key Biscayne went smoothly. We were earlier than usual. The state park hadn't opened, so we had our banana break on a village park bench. By the time we swung by Crandon Park the second time, the sky was becoming extremely dark right over the part of the city where we live. We decided to be sensible. Cut the ride short and head directly home. Of course, directly home was directly into the rain. I took the lead from Crandon Park to Powell Bridge where, as always, Al passed me and took the lead at the top of the arch of the bridge. Today he surprised me by signaling a stop. Then he pointed to the view of Miami. A cell of the storm was over the city, curtains of rain softly billowing below the clouds. There was sunshine coming from a break in the clouds over Biscayne Bay. The buildings were caught in the sunshine, a dramatic contrast to the dark of the storm clouds and the waters of the Bay. The view was certainly another treat for cycling in the rainy season.
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| Miami in a summer morning rain. |
We raced home. We changed into dry clothes, watched a movie, then settled in for stage 18 of the Tour de France. Totally amazing stage. Twice up the Alpe d'Huez. Wonderful!
