Saturday, September 8, 2012

Soaked to the bone

"He who knows how to breath in the air of my writings is conscious that it is the air of the heights, that it is bracing. A man must be built for it, otherwise the chances are that it will chill him. The ice is near, the loneliness is terrible - but how serenely everything lies in the sunshine! How freely one can breath! How much, one feels, lies beneath one!"

Today I rode over the Reefton Spur to see if there was any snow left.  It poured rain and I was sodden and freezing.  But it was still fun to be out.

And what a pleasure it was to descend from the mountain and experience, closer to sea level, the warmth of a Spring day even when it was considered a cold one.  The chill is permanently gone from the air.

It is also fun, in a childish way, to have all the cars slow right down due to their fear of driving in the heavy rain and - feeling the sure-footed-ness of the bike - to over-take them like a Norse hero with a belly full of laughter, the kind of laughter that scorns the storm.


I merely hope, mortal that I am, that I don't fall ill from the chill I experienced on the mountain - I was feeling affected in my soaked and speeding state - as I have glorious rides awaiting me in the coming weeks.


4 comments:

  1. Sometimes you gotta get out of the box, even if the weather doesn't comply with your needs.

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  2. I feel just as energised after a wet ride as I do a dry one.

    I rode from Warburton to St Andrews and back yesterday. Copped a soaking in Healesville, then again through Christmas hills and dried out in front of a fire before returning home & getting another bath at Healesville again.

    Keep the good reads coming!!

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  3. Perhaps carry one of those rain suits that go over your whole body. Good things.

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  4. Its true! You will survive a ride in the rain with the help of motorcycle rain gear. You should wear a one piece or two piece motorcycle rain suit, boot, gloves, goggles and jacket.

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