spring storm, rain, oak leaves..street...

[lucydad]

All,

Most of Friday and Saturday we had a huge rain system here in Houston, on the TEXAS Gulf Coast.  March rain totals are officially over 6 inches making this month in the top ten recorded.  I venture most of that rain happened on weekends making for dismal riding and camping and outdoor stuff.  Probably I am wrong, but it feels that way.  Overcast weather has dominated with very little sun.  This Colorado desert rat misses sunshine, and it affects my mood.

Here is a picture from our street taken this morning;



Given that I will roll a bike out this afternoon hoping the streets dry out. The cage tire ground up oak leaves, plus mud, plus pollen mix to make grease like traction.  Last year on the Guzzi I came very close to dropping the bike, even with focus and awareness of the issue.  Dry is better.  Some intersections reach the point where mounds of leaves can be over a foot tall.

Driving the cage to church.  Come on sun.

[Lannis]

I was in my Jeep J10 pickup some years ago on a street like that.   I was stopped preparing to make a right-hand turn, which had a marked uphill tendency.

The truck would not move.   It had "Warn" locking front hubs which were unlocked, it was empty, and the right rear tire had zero traction on the leaves.    When I let out the clutch, it literally just sat there with the rear wheel turning as if it were on rollers.

There was a car behind me so I couldn't back up.   I had to jump out with a sheepish wave to the guy behind me, lock the hubs, and jump back in.

Yes, wet leaves ARE greasy.   A bike will go down on a layer of wet leaves in a second ....

Lannis

[lucydad]

Lannis,

Yes, you have the concept.  Home now and it has dried out significantly.  I swept mounds of leaves from front of our driveway.  The pucker points are in and out of our neighborhood, especially some intersections.  Will have to ride bike around mounds, and watch turning cagers, etc : Ugh.  Most of yesterday the gutters and some entire intersections were under water. 

Trumpet is rolled out on driveway.  Did my first backward push down ramp: a bit different, but the idea is to let bike roll and relax.  Sopped up puddles of water from cars first.  Very overcast, might get a peek of sun.  Guzzi will get some love after we return from NYC:  weekend from next.  My time schedule will be much less compressed now that it is April. 

Did someone say "Triple Fever".  Got the Rx now... ~;  as in STRX.