Tuesday Thundershower Trip

Today's Soggy Track Courtesy of Ham Radio APRS
We had a nice rain shower YESTERDAY afternoon, so it would appear our long longed-for monsoon season has finally arrived.  In Vietnam, monsoon meant it rained, continuously, day and night, for weeks on end.  Back here in "the world", in New Mexico, monsoon season means it rains at least a little bit, almost every day, one day it's a soaker, next day it's a sprinkle, but rarely do rain showers last for more than an hour at a time.  Often it starts during the 4th of July weekend, though rarely has it been so dry forr weeks on end as it has this year.
Anywho.  Back to today.  I quasi-planned to do a 20 or 30 miler today.  As usual, however, by the time I got all done with putzing around, chores, shoveling cat poop, refilling the big and little dog water reservoirs, etc, it was well after noon.  It was also a bit cloudy outside, with nice shade from the clouds, although when I went outside to look around, it didn't look threatening and - if it rained - it looked like I had plenty of time to make a decent bike ride.  I decided to ride up to the Post Office since it would be a good turnaround  / wimp-out point if the weather got too threatening.  I arrived at the P.O., safe and sound, and retrieved the mail and socked it into my seat-back pannier.  As I checked my blood sugar and found it was too low to make it through another several miles of exertion, I dug into my stash and started chowing down on some homemade trail mix (regular M&M's, Peanut M&M's, and almonds) as a pickup pulled in next to me in the parking lot and as the driver went inside, the passenger stared at me like I was a Martion, just bug-eyed, continuously, until I finished sturring my face and rode away.  I was losing confidence I could make a decently long ride so I decided to just ride up the Sandia Crest road as far as I could and then turn around.  Which was an unexpectedly enjoyable ride.  I need to take a day sometime and attempt the entire huff-puff journey clear to the top of the Crest.  Thousands of local cyclists do it, regularly, but I never have, although I attempted it a year or so ago when Jacque's Uncle Max brought his carbon fiber racer  bike up from Prescott AZ and blew us off by riding it to the top of the Crest... at 80-something years of age.  Show-Off Old Fart, anyway.
Anyway, riding that road is a bit more enjoyable, I think, because so many cyclists keep that road populated that the drivers seem to be  used to cyclists and more tolerant of them.  Just short of Doc Long Picnic Area , I started to run out of steam as the clouds continued to conglomerate.  Of course the slightly steep grade is much more fun coming down than going "up".
Just as I crossed N-14 back onto Frost Road at a good clip, rain began to splatter me in the face.  Then it started to get WET, and of course COLD.  I turned off the Frost Road shoulder and diverted to the not-as-nice bicycle trail to lessen worries about passing vehicle.  I was looking for some kind of shelter where I could take cover for a few minutes so the rain might thus slow down but didn't spot any.  I passed a camper trailer for sale... it was a gooseneck so I wondered if I could fit under to take shelter.  I rode past it about 300 yards and the rain just got colder and harder.... and my handlebar radios and electronics wer getting soaked.  I pulled over and disconnected the electronics and stuck them inside my rear pannier and turned the bike around and rode furiously back toward the little goose-neck camper.  Sure enough, by laying the tall bike over and bending myself over, I could take shelter under the goose-neck and I did.  The rain poured down for probably another 10 minutes and then slowed to a mild sprinkle.  I got out from under my impromptu shelter and looked around:  A hole in the rain clouds was almost directly over me and it looked like it might be big enough for me to saddle up and ride again, and so I did.
I wish I'd taken pictures of me, soaking wet, etc, but didn't think to bring out the camera.  Oh Well.
Arrived safely home even though there was a bit of lightning popping not far enough distant, with no further soaking.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0   --    Ending Voltage: 12.9
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 59 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 80.6 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:     8.27
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
03.7 MPH                                7.0 MPH                   33.9 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
2 hours 15 mins                    1 hour 11 mins          1 hour 5 mins