Friday, July 23

Twenty Minus Twenty

Bike Thermometer Reads the Temperature in the Lower Right Corner. Based on the Indicated Speed,
I'm Either Talented Enough to Take a Photograph Whilst Doing a Trackstand, or Stopped at the Side of the Road Underneath a Tree
It's often said that if you don't like the weather in North Texas, wait a bit and it'll change. This morning, the weather forecast was for a high in the high 90s and a twenty percent chance of rain. The forecaster said that clouds would keep the temperature down a bit.

Well, sure enough, fifteen minutes on the way home, crossing the Alliance Gateway Freeway, the thermometer on my bike computer read 99F. It reads about four degrees high when riding along a dark colored road.

Soon, however, the temperature began to drop, and distant lightning flashes suggested the chances of rain were just a touch higher than twenty percent. I laid on a bit of coal and managed to find refuge from the first drops at a major coffee outlet. On the radio, the announcer said there was a thunderstorm. He also said there was a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Returning my eldest daughter's phone call, she wanted to know if I needed a ride home. She said there was a lot of thunder around our house. I said "no, I'm not gonna melt." My strong preference is that if I leave home in the morning on the bike, I return home in the evening on the bike, or walking it if riding isn't possible.

Anyway, crossing the last creek bottom on the way home, I noticed the temperature read 79F. Twenty percent chance of rain and a twenty degree temperature drop. Yup, it's true what they say about the weather in North Texas. It was pretty nice, and rare, to get a light, cooling sprinkle of rain and sub-eighty temperature in late July. I was almost wishing I'd brought a jacket along...

4 comments:

Hugh said...

We have the same problem here in Michigan. It has on rare occasion gone from T-Shirt sunburn weather. To winter Carharts and felt-packs in 24 hours. Those are the days I ask myself, What the heck am I still doing here? I salute you sir. I wouldn`t make it a mile in 99 degree weather. Fortunately it rarely gets that hot here.

Durango said...

That was one quick temperature drop yesterday. I was outside when it happened, too. But not on a bike. I don't recollect a drop that fast before.

John Romeo Alpha said...

We had a couple of days below 100 this week in Phoenix, and it was a very nice change. I have started carrying my storm gear, because I too refuse to call for a pick-up. Still not sure about the best eye and lung protection for riding through a dust storm, though. Bandanna and safety goggles are the current working set, we'll see how they do.

Big Oak said...

Ah, I dream of 79 degree weather...

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