Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Rainy Autumn Monday

I've been foiled again.  A couple of weeks ago I booked two vacation days hoping to get one last multiday ride to Vancouver Island, but I was rained out.   Our Company has a policy of not letting you carry over vacation days to the next year.


So I booked my last vacation day planning on going for a day ride somewhere and this is how it turned out.  Torrential rains again.  I just didn't feel that it was going to be a lot of fun navigating our roads with the crazy, tailgating drivers who drive like they do when the pavement is dry





Our weather patterns have changed over the past decade or two.  We used to get drizzling, non-stop rain.   For some reason we now get constant rain which lasts for days at a time and continues for months until late Spring, often until June of the next year.



It does get a bit depressing at times.  We do not have a lot of colour here in the City, but we do have tree-lined streets like this one where the leaves pile up and stop the water from reaching the drains.



It is also the time of year where you have to be careful of the rain-soaked slippery leaves.





I worry a lot about the pooling water.   When we get this much rain during a short period there are many reports of pooling water all around town, especially on freeway entrances and exits.  On the weekend downtown there was a large pool of water which covered one lane of traffic and cars were producing large rooster tails as they HIT the water.   I just can't imagine what I would do if I were to hit that same pool of water whilst riding my bike.  If there is no one in front of you, you just cannot see the water filled danger so I feel much safer with the security of 4 wheels.


I came down this street a few days ago when it was dry and the sun was shining.  I couldn't help but notice the beauty of the trees and the way the light shone through the leaves.   I know I should have stopped to snap a photo, but I didn't.    I have been meaning to stop several times and each time I didn't.  So today I had a whole day to waste so I decided to show you what this looked like while there are still some leaves left on the trees


This is looking the other direction.  Many years ago we saw a house for sale on this block and we nearly bought it,  instead of where we are now.    We had trees where we lived before and it seemed that every Fall we would have to rake up a ton of leaves and stuff them into garbage bags for disposal.   It was a lot of work so we are glad to not have these type of trees where we are.


I notice that there is a big pile of leaves in the foreground which some one has already raked up.   We have a   few parks like this around our neighbourhood and some have running tracks which this doesn't


I know the rain isn't going to stop anytime soon.   They call this the Wet Coast for a reason


18 comments:

  1. Wet coast indeed.

    Our rains have been hit or miss the last few days, drizzle mixed with heavy rain at times - even a bit of sunshine.

    It is raining out there now but forecast to be dry this weekend. I'm not holding my breath.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trobairitz:

      We have received 30mm of rain yesterday, and another 30mm forecast for today. That's over an inch a day and the weekend is also going to be rained out.

      I can't ride anyway as I wrecked my foot again. I can hardly walk and can barely drive to work. (My car is manual transmission) It just throbs sitting here. I stressed it whilst moving my bikes around last weekend, wearing my summer shoes, instead of riding boots. I know, I don't listen, it's my fault . . .

      Delete
  2. Bob, I think the low level street pictures are pretty cool. That's too bad about your foot. Rest up and take it easy. I'll go riding for you today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erik:

      Okay, go for your ride and take lots of photos to make us jealous. I can take it. and somehow I just know that when you get home, Nancy will have a delicious hot meal waiting for you. You are so lucky

      Delete
  3. That looks like a nice block, especially with the park right across the street. Too many leaves though.

    I posted a reply to your comment about foot injuries. Essentially, I used to have a lot of foot injuries and problems and none after I stopped wearing sandals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard:

      Yes, too many leaves. At our last place we had too many trees and I had to rake them up every Fall. It seemed that all the leaves fell on our lot, as there were not leaves anywhere else. Must have something to do with the wind funnel . . .

      I can't stop wearing, or not wearing Sandals. I had an accident a few years ago when I tore my "achilles" tendon, I think. It never healed, and may probably never heal. So it is weak. I used to walk all day long everywhere, but not since I damaged my foot. So I cannot run either as it puts too much stress on it. Normal walking is okay if I don't overdo it but I was moving my bikes around on Sunday and my Vstrom was just too heavy to get rolling so I pushed with my foot extra hard while duckwalking it. I should have stood beside my bike and used the handlebar and rear rail and used power from my legs and arms, not that I have a lot of power in there either. I am very careful when I park my bike and try to choose spaces where I have gravity to help me back out.

      I sweat a lot in shoes, you don't want to be near me when I take them off.

      Delete
  4. Pretty neighborhood. Sandy has taken most of our leaves away now. We have sticks in the sky.

    I agree with what Richard says about footwear. Important for a lot of reasons.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Martha:

      I should have snapped a few photos a couple of weeks ago when there were more leaves on the trees. The rain has taken down a lot of leaves, soon the branches will be bare.

      I realize footwear is important, but I'm a bit stubborn and I like to go shoeless. Anyway, soon it will be too cold and I will be forced to wear something more suitable. But I do have GEL inserts and sturdy shoes, somewhere

      Delete
  5. Bob - We've had about 5 days of rain here in a row and I'm already going stir crazy. I have no idea how you "wet coasters" dealing with months of it. Suicide rates must be astronomical.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Canajun:

      We've had about 3 weeks of mainly rain. It ruined two separate vacation weekends where I had planned to be away on my bike. We have a rain warning right now. They issue rain warnings when there is accumulations of 50-70mm . We get tired of it too, but what can we do about it?

      Delete
  6. Bob - take care of that foot. It's been raining for a bit (days) here too (and still is). The colours are gone (blown away), the trees are grey ... Am kind of glad I got the VStar put away for the winter on that one, gloriously sunny, warm day. I think we have to face it it - riding season is over.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen:

      YES MA'AM, "Listen to your teacher . . ." I still have two bikes insured. I keep the Vstrom insured the full year, but I bought short term for Nu2Me so I could get used to it, and it expires in December. Cold is okay for me, just not frost/snow, or heavy rain, which is what it is doing now

      Delete
  7. I am respectful of the restraint you showed in not jumping into that pile of leaves and scattering them to kingdom come. Hope the foot gets better. I don't mind standing next to the bike to move them, especially when I'm tippy toeing. I just leaning the bike against my hip. Therefore it can't get heavy leaning away, and I always know where it is on my weight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lori:

      It it wasn't raining so hard, I would have done as you said. It it were a pool of mud I would have had a hard time resisting and I would have jumped in, for sure

      I usually do as you say, I stand beside my bike and then lean it against me while I guide it into place, but my floor had wet sand and I was afraid of dumping it. I have dropped a bike before by leaning it the wrong way and it leaned too far over. Luckily I had frame sliders so no damage. This time I duck walked it and stressed my foot trying to get my bike to move. My Vstrom is much heavier than Nu2Me

      Delete
  8. I am surprised not to see a pic of you jumping into the pile of leaves.

    Also, I understand your freedom for feet. There's nothing like it feeling the texture of the ground. Wet gras, sand, water, mud... it's a sensual experience. However, safety first. Take good care of yourself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sonja:

      Okay, you are the 2nd request. If the pile of leaves is still there on the weekend, I may go wild. It is too dark when I get home on work days

      Mrs Skoot always gets after me to put socks on, but even in the winter I like to go shoeless. I know that some people don't understand the freedom, but I usually bring socks when we visit friends

      Delete
  9. The tree shots are lovely. Cloudy skies make for good colors. The rain does get depressing, especially when it's cold, too. We had some sun today, which was nice. And it didn't rain. But still chilly. At least we have power and heat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy:

      I am glad you both are okay. We don't realize how reliant we are on power, heat and water. Many have lost everything, I just can't imagine what that would feel like

      Delete