Riding Through Storms
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Riding Through Storms
geesh i just spent 20 minutes typing a story about the time i was caught in astorm in rapid cityon my road king and lost my detachable windshield, and myskid lidin a tornado fueled hail storm!! i ended up sitting in the ditch with my windshield over my face after i found it... to protect me from being pelted to death.
regardless, when i went to post the story... i gota server error... i guess it was gods way of telling me to STFU.
having said that... im sure you will find your comfort zone on the bike andhow you deal with the storms. i personally judge each oneindividually. i will ride in the rain all day... but will try my best to get out of the lightening. i will rock out with my **** out in the worst weather... it builds skills and character but if the storm is going the same way i am going i will either try to outrun it or wait it out... its headed one direction and you can just hope its not going to follow you or lead you to your destination ;-)
and Dennis.... pass that over here my friend dont bogart that ****. woody woodpecker LMAO!
regardless, when i went to post the story... i gota server error... i guess it was gods way of telling me to STFU.
having said that... im sure you will find your comfort zone on the bike andhow you deal with the storms. i personally judge each oneindividually. i will ride in the rain all day... but will try my best to get out of the lightening. i will rock out with my **** out in the worst weather... it builds skills and character but if the storm is going the same way i am going i will either try to outrun it or wait it out... its headed one direction and you can just hope its not going to follow you or lead you to your destination ;-)
and Dennis.... pass that over here my friend dont bogart that ****. woody woodpecker LMAO!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,015
Likes: 5
From: Alaska
RE: Riding Through Storms
Riding west on US 2 in western North Dakota. Dark clouds up ahead in our path. We ran up as far as we could and stopped to pull on the rain gear. The WX band on the Ultra sent out an alert just then for a severe t-storm and rattled off a bunch of counties in ND. Like we knew what county we were in. LMAO.
Took off and within a few minutes it began raining, then harder, then still harder, then the hail hit, all the time with some pretty good lightning shows going on. Pulled over when the hail began stinging too much on the arms and legs. Pulled up behind a big RV by the side of the road. They locked the doors and pretended no one was home. LMAO.
A Canadian trucker pulling a grain hopper pulled up behind us and motioned for us to get under the trailer. There was room to stand up between the hoppers.
Storm moved through in about 10 minutes.
We thanked the trucker, got on the bikes, passed the RV while flipping off the people in the windows.
5 minutes later we were in sunshine and 90 degree heat again.
Normally, if I can see the other side of the shower / storm, I just keep going. I figure it gives me less time in the path of the storm.
Took off and within a few minutes it began raining, then harder, then still harder, then the hail hit, all the time with some pretty good lightning shows going on. Pulled over when the hail began stinging too much on the arms and legs. Pulled up behind a big RV by the side of the road. They locked the doors and pretended no one was home. LMAO.
A Canadian trucker pulling a grain hopper pulled up behind us and motioned for us to get under the trailer. There was room to stand up between the hoppers.
Storm moved through in about 10 minutes.
We thanked the trucker, got on the bikes, passed the RV while flipping off the people in the windows.
5 minutes later we were in sunshine and 90 degree heat again.
Normally, if I can see the other side of the shower / storm, I just keep going. I figure it gives me less time in the path of the storm.
"Moderator & Connoisseur of Ice Cream"
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,008
Likes: 5
From: Montgomery Al
RE: Riding Through Storms
Rule of thumb.
A short shower while on the interstate is not problem.
continuous rain however will cause me to get off the interstate and take the side roads.
A short shower while on the interstate is not problem.
continuous rain however will cause me to get off the interstate and take the side roads.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 894
Likes: 3
From: Wyalusing, PA
RE: Riding Through Storms
Thunder on the Mountain Rally every year in the third week of July, Brian Head, UT. This was when we took off that morning. In about the same area on the way back, we got into heavy rain, sleet and snow, and frequent lightning. The problem was, there was no place to get out of it. Even I'm not dumb enough to get under a tree, and there was spaces where there were areas about 1/4 mile square that were clear cut and the only thing there was the road.
I said a little prayer, that's a lie...it was a HUGE freakin prayer, and then I started laughing like a maniac (think Caddyshack, preacher golfing in the thunderstorm).
Fortunately none of us got struck by lightning, we got cold and wet though!!!
I said a little prayer, that's a lie...it was a HUGE freakin prayer, and then I started laughing like a maniac (think Caddyshack, preacher golfing in the thunderstorm).
Fortunately none of us got struck by lightning, we got cold and wet though!!!
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 324
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Riding Through Storms
OK, while we're all posting our weirdo stories, I'll let mine out. Let me start by saying I'm not superstitious or anything like that. I have a guardian bell on my bike because a friend gave it to me and I felt obligated to put it on. Anyway, I was going to ride home from my parents house one night and a really bad electrical storm was coming through. My parents and my wife all tried to get me to leave the bike there and just ride home in the car but I really wanted to ride to work the next day so against everyone's better judgement, I went for it. I was hurrying to get home to beat the storm and my wife was following behind me in an SUV. I got about halfway home and was doing about 50mph on US27 when that little guardian bell started ringing. The ringing got louder and louder and more violent sounding and I thought that it was odd since I've never heard it make a sound ever before. Then it just stopped and for about half a second there was total silence. I don't even remember hearing the bike running for that time period. Then, out of nowhere the largest bolt of lightning I've ever seen hit close to 100 yards from me. I felt the energy go through my hands and the handlebars down into my feet. Scared the crap out of me. I pressed on because there was no where to stop and when we got home my wife said she felt the lightning just like I did. I still ride in the rain but now I'm a lot more cautious about thunder storms and try to avoid them. I'm still not superstitious but I do believe God was telling me through that little bell that I shouldn't have been on the road that night.
---Chris
---Chris
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,523
Likes: 1
From: South Florida
RE: Riding Through Storms
Living in the lightning capital of the world "Florida" everytime I have gotten caught in the rain no problem as long as there is no lightning as soon as I see or hear thunder or lightning my *** is stopping at the safest place possible real quick!!!!
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 546
Likes: 0
From: Bergen County, NJ
RE: Riding Through Storms
ORIGINAL: big_al
Living in the lightning capital of the world "Florida" everytime I have gotten caught in the rain no problem as long as there is no lightning as soon as I see or hear thunder or lightning my *** is stopping at the safest place possible real quick!!!!
Living in the lightning capital of the world "Florida" everytime I have gotten caught in the rain no problem as long as there is no lightning as soon as I see or hear thunder or lightning my *** is stopping at the safest place possible real quick!!!!
