So Geoff and I are just driving one of our vehicles right now. Trying to save some cash and really, it's summer and beautiful outside (most days) so I can walk with the girls anywhere we need to go. If there is somewhere I really need to be I just drive him to work in the morning with the little monsters in tow.
Yesterday, I had dinner plans with my bestest bud Vibe Time* and knew that I needed the van later but I told Geoff to take it and that I would bike to come and get it when his mom got there to watch the girls for us. The sky was a bit grey and it was just barely raining all day. Nothing big so I thought a bike ride to his work would be quite nice. That morning I went for my run in the rain, all was well.
Geoff's mom came over around 3:30 and it had quit raining by this point. I went upstairs to get ready by the time I came downstairs and looked outside you'd swear Noah was getting ready to build an ark. It was a full on down pour! If you're from Calgary and reading this you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. I phoned my darling husband to see if there was any way he could come and get me but unfortunately he was super busy and just couldn't leave. Off I went.
The first few minutes weren't that bad, the only negative that came in my mind was that my hands were a bit cold, I really should have put on some gloves. I think it is important at this point to mention that I do not own a raincoat or a water proof coat of any sort. I was in just a regular ole jumper. So the first 15 went by alright, the rain was actually keeping me nice and cool during my bike ride.
Vibe Time* called to let me know that she was done work and that is when I informed her that I was biking to pick up the van, then I'd have to drive home, change, pick up some things and I'd be over. She was not impressed with my ridiculous decision to bike in the crazy rain and asked why I didn't just call and have her pick me up. I had no real reason, I suppose I had this plan worked out in my head since the night before and was bound and determined to go through with it. Vibe Time* then offered to come and rescue me which was extremely tempting but I was to invested in my journey to give up now. So I let her go and kept riding, mainly because riding while talking with my headset was making me more out of breath than I already was. That is when things took a turn for the worse.
What I thought was a proper downpour proved to be just a teaser of what was to come next. Within seconds of getting off the phone with Vibe Time* (I'm probably going to use her "name" as much as I can in this story, if you haven't noticed already) it started raining so hard that I had to start tilting my head forward every few yards so the puddles that were gathering on my helmet would fall off. While stopped at two different lights I had to ring out the sleeves of my coat because they were so soaked, the water was weighing down my arms. At this point I also noticed my shoes were completely full of water and every time I peddled it looked like there was a little waterfall coming out of my feet. I think you get the picture, I was wet, very very soaking wet.
Now, I've never biked to Geoff's work before. Let's stop there for a second, I think it's important to mention that Geoff works as a Banquet Chef for a hotel and casino. Alright, I can carry on now. Like I said, I had never biked to his work before so in the morning I looked up the best walking path to get there and did everything in my power to memorize the route it gave me. I'm not from Calgary, I do not know Calgary very well. I drive everywhere with my GPS and I still manage to get lost. So needless to say, I took a wrong turn on my route. Not just any wrong turn, a wrong turn that only I would do. It took a few moments to figure out where I was and then it dawned on me, "Oh shit, I'm biking through a golf course, this can't be right". I turned around and off I went again. The worst part was when all was said and I looked up the directions again and there isn't a single turn for roughly 90% of my ride!
Back on the correct route I go. I take the overpass crossing the highway and now I know where I am, I'm almost there. That almost there though was ALL UP HILL. So up I go and up and up. Then I see the casino at the crest of the hill, I'm panting and pushing and probably swearing but I'm doing it. I get to the top and then next moment made the whole ride worth it.
Right as I get to the top of the hill and I'm about to ride into the parking lot, I'm so very out of breath, I'm wetter than a drowned rat but I have a look on my face that says 'I've found Heaven!', I notice a small group of people at the bus stop right at the entrance to the parking lot all looking at me. I swear every single one of them had the same expression on their face "You really needed to gamble at the casino THAT bad?". I couldn't stop laughing, I must have looked like one very sad, addicted girl. I would have done it all over again just to see the look on their faces once more.
The drive home was interesting, every time I pushed on the gas or the break water would come pouring out of my pants. All and all, it was a good day.
*name changed because I haven't asked her if I could put her in my blog, not that she would mind but this is really more fun. Maybe I'll start calling her Vibe Time and then I'll have to change that name in the blog too. Oh my, this could be a dangerous cycle I've started.
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