What's In Your Weather?

So far this week I haven't been riding much. I'd like to officially blame it on false weather information but the truth is most of the blame falls on me, as it should. Here in the Northwest where the jet stream enters the country our weather conditions are hard to predict, thus weather forecasters aren't always right.

Even with the sophisticated satellite information now a days, sometimes the best data gathering methods are people and experience. I remember years ago when I was a salesman in the restaurant industry I made a weekly call on two sisters who owned a coffee shop in St. Helens, Oregon. One Monday about this time of year they both told me that by the following Monday we'd have snow. Since it wasn't near cold enough and we don't usually get snow in November and the weather people weren't saying anything about snow, I told them no way is it going to snow. I'm glad we didn't put any money on it because sure enough within about 4 or 5 days we had snow. When I went back the following Monday I asked them how they knew. They said all you have to do is watch the elk. When they start coming out of the mountains and start feeding on the grass then you know the weather is changing. So I guess we can pull the plug on the expensive satellites and watch the elk as our ancestors did.

Each day this week brought predictions of some kind of adverse weather for the next day. Either high winds or large amounts of rain or both. Monday I rode the bike and just about got blown off the bottom deck of the Marquim Bridge. No problem, it was a good riding day but I noticed there weren't too many other bikes out. The forecast for Tuesday had heavy amounts of rain for Portland and Vancouver but it didn't materialize. There was one brief downpour in Vancouver but other than that it would have been a good riding day. Same thing for the trip to Eugene yesterday; a downpour south of Portland but it was blue sky and sunny when I arrived in Eugene. It also would have been a good riding day, although a little gusty.

Today I chose not to ride due to predictions of high winds but it would have been okay. When I got home I hopped on the bike and went to the store. Three non-riding days in a row produces some kind of poison that develops in the bloodstream. I think.  Anyway it's bad for you, it has to be because riding is good.

And here's what Mt. Hood looked like this afternoon. It's hard to see the elk but they must be there somewhere because there's snow all over it.

I would like to hear about your method for determining whether you ride or not. I realize some choose not to ride this time of year and that's understandable. Some will only stop riding if there's snow or ice, and others live in areas where weather is not a factor.  But if you still ride and are in an area with adverse conditions, does the weather report play a big factor in the decision to ride or not? And a second question is where do you get your weather information? Because the elk method is looking pretty good right now.

Riding and thinking; sometimes.