Rain, Delays

30 Days of Biking 2018 Mileage Total: 596.9

It's the little things that make big differences...

We (Wash Cycle Laundry) have been delivering laundry via bicycle for more than 7 years. I'd say we're pretty well established by now. But, when I tell people what we do and how long we've been doing it, one of the most common questions is still, "What do you guys do when it rains?"

I guess I understand. Bike laundry isn't among the most common of trades. Still, our rain preparations aren't that complicated. Rain covers are the most important tool:

Cyclists wear rain gear, to which I am fairly indifferent:

It's not so much the overall cumbersome nature of rain gear, or the fact that it's not that breathable, but more so that yellow just isn't my color. :P

In all seriousness, if anyone has any recommendations for lightweight breathable rain gear, please let me know. I've waterproofed my windbreakers and pants, but even that only goes so far, because after all, at the end of the day they're made of fabric. In spite of their imperfections, slickers are by far the most effective due to being made of rubber.

Anyway, I'm mentioning all of this because yesterday turned out to be a rainy day as forecast. In addition to the challenges it presents for the average cyclist, it also changes how I can manage my workload. Normally on Fridays, I stack bags out the top of the trike so I can get as much done in one trip as possible. Needing to ensure clean laundry stays dry, I can't really do that, which sometimes leaves "wasted" space in the bin:

So, I ended up having to make two trips into Center City instead of one, so obviously it took a little longer than usual to finish everything. All told, I think this added just 30 minutes to my ride time, but in less than ideal conditions it always seems longer. And all because I had to keep things dry.

Conversely, when you're picking up dirty laundry, it doesn't matter how wet it gets, because it's about to be thrown into a washer anyway. Lucky for me, because I finished off my day with another rather large pickup. 15 bags to be exact:

That also required two trips, as you can probably tell. After the early morning deluge, the rain actually held off and I was able to finish unscathed. For my trouble, this client actually fed me lunch! Something about weathering the storm, right?

In a complete 180, today's forecast is beautiful, and it's holding true. I took a short ride to get some groceries this morning. I'm not sure if I'll have time for anything else today, as I have a gig far outside of town later this afternoon. We'll see. Only 2 more days...

#30daysofbiking