I thought I could make it to the mid-week Farmer's market to pick up some beef and veggies before the next wave of rain hit. I could see it coming in behind me from the west an knew it was going to be close getting home dry.
There was snow peeking out through the clouds on the Topa bluffs, but not easy to catch with the camera I had with me.
Making it there was fairly dry, the way home was another matter.
The
Patagonia Men's Houdini® performed perfectly as did my Rainlegs chaps. Both pieces of rain gear are perfect for the light rain quick ride sort of thing. This test was only 6 or 7 miles in drizzle, but that is all you need most of the time here in southern California. Anything more and these will wet out and then through, all dry and happy this time though.
I have had my
Patagonia Men's Houdini® for a little over 6 months now and am confident that it lives up to the claims and great reviews on the web.
The Houdini is a super light weight, breathable, wind resistant shell with Patagonia's Deluge® DWR (durable water repellent) finish. It will keep you dry in anything less than a solid rain. Here on the southern California coast we commonly get mist and heavy fog. The jacket performed flawlessly in this weather, keeping me from dusting off the heavier rain shells for my morning rides. weighing in on the kitchen scale at 125g confirms that my XL Houdini is indeed a flyweight. Whether on my back or on the bike the load is barely noticeable.
The chest pocket serves double duty as a stuff sack.
Stuffed size is a little bigger than my fist when fully compressed. The compact and cleanly packed size means that I keep the jacket with me. It literally lives in the frame bag on my Roadeo, and has been my bail out layer more than once this season. Our weather has been a bit unpredictable this year. Many mornings I leave when it is dry, only to have rain and mist set in later in the ride.
The strongest use of the jacket is as a windshell, complementing a solid layering system. I will wear it from the start if the temps ate below 45deg F. It wards off the initial chill why getting warmed up. The full zip is perfect for controlled ventilation if you find yourself getting hot midway up a climb. When the temps are below 40deg I can wear the jacket the whole ride without getting clammy inside. Often the morning temps will be much colder in the canyons, with swings as wide as 15 degrees lower than the higher ground.
There are only two things I would change. The hood is great when really cold, below 30, but is a wind catcher the rest of the time. I ball mine up and tie it off with the adjustment cord. A stuff pocket would be nicer. Also, the XL fits me a little big. While perfect for hiking or walking, it flaps a bit in the wind. This is not bad enough for me to exchange it, but if I buy a second it will be a large.
Added bonuses, online shipping is free since the price tag is over $75, this season offers orange and green for higher visibility and as always the Iron Clad guarantee ensures satisfaction. Mine was a gift from my wife last summer, and has become and integral part of my gear since then, and yes I like it enough that I think about buying a backup.
Back into the rain again this morning.
I have been spending most of my time up in the Ventura River Valley the last few weeks as my coastal rides have been plagued with mud flows. This morning I decided to set my sites east and head back up into the Santa Clara river valley and start exploring some of the tributary canyons I have previously ridden past. The rain makes this a little more fun since there is water in the creeks and rivers. Today's particular target was Wheeler Canyon.
The rain through the night and into the morning was pretty heavy and hopes were high for some water in the creeks, lighter traffic in nice too.
Not raging rapids, but better than dry creek beds. The ride home was wet all the way with the clouds starting to break up as I worked through the foothills back into town.
I did not cover the amount of ground I had hoped for in the time window. I would like to blame it on tires, rain or 45 deg weather, but my legs are lagging a bit after the Holiday. I look forward to sharing some of the beauty and resources we have in this region. There is a long history in the river valley, with the native peoples, agricultural and ecological changes over time should give me plenty to learn about and share within the context of cycling exploration.
Get out and enjoy you home town, find something new to you this week.
Looking over last night's pics again and wanted to share one more.
Fenders still doing their job, I really do enjoy the rain, but gear does make a difference. Collecting thoughts still on how things either work or fail.
Cow Mud December 17 2010, 0 Comments
Riding in the rain is fun when it is an event, we will see how I feel about it in a week - Happy Friday
There was snow peeking out through the clouds on the Topa bluffs, but not easy to catch with the camera I had with me.
Making it there was fairly dry, the way home was another matter.
The 
