Sitting in the Snow, Thinking about Rain

The Rain

Last year, the MS 150 ride was stupid hot (with nasty headwinds). The year before was pretty perfect. The year before that, the first day started off cool and drizzly, cleared up a bit, and then started raining just as I pulled into Hinckley for the night. So, I got a little wet, but it wasn't too bad. A trick that I learned on that trip is to stuff your shoes with newspaper (when you aren't wearing them) to soak up the extra water.

I've used that technique when I've gotten wet on training rides, like when I accidentally rode in the middle of a massive thunderstorm in the spring of 2011. I had to shield my eyes with my hand so that I could see 10 feet in front of me without my eyeballs getting soaked.

The Snow

If you do a good job fundraising for the MS 150 ride, you can get a gift cards to local bike shop, a MS bike jersey (if you haven't gotten one before), or you can decline the gift card and have the money given to the MS Society. I opted for a combination - a smaller gift card with some of the money going back to the MS Society. I wanted to keep a portion of the gift card because there are costs associated with committing to these bike rides (having an okay bike, buying new tubes/tires, bike tune ups, gloves, shorts, tire pump, hotel expenses, etc.).

So, its February in Minnesota. Lots of snow out there (great skiing yesterday!), so what could I possibly be obsessing over now (at least as related to that dang bike)?

Rain gear.

June and July Routes

In June, I'm riding in the MS 150 - from Duluth to Minneapolis. In July, I'm riding in the MS TRAM - from the Canadian border to Duluth. If it rains for the MS 150, it's no big deal. It's a two-day ride. I have a rain coat. If I have to put on wet shoes for day two, I can handle that. I even have rain pants for camping. I could wear those for a day, in a pinch.

But if it rains on a five-day ride from International Falls to Duluth, I think I need a better solution. My rain coat doesn't breathe very well and I get really overheated/sweaty in there. Ditto for the rain pants, which I'd need to secure to my legs so they don't get stuck in my chain.

I'm looking for recommendations on:

• Breathable rain coat for summer riding.
• Do I want some sort of rain pants for summer riding? Or do I just let my legs get wet?
• If I get waterproof shoe covers for the summer, do I need to be wearing rain pants? Or will the water just run into my shoes?
• Is there some sort of rain thingy to wear with my helmet to help keep my head dry (but still get ventilation)?

Please let me know if you have any thoughts on this. I need to redeem my gift certificate soon and rain gear seems like the perfect idea!