The Chainlink

Were you on your bike when that crazy storm hit last Friday?  I just wrote mine up for the Gaper's Block discussion section, and am curious about how other cyclists handled the storm. So please share your bike storm story!  Here is mine, filled with rain and Good Samaritanism:

I was biking south on Damen, on my way to KitchenChicago to prep cook for my upcoming Gan Project weekend workshop that included a picnic
lunch. When the storm presented while I was at the Addison intersection,
first I only felt a few sprinkles but then saw the black cloud above,
and knew what was coming.

In the first five minutes, it was fun to ride in the storm, the thunder and lightning were really thrilling. But
after five minutes, I felt it was too dangerous to be out there,
particularly because I didn't have confidence that the cars could see me
with the rain falling horizontally onto their windshields.

That said, before I went to take shelter at a minimart at Damen and Diversey, a car
full of Latino men pulled down their window, one man smiled at me, I
thought he was going to say something about me being out there, but
instead, he handed me an unused garbage bag to fashion into an emergency
poncho. I poked a hole for my head and two for my arms, and thought
that was the nicest thing in the world that anyone could have done to me
on that wet Friday afternoon.

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I heard the air sirens for the first time in my 13 years in the city.

When the National Weather Center issues a Tornado Warning (not a Tornado Watch) Air sirens will be activated.
The Tornado Warning was issued around 6:09pm and the sirens started in our neighborhood at 6:15

H3N3 said:
Re: the Air Raid sirens . . . last night was the first time I've heard them in my life other than on a Tuesday morning. What's the criteria for using them for a storm? Are we to the point where we're like, "hey, might as well use 'em for something?"
Off topic. This is a biking blog. Isn't there a golf blog you can put this on?
Umm..what? People do ride bikes outside, ya know.Bike Bloke said:
Off topic. This is a biking blog. Isn't there a golf blog you can put this on?
Office in Lisle was evacuated to basement of building because of tornado threat. Storm whomped through. I sensed an opening and hightailed the 1.5 miles to Lisle Metra station, where I caught train to Chicago. In the city everything seemed fresh and a bit chastened by the storm. I rode home without incident. It was a guilty pleasure to have dodged the storm.

Last night's blow was a blast. Stranded on Metra in Oak Park so bailed from the train. Biked back to Wicker Park via Augusta with lightening bolts illuminating the sky. Zipped around puddles swollen to near ponds at spots. Again avoided the worst of the storm.
Last night (Wednesday) after work spent a few hours peoplewatching, talking with tourists and 9-5ers standing undercover. You know they all think we're nuts? I wasn't putting my bike on the el- I had no plans anyways really except to ride home, so didn't mind waiting for the lightning to stop at least.. got soaked on my morning commute. Was treated to this awesome sky around 8:30 before leaving downtown:



Tom Bamonte said:
Office in Lisle was evacuated to basement of building because of tornado threat. Storm whomped through. I sensed an opening and hightailed the 1.5 miles to Lisle Metra station, where I caught train to Chicago. In the city everything seemed fresh and a bit chastened by the storm. I rode home without incident. It was a guilty pleasure to have dodged the storm.

Last night's blow was a blast. Stranded on Metra in Oak Park so bailed from the train. Biked back to Wicker Park via Augusta with lightening bolts illuminating the sky. Zipped around puddles swollen to near ponds at spots. Again avoided the worst of the storm.
I stole that first picture for my background at work.

Scott Hawley said:
Last night (Wednesday) after work spent a few hours peoplewatching, talking with tourists and 9-5ers standing undercover. You know they all think we're nuts? I wasn't putting my bike on the el- I had no plans anyways really except to ride home, so didn't mind waiting for the lightning to stop at least.. got soaked on my morning commute. Was treated to this awesome sky around 8:30 before leaving downtown:



Tom Bamonte said:
Office in Lisle was evacuated to basement of building because of tornado threat. Storm whomped through. I sensed an opening and hightailed the 1.5 miles to Lisle Metra station, where I caught train to Chicago. In the city everything seemed fresh and a bit chastened by the storm. I rode home without incident. It was a guilty pleasure to have dodged the storm.

Last night's blow was a blast. Stranded on Metra in Oak Park so bailed from the train. Biked back to Wicker Park via Augusta with lightening bolts illuminating the sky. Zipped around puddles swollen to near ponds at spots. Again avoided the worst of the storm.
Tour De Storms
Two weekends ago we were in DeKalb for the Bike MS ride "Tour De Farms". A storm rolled in about mid-morning. The MS volunteers did a great job of clearing the route ahead of the storm. But some people decided to stay out and got caught in the fury. Some took refuge in barns (see photo). One couple was literally blown off the road in the 50 mph winds. They had to lie in a ditch for about 15 minutes until a passerby noticed them and offered a ride.
The group I was with took cover in a small school that was at one of the break points. The ride was cancelled after about 2 hours of waiting. Radar showed wave after wave heading our way. A break in the rain and we all rode back to DeKalb. Got about 55 miles in for the day. The goal was to ride a century. We didn't get anymore rain that day.
On Day two we got out early and rode the whole 75 mile route without incident, but about 2 hours later the skies opened again. Most of our team made it in before the rains but one couple in their 50's came rolling in about 10 minutes later soaked to the gills.
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Is this your blog, Cricket? I love it! Just added it to my favorites.

Cricket said:
Ricardo, that's kind of how I weathered Wednesday's Storm. I got off the Blue Line and could barely see across the street. So I waited awhile, but it wasn't passing over or letting up. So I ran across to the Logan Bar and watched the Mets game. Tornado warnings are much more enjoyable sitting w/ your neighbors over beers.

Ricardo said:
I decided to chance it as my co-workers told me in passing that I should leave very soon. The second I passed the lasalle bridge, the ominous sky came down on me with such fury that I got knocked of my bike at a red light on kinzie. Luckily there was a bar right up the street as I blindly rode to it. I waited the storm out; however a PBR was $4.00! The ride home consisted of tree branches everywhere and garbage all over milwaukee.
I was leading a bike tour minutes before the storm started last Friday. We just got our bikes back into the shop when the rain hit and the wind started blowing trash cans.

My luck ran out later in the day. I went to a movie in Lakeview and when I got out the second storm hit. I waited for about a half hour in the lobby and then decided to just push my way through on my bike and get home.

Not a great choice. Admittedly the second storm was not as bad as the first, but the rain was vertical and felt like bb's hitting my skin, the wind about 25 mph, and there was nearly a foot of standing water on the road. Somehow I got home alive. I think my grandmother was praying for me. She knows I'm a stubborn fool.
It's a 30 foot Pearson from 1976. An awesome little boat. I saw the exact boat you mentioned once we were reentering the harbor.

Clark said:
Great sailing story Rich. Glad you posted...even if it is on a "biking blog." What kind of sailboat were you out on, and how large was it? Glad you were able to get the sails down and the engine started before the big blow hit. I drove past Monroe Harbor about 5:30 pm last Friday and there was a sizable sailboat moored just inside the breakwater with sails just ripped to ribbons, and still flying in the wind.

Rich said:
I decided not to ride to work that day because I was to sail to St. Joe's....
John, what bike tours do you lead?

John Casey said:
I was leading a bike tour minutes before the storm started last Friday. We just got our bikes back into the shop when the rain hit and the wind started blowing trash cans.

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