In the adjustment to our new life I have learned a few things about getting to and from work. First, parking at my office is $165 MONTHLY....so I do not drive. Second, taking the train and bus (or train or bus, depending on time and day) takes, in most cases, about an hour each way (the same as Corvallis!). Third, cycling to and from work is free, and EASY! We live only about 3 miles from work and there is a bike path that allows me to ride nearly entirely off the street the whole way to work! Cycling only takes about 20 minutes to get to work, and despite my initial concerns about vanity (messy hair, sweaty, mussed clothes) the ride has proven to be easy and quite enjoyable. That is, unless, I am caught in a terrible and earth shaking lightening storm, as I was today.
This morning I had a lovely start to my day. I got up extra early so that I could sit on my lovely porch and drink coffee on my newly refinished (by me!) red wicker love seat. Anyway, after my coffee there was a little rumbling in the sky and some clouds. I knew that there was a POSSIBILITY of rain this morning. But, being the NW girl I am I was not scared off by the threat of rain (forecasters reported a 30% chance…that’s any sunny day in Eugene!), so I hopped on my bike and took off for a day of writing at the office. About 1/2 mile from home it started to rain, but I was sure it was going to either quit or lighten, so I continued. Another 1/2 mile and the sky opened up and began to dump SHEETS of water. As if my being drenched wasn’t enough to the bone, the sky darkened notably and then fierce lightening shattered the sky with LOUD ‘CRACKS’ followed IMMEDIATELY by deafening thunder.
I pulled over, drenched to the bone and waited for a reprieve. Realizing that I was never going to sit at work soaked to the bone (I’d freeze with the air conditioning), I figured I might as well ride home in the storm to change and get dry. 
So, I hopped back on my bike and rode all-out through the cracking, crashing storm, wind blowing the rain sideways into my eyes, water dripping from my helmet….clothing stuck to me like I had showered in my khaki trousers. I could hear the song from the Wizard of Oz playing in my head: “the house began to pitch, the kitchen to slitch….” Followed by the wicked witch of the west song….
But have no fear. I got home. Dried off. Redressed, redid my hair and make up and took the train in. Thank goodness I do not melt in water!!!
