I searched the forums and didn't find much on this, pardon me if it has been discussed.
I am trying really hard to ride my bike to work more often. It's a 10 mile ride and I've worked out a really nice route. While I have always enjoyed running errands and going to work by bike, I have to admit I have mostly been a fair weather rider (except for winter, I don't mind a bit of cold and just layer up; have always done that except on really extremely cold days). Recently I have learned to deal with pretty darn hot days at least some of the time, so I didn't make that excuse so often any more. I took a pile of washcloths and some deodorant to work, and put a fresh shirt in my pannier. Done. Happy.
Today, the forecast included a 60% chance of rain all day. Usually, that would have been a reason for me to drive. But I decided not to make that excuse. I packed a rain jacket, rain pants, wore sandals that can get wet, and put my stuff in my waterproof pannier. The way to work was dry. But, the way home was not. I thought about chickening out and taking the bus back but I didn't. It poured. And poured. Then it stopped and I almost dried off, then it poured again the last 2 miles. I stayed *somewhat* dry under my rain jacket and pants, but not really. Today, I actually thought it was kind of fun! But had it been 10 degrees colder, I would have been miserable. Today, I didn't care because I was on my way home where I could take a shower, but what if this was the way IN to work? Or my way out to run errands?
How do you guys do it? Do I need a better rain jacket/pants? IS there a way to stay dry(er)? I am a helmet wearer (my personal choice, though I respect other choices), so my head was soaked, too. Any advice on that? Like I said, today I didn't mind because it wasn't cold yet, I dried my short hair with a towel my partner lovingly handed to me when I stepped into the kitchen, dripping. I'm not worried about how my hair *looks*, just that I would feel very cold on a colder day.