Rain Gods

Organic Guy and I have learned something new about our relationship. Apparently we, when combined with his motorcycle, become North Carolina Rain Gods.

You see, we've been in a pretty bad drought throughout the whole state. Right now, it ranges from Abnormally Dry to Exceptional Drought. No part of the state is spared. As of this week, though, if you draw a line from Charlotte down to the SC border, then up to Winston-Salem and the VA border, everything east is in one of the two least severe categories. Organic Guy and I will be taking credit for this, and thank you all very much. As recently as June 24, Raleigh itself was in Extreme Drought, according to the national monitor. But, since then, we've gotten over 4 inches of rain! And we're taking at least a bit of the credit.

The last weekend in June, Organic Guy tanked up the bike, we got on, and headed out to a nearby lake, west of our house, with nice hills, trees, and lots of back roads that many of the local motorcycle riders like cruising. We pulled off to dip our toes in the lake, and it started sprinkling. We ran back to the bike, and it started raining. We realized we had no rain gear, jumped on the bike and headed off. And it really started raining. We just headed home, stripped off in the laundry room because every stitch of clothing was soaked, made a pot of coffee, and laughed. We make plans for a longer ride the next day. On Sunday, we fired the bike up, and headed north to the small town of Youngsville, where our buddy Johnny Row lives. Organic Guy, his close buddy Skull, and Johnny Row have worked together on and off for a couple years (and yes, they all have nicknames, I'll tell you some time about Two Taters and Large White). Skull had mentioned that Johnny Row (and yes, you have to say the whole thing) was having a cookout and inviting everyone over for the race, and we should come. And off we went! Got to Johnny Row's and everything was suspiciously quiet. No cars, grill off, and no guys hanging around the picnic table talking about Junior and the Busch boys, and why one is a nice guy and one's a prick. Odd. We knock, and Johnny Row answers. And he explains that they all hung out for the race the night before, and no one had any plans for todays race (which is part of why NASCAR confuses me...they race two days in a row? with the same guys? huh?). Johnny Row has some left over watermelon, tho, so we hang out at the picnic table, chat, eat watermelon and spit seeds. After a bit, Organic Guy and I decide to head back on in, and stop at a local restaurant/watering hole that's owned by the same guy that customizes bikes at the shop next door. Big motorcycle hangout. On the way back south, though, we see something bad. And dark. And hanging over all of Raleigh, and headed our way. Yep, another storm. And this one is big. It opens up. And cars are going past us, sluicing us with water. I hang on tight, we sent up a few water rooster-tails ourselves, and decide to hie on home, and heck with stopping. We just want to dry off! So, two rides, two rain storms. But the next weekend is a long one, with the 4th, so we'll have plenty of time to ride, right?

On the weekend of July 4th, we planned to take the bike out. On Friday, Organic Guy parked the bike in the carport, the plan being riding around the Triangle, and watch the various firework displays. As soon as we changed to jeans and helmets, the sky turned black. And not due to nightfall. Local television stations started sounding alarms, and the heavens opened. All firework displays were put on hold until Saturday night. So, Saturday, we plan on heading out, same as Friday's plan, check the firework displays. At about 7ish we stop for supper, and it starts sprinkling again. Okay, heck with it. We head home. Not too wet ourselves, but definitely, the rest of Raleigh was. Not sure still if any fireworks happened last weekend. So, on Sunday, we decided we're going out on the bike, come Hell or high water (and more likely the second). It's Organic Guy's birthday, and he wanted to celebrate on the road a bit. So, early in the afternoon, we turn on the TV. The only rain, according to the radar, is north of us. Some to the direct west, but that's tracking north too. Check various websites. Same radar. Nothing south. Clear and sunny skies. Finally! We hop on, and head south. We drive toward a little town about an hour away, Carthage. It has a really well preserved historical district for puttering around in, and gorgeous old houses, and rolling hills with farms just outside town. And the ride out is beautiful. At one point, we round a curve, and are treated to a field full of sunflowers, and a small farmhouse, sitting just behind all the flowers, like a picture. Just breathtaking. We turn around to head home. Happy that we've finally gotten a good ride in. Planning on calling Organic Guy's parents to come celebrate the birthday with some steaks on the grill. And, just as we get out of Carthage, it happens. The sky just changes. From blue to black. Wispy white clouds to dark, angry, and filled with thunder. And it rains. So hard, harder than any other ride. So hard I'm not sure how Organic Guy can even see. Then we see an oasis. Off to the left is a little gas station. With an awning. Salvation! We can pull off somewhere dry! Then...then...this pickup with a trailer (all covered no less) pulls in, in front of us. And takes the whole awning space. No where to park the bike out of the rain. Organic Guy flips up his visor, and says "Babe, we're going for it!" And he hits the gas. Off we go, into the driving rain. As we get closer to home, we're pulling ahead of it. We finally drive out of the rain, and make it home. We're inside all of 15 minutes, and I make a mad dash to get the grill under the carport. Because the storm caught up. If we had pulled off, we would have been in the rain the whole ride home.

About five minutes after it started raining, I just started laughing. I'm not sure I've stopped laughing yet. Because we're coming out of a drought. And Organic Guy and I have discovered that, if we really want to take the bike out, we can bring the rains with us.