Working night shifts can be an interesting beast. Life becomes more about the "now" than it is about a plan. Because of that, I start to believe more and more in things happening for a reason.
This set of nights has been rough for getting sleep. Some days its easy, others you fight for every wink. This one has been somewhere in between.
It's no secret that I'm very in touch with weather forecasts because it affects what I do. I've been waiting for months for clear skies, warm days, and for the snow to go away. My bikes have patiently waited in the garage for a long time and when I awoke yesterday around 1 pm, rather than grumble and fight for another few minutes of sleep, I got the feeling that I should peek outside.
I trust those feelings a lot. Whether it's at work, driving (I'm sensing a cop nearby!), or the urge to do something random, I almost always listen to it. This time was no disappointment. I got up after seeing the sun shining, threw on some clothes, threw the camera in my new'ish backpack and headed out for a ride. I knew it was going to rain, so it would be a short trip, but it's a ride nonetheless!
At my usual parking area, one of Peel's finest was watching for speeding cage-dwellers while I pumped my tires, threw on my shoes and headed out. The ride was short but beautiful. I've been making adjustments to my seat/height to help with stabbing knee pain (seems a bit better!) and I headed into Oakville. After doing a little bit of hill work around Oakville Harbor, I stopped and headed down to the end of the pier. Rain was clearly not far away. The sky was completely overcast and the smell of rain was in the air. I decided it best to turn back.
I did spend a few moments at the "Oakville Museum" (haha) and took a few shots of a moose and wolves outside and then headed back. At a good pace, it wasn't long before I reached Gairloch Gardens once again. A beautiful place in the summer - in the late fall and early spring though, not-so-much. I knew this shot would turn out pretty well, but the sky was darkening fast and while my ride back east may have scored me an extra minute or two before the rain, I knew that I had to get it quick.
As I pressed a few shots, I could feel the drops hitting me. Time to get back!
The rest of the ride - perhaps a couple of kilometers was much faster. The rain was coming down now, and it hurt. Cold, wind and rain make for a stinging combination and I knew my unprotected sling pack wouldn't shield my camera for long.
I made it back to my car, nearly blind by the fog on my sunglasses combined with rain and road crud. I loaded my bike and prayed that my camera survived, which it obviously did.
Sometimes I'll take a hundred pictures and post 3-5. This time, I think one will be enough.
Moral of the story - Listen to that inner voice. I do, and I rarely have regrets.