Thunderbolts and lightning

01-27-2004, 01:44 AM

Went for the long ride on Sunday - storms were "about" but it didn't look
that bad when I started out.

3/4 of the way through the ride hit a heavy rain shower - no big deal, both
the bike and I needed a clean anyway.

Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my first time
while riding, a serious lightning storm and I'm a long way from shelter.

I guess I was lucky because in similar storms here this week there was one
death and 2 injuries - press reports at -

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than Condoleezza
Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.

Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the road) and
drank a number of very strong coffees reflecting on what I should have done,
apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.

From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning strikes at -

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

- I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably
outside is to get off the bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not
lie) down cover your ears and presumably kiss your bottom goodbye.

Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being
smarter if unwittingly you get caught riding in a storm with lightning.

best, Andrew

01-27-2004, 06:11 AM

Andrew Price wrote:

> In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than Condoleezza
> Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.

Very, very frightening! I'm so glad the Great Zeus decided to spare you!

Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion?

EFR
Doting in front of her Freddie Mercury wallpaper in Ile de France

01-27-2004, 06:23 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] says...
>
>
> Andrew Price wrote:
>
> > In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than Condoleezza
> > Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.
>
> Very, very frightening! I'm so glad the Great Zeus decided to spare you!
>
> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion?

IME, yes.

> EFR
> Doting in front of her Freddie Mercury wallpaper in Ile de France
>
>

--
Dave (loves the _Bohemian Rhapsody_ scene from "Wayne's World") Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

01-27-2004, 08:30 AM

David Kerber <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
:> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion
: IME, yes.

otoh i'm fighting the good fight. i'll report back if it's a losing one.
--
david reuteler
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

01-27-2004, 10:13 AM

In article <4016a041$0$41285$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] says...
> David Kerber <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> :> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion
> : IME, yes.
>
> otoh i'm fighting the good fight. i'll report back if it's a losing one.

I hope you Triumph in your fight! As long as you've got The Magic
Power in you, you should. ;-)

(Good trainer and treadmill music!)

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

01-27-2004, 10:41 AM

"Andrew Price" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].au.x1> wrote in message
news:zirRb.30343$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].au...
> Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my
first time
> while riding, a serious lightning storm and I'm a long way from
shelter.
>
> In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than
Condoleezza
> Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.
>
> Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the
road) and
> drank a number of very strong coffees reflecting on what I
should have done,
> apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.
>
> From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning
strikes at -
>
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Sure is exciting when you're soaked with rain, the highest thing
in sight, a metal bar between your legs and that huge thunderclap
happens right overhead.

From your link, I should have just got off my bike and walked out
to crouch in the the lower fields beside the road but I just kept
riding. Guess it was my turn to be lucky.

Doug
For email, a sense of wonder.

01-27-2004, 11:46 PM

David Reuteler wrote:

> David Kerber <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> :> Just curious - is Queen fandom a consistent side effect of the cycling passion
> : IME, yes.
>
> otoh i'm fighting the good fight. i'll report back if it's a losing one.

Gotta get it right first time!

EFR

01-28-2004, 03:50 AM

Years sailing and never was the boat struck. Mazama's wrote Mountaineering:
Freedom of the Hills with IIRC a chapter on lightning safety - much less
hysterical than single issue 'public service' organizations. The conspiracy
of ignorance masquerades as common sense. And your 'politics' suck.

"Andrew Price" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].au.x1> wrote in message
news:zirRb.30343$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].au...
| Went for the long ride on Sunday - storms were "about" but it didn't look
| that bad when I started out.
|
| 3/4 of the way through the ride hit a heavy rain shower - no big deal,
both
| the bike and I needed a clean anyway.
|
| Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my first time
| while riding, a serious lightning storm and I'm a long way from shelter.
|
| I guess I was lucky because in similar storms here this week there was one
| death and 2 injuries - press reports at -
|
| [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
|
| In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than
Condoleezza
| Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.
|
| Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the road) and
| drank a number of very strong coffees reflecting on what I should have
done,
| apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.
|
| From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning strikes at -
|
| [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
|
| - I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if unavoidably
| outside is to get off the bike, away from metal objects and to crouch (not
| lie) down cover your ears and presumably kiss your bottom goodbye.
|
| Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being
| smarter if unwittingly you get caught riding in a storm with lightning.
|
| best, Andrew
|
|

01-28-2004, 04:36 AM

Andrew Price wrote:
> Went for the long ride on Sunday - storms were "about" but it didn't
> look that bad when I started out.
> 3/4 of the way through the ride hit a heavy rain shower - no big deal,
> both the bike and I needed a clean anyway.
> Except that this storm had the added thrills of hail and for my
> first time while riding, a serious lightning storm and I'm a long
> way from shelter.
> I guess I was lucky because in similar storms here this week there was
> one death and 2 injuries - press reports at -
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
> smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/26/1075087964361.html
> In my case there was a flash close enough to scare me more than
> Condoleezza Rice does and the thunder clap seemed to shake my rib cage.
> Found the first substantial building I could (a cafe 3km up the road)
> and drank a number of very strong coffees reflecting on what I should
> have done, apart from choosing a better day/time to ride.
> From a web site devoted to protecting people from lightning strikes at -
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
> - I see the recommendation if you get a tingling sensation if
> unavoidably outside is to get off the bike, away from metal objects
> and to crouch (not lie) down cover your ears and presumably kiss your
> bottom goodbye.
> Just wondering if anyone in the group has any better wisdom about being
> smarter if unwittingly you get caught riding in a storm with lightning.
> best, Andrew

G'day Pricey,

some of my club mates & I were out for a training ride awhile back.
Whilst doing a few climbs, the sky turned black & the heavens opened.
next thing we know, 4 of us are sitting on our arses!. A bolt of
lightning struck a tree probably 30ft away...scared the crap out of me &
fried my 720I HRM..... Not funny God!.... Still once we got back on the
bikes, the next 'effort' was done without any complaining & at record
pace!. Dunno what the solution is, but when the 'big guy' wants you to
pull turns in his cycling club...you ain't got much choice,

cheers

--

01-28-2004, 05:32 AM

....very very frightening.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

--
'Just because you're wearing a tie
Doesn't mean you're bloody important'
-chumbawumba