I had been writing about my experiences riding my bike around the park. But, the last three days I walked for my exercise rather than rode. Rain was:
On Saturday I walked quite a long way, circling the Grand Basin again, and walking a new back trail to the back side of the zoo, then all the way over to the Union Entrance of the park. Simply lovely.
Then on Sunday I wore my watch to time my walk. I normally don't wear a watch. I did much the same walk. I was all decked out in my FULL RAIN GEAR. A gortex coat and pants my kids game me some years ago and some water proof tennis shoe I had purchased for my Ireland trip last March (then my brother and I had three weeks of uninterrupted sun in Ireland)!
When I left my car it was lightly drizzling, but within ten minutes the rain had stopped. I just didn't want to walk back to the car to ditch the pants and coat since it was forecasted to rain most of the day. I walked for 65 minutes and it was lovely. I carried the jacket and the pants weren't too hot.
That was an exciting event for me since 65 minutes walking without the slightest pain in my knees was the longest such walk I've been able to do since the year 2000! I could have walked more I am sure.
But today was a bit of a disappointment and disaster. Not because of the park and not because of the pouring rain. Given my experience yesterday and given that it was only a light drizzle, I just wore my rain jacket, and a small Irish cap and my blue jeans.
I decided to walk the area of the Jewel Box and to do a much more careful look at the up dated Korean War memorial. Then my plans were to walk across Triple A golf course and walk over to Steinberg Rink and all around the wetlands area I so like.
I was only about 10 - 15 yards from my car when just what I had wanted came along: a DRIVING RAIN with no lightening. I was really happy, and just strolling along having a ball. I went back to the car and ditched my little Irish tam and donned my gortex rain hat. It worked just perfectly and my hair never even got wet.
The new Korean War memorial is quite fancy. It is about a 8 foot tall modernistic standing sun dial. Obviously in the pouring rain there was no shadow to tell me the time and I didn't have my watch. The monument is very impressive.
I walked over to the empty golf course and crossed it toward the ball fields (the one's along Oakland Ave.). However, I had erred in not wearing my rain pants and my jeans were getting heavier and heavier as they were soaked completely through. Then I noticed something that bothered me a great deal -- I was feeling wet up top too. My supposedly 100% water-proof rain jacket just wasn't working. After a bit my soaking jeans were just too heavy and wet and I returned to the car after no more than a 30 minute walk.
This was so disappointing. I have always loved walking in the rain. As I see it there are two ways to do it: wear as little clothing as the temperature out and the law demands and just let it get soaked or, what I wanted: have an appropriate total rain gear and walk and walk and walk. I had visions today of a couple of hours wandering in the pouring rain. I was just thrilled it was raining so hard at the outset.
Now I have to face the fact that my gortex jacket just didn't work. I noticed my back was dry when I got home and my underwear and the top of my jeans (both of which were covered by the jacket). So it might have been that even though I was zipped up to my chin, somehow water might have run off my hat and down the front of my jacket to soak my shirt front. But I suspect it just doesn't work.
I think in a bit I will got out to the army surplus store in Crestwood and see about getting an honest to goodness rubber jacket that is truly waterproof. MY worry is it will be so heavy I won't be able to stand up straight. Any have advice on a 100% fully waterproof (even in driving rain) jackets and/or pants? I love to walk in the rain, but want to be comfortable.
So, today's walk was a bit of a disappointment and not nearly as long as I had hoped.
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