Summer Riding - Schwinn Superior and Dealing with Thunderstorms

 

1950 Schwinn Superior

We're into the summer weather: relatively warm and humid, with the daily chance for thunderstorms. There is plenty of riding to be done, but riding this time of year means staying aware of the weather. I had the 1950 Schwinn Superior out this week. I love the color of this bike...

If you own a smartphone, one thing you can do is load a weather application and keep it on "alert" as you ride. I use WeatherBug, but there are other programs that let you do this. I have my phone set up to make a loud "chirp" sound when lightening is detected within a certain distance. I also have a quick-access icon to the weather radar showing storm activity in the area. It's important to have these tools this time of year because thunderstorms can develop quickly.

Trouble brewing...

Case-in-point is a powerful storm that struck near here last weekend. Over the course of about 15 minutes, the weather rapidly deteriorated and a powerful thunderstorm struck. This storm produced large hail, very strong straight-line winds, and extremely heavy rain. The weather reports say it was a "microburst" storm. Numerous trees were knocked over and a great deal of property damage resulted in the area where the storm hit. You don't want to be out on a bike when that happens, and it can happen rapidly.

 I love riding during the long, warm evenings of the summer. But doing that means keeping up with the weather. I recommend you keep a smartphone with you in the saddle bag and a reliable weather application/radar on "alert".