#springbiking

It rained in Chicago this morning and on my commute, I saw a pedestrian slip on one of those metal plates the City of Chicago lays on the road to cover potholes and construction.

He was totally okay, but that reminded me to send out a PSA about not biking on those metal slabs. When it's raining [or snowing] out, those slabs get really slippery and your tires glide over them making it easy to lose your balance and fall over.

I avoid those suckers at all cost, but sometimes you don't see 'em coming or there's too much car traffic next to you to dodge 'em.

Things not to do on a metal slab:

1. Hit or tap your brakes -- Keep calm and wait until you've cleared the metal.

2. Pedal super hard -- Always coast over them if possible.

3. Start from a full stop -- Skooch your bike forward until your back wheel is on pavement.

Ladies, I figured it out.

Most spring/summers, I wear my cheapie Target plimsolls all day every day. They are mad comfortable after a day or two of wearing in, protect my toes from the ravages of the road, and look cute when paired with socks, booty shorts, or summer dresses.

My only complaint is that they are useless when it comes to spring showers and summer thunderstorms. I've tried waxing them, spraying them, wash-in DWR, even just praying to the Weather Gods whenever I skip out. I always return with squishy, rain sodden shoes.

I see other bike gals [and guys] wearing galoshes, but the idea of wearing sweaty rain boots on a humid 85 degree bike ride gives me PTSD-style flashbacks to high-school-locker-room-sweaty-funk-funk, knowwhatimean?

Then one day last month, my sister wench ever so casually mentioned jelly shoes and I became OBSESSED WITH THE IDEA THAT JELLY SHOES WERE THE ANSWER TO MY RAIN SHOE PRAYERS. I mean, they are inherently water proof!

And so the great jelly shoe round up of 2014 ended with this holy grail* of rainy day bike shoes:

Seriously though, ladies, these are perfect. They cover my toes so I never hurt them by accidentally kicking my spokes or squashing them against my cages and have enough cut outs to allow for [foot] breathing. And while my feet do get a little wet in the rain, the shoes do not hold water and my feet dry off really fast once I arrive at my destination.

I've walked/biked through some heavy rain, light drizzles, and day-after puddles, and these shoes deliver dry feet every single time, HIGH FIVE!!!

*If you're interested in these particular shoes, do know that they come scented like a peculiar rubbery berry wine cooler, or like fruit scented erasures from grade school. Also I sized down because they ran a little big.

After an evening of joy rides, taxiderm'ed wild turkeys, pizza/whiskey, and a Audrey Hepburn movie, I woke up early, got my cat eye on the first try, wore my thin gloves, and snagged the very last chocolate chip bagel for breakfast.