Well it's monsoon season in Phoenix. A very interesting time to have a motorcycle as your daily driver.
For those of you that aren't familiar with monsoons, they are summer thunderstorms of the intense variety. caused by shifting winds. for Phoenicians, it means dust storms, lightning, heavy heavy downpours leading to flash flooding, and the occasional microburst.
I got off work tonight at 11pm, light dust storm, lightning, thunder, smell of rain.
my ride home is 17 miles of interstate heading west. normally into the wind, but when we get the monsoon weather, that all changes. tonight i'm with the wind. gusting from the south.
i ride to work in 112 degree weather so raingear isn't really my thing. tonight when i got off work, i threw on my gear, pulled the choke out to 3,000 for about 10 seconds, 2,000 for 1 minute. hit the road.
As soon as I start riding, lightning was hitting less than a mile away in every direction. I got on the interstate and gunned it. exited the off ramp at about 95mph (speed limit 65), racing the storm literally closing in from every direction.
I had counted on minimal traffic as there normally isn't much on the interstate for my 11pm ride home. What I hadn't counted on was the Sheriff i merged next to on the interstate whilst doing 95mph. I was so focused on getting home before the serious winds and heavy downpour that i didn't even see him in the lane next to me.
The Sheriff sped up to match my speed of about 90mph. turned on his spotlight and waved it over to me several times back and forth to signal me. I cannot tell you how confusing that spotlight was given i had no idea there was a Police vehicle next to me. i turned my head and saw the Sheriff, slowed the eff down, and prayed he didn't pull me over. I certainly deserved to get pulled over, but moreso i just didn't want to get caught in the storm and getting pulled over would cost valuable time.
Given the impending downpour and wind gusts, the Sheriff gave me a free pass. Didn't pull me over. Just drove next to me for a mile or so and made sure I slowed down to 65 and then he went on his way. He must have known exactly what I was doing. i have to beat that storm before it beats me.
after the Sheriff sped up to presumably get to more important business than saving me from killing myself. I figured i'd risk it and lower my wrist once more. 75-85 the rest of the way home, lightning everywhere, but no rain on my head.
did a nice Rossi impression going around a bend while merging onto another interstate, keeping speed up. side streets. lightning. wind. very gusty wind, from the south. no rain.
pulled into my apartment complex parking space. took off my helmet. sprinkles of rain.
went inside my apartment. downpour.
deep breath. exhale.
