Riding in the Rain?

Don't you just love the British weather? It never fails to amaze me with its ability to give us Four Seasons In One Day! It can make the choice of riding wear quite difficult and there is nothing worse than setting out for a days riding with your leathers on only to discover that "you really should have worn the Waterproofs". The other way round can be slightly disappointing too!
Last Sunday was a case in point. I planned to set off reasonably early for a ride out to Devil's Bridge (Kirby Lonsdale) and perhaps beyond depending on time and weather. On the morning of the ride my friend,Martin, phoned me and asked "Leathers or Cordura?" On looking out the window at the glowering sky and windswept trees I decided that discretion was definitely the better part of valour and that, as I prefer to be warm and dry, "Cordura for me" was the correct answer. Dressed in my "poof's jacket" (as waterproofs are referred to by Martin) I got down to Martin's , got the bike out and lubed the chain.Scotoiler is definitely on my wish list! By the time this was acheived I was sweating like a pig and Martin was not much better. Looking up at the sky made me chuckle to myself and think about being nice and dry when the rain started, as it surely would. We set off down to Devil's Bridge and had a great ride as far as Broughton-in-Furness where we stopped for a coffee and a ciggie. As we sat there enjoying both, an acquaintance of mine turned up with some of his mates all in racing leathers . "They're bloody keen" I thought. After a short chat we set off again and I kept saying to myself that I was really glad I was going to be dry when it started pissing down.
Arriving at the Bridge I was Mildly surprised at the turnout especially as the weather looked so dodgy. We spent a while looking at the bikes and smoking and then decided we would go up to Windermere and over Kirkstone Pass to Penrith. Martin thought of this route and I agreed thinking, as I sweated , that at least we would be warm and dry when the rain came. I credit you readers with the ability to see a pattern forming here! From Penrith, back over the pass to Windermere and along to Ambleside where we turned off and followed the road to Coniston and then back to the A595 and Then home. All day, 220 odd Miles and a large grin on my face. If only I hadn't been sweating my bollocks off wearing waterproof clothing when we never even saw a drop of rain!
Tomorrow we have planned a trip out around Kielder Water and south Scotland.I am going to wear my leathers so you can garantee what the weather will be like.