Got wet in the Megabusa for the first time today

[Hank]

Spent most of the morning watching "A Plane is Born". That Mark Evans is a joy to watch building things. So far I've watched "A Car is Born", "A Helicopter is Born" and I'm finishing off the "Plane". I'm downloading the "4x4 is Born" right now. After getting to episode 13/15 I decided to mow the lawn. Next I washed the Megabusa. A quick shower later and I'm ready to go to the monthly car show.

 

I head out on the 20 mile journey with rain clouds to the Northwest. I took the scenic route past LSU along Nicholson highway to Gonzales, LA. When I arrived at the car show the parking lot was wet, but ~50 vehicles were attending the show. I pulled in and parked amongst a few friends. I popped the hood off and answered the usual questions.

 

1. What is it?

2. Is it yours?

3. Where did you get it?

4. Who built it for you?

5. What engine is that?

 

An hour into the show the bottom fell out of the rain clouds above us. I quickly put the hood back on and found refuge under the event organizer's tent. I struck up a conversation with 3 beautiful, older Russian women who have been in the states for 8 years. Turns out one of the women was an Electrical Engineer and she designed chips for control systems at Chernobyl. She was slated to work there, but things didn't pan out and she stayed at her former job. Wow. I told her that I'm a Mechanical Engineer at the River Bend Station nuclear plant in St. Francisville, LA. Small world.

 

The rain stopped and I decided to check the water damage. Thank god I brought my trusty chamois. I dried the seats, dash, and roll cage. My stomach was rumbling so I drove a few hundred yards to the edge of the shopping center and I pulled into Wendy's. Uneventful dinner with a few drive-thru patrons stopping their vehicles to admire the Megabusa. A scary moment when a huge passenger van pulled up next to my baby and 8 kids got out. Not one of the kids touched the car, but they got close enough to get my attention.

 

I switched visors on my helmet from the "Stig issue" iridium blue to clear. I put my iPhone in the clear chamois case to keep the water out. I found the Simpson helmet bag to be a great tote for all of my belongings (wallet, flashlight, keys - hood/house, hat, shirt with helmet shield wrapped up, chamois, .45 Glock, headphones, and spare shop towels). A few youngins peek through the Wendy's windows to watch me strap in my harness and fire up the Megabusa. I slowly drive out of the parking lot and into traffic to exit the strip mall. Damnit, it's still raining.

 

I pull out onto the highway and I notice the rain isn't coming off the helmet as quickly as I thought it would. No use wiping the helmet as it only smears. Although the highway has a 55mph speed limit I settle at 45mph. Not much traffic on the way home. I had to drive out of the typical two asphalt ruts which put me a tire width off the center line. I am not in harms way, but it kept me in full concentration with oncoming vehicle spray. The alternative was to drive in the ruts and risk hydroplaning.

 

I made it home and the only thing wet was my t-shirt ringed collar. The windscreen definitely helps in the wet weather and so does driving at least 30mph. Any slower and the rain starts to hit me instead of being deflected. I actually got more wet once I stopped in my driveway for a few minutes than I did over the entire journey home.

 

Sorry for the long story, but I figure it's the first blat in the rain so it is yet another Se7en milestone surpassed by Hank is his Megabusa!