Penguin feet - for Nat

I said I'd post up evidence of how much I look like a penguin when I wear my new waterproof overshoes ... (see "How to Waterproof your feet"). Well, in some secret recording in the shower room, here's evidence taken by me looking down at my feet. Or should I say - flippers:

How to waterproof your feet

Has anyone noticed? It's raining quite a lot today (in London, UK, that is. And probably elsewhere too). That fine, sneaky rain designed specifically to get into your clothing and make you feel wet and clammy. There's enough of it to leave puddles. I'm now going to (imagine some kind of online roll of drums before a magic trick) going to show you a picture of my cycling shoes, taken AFTER I got into work, having braved puddles, horrid drizzle and general wet conditions:

The sharp eyed among you will have noticed:

1. 
   
   My boots are horrid and old
   
2. I have luminous laces which are, frankly, a bit grubby
   
3. 
   
   They are ... dry!
   
   
   

Until today, these boots would have been soaking and nasty. But I used my Christmas present for the first time in anger today. A pair of ... waterproof shoe covers. There's probably a more technical name. Gaitors perhaps. Or salipettes (?) - no. Anyway, needless to say they're from Mountain Equipment Co-Op and they fit nicely around your shoes. And they kept my boots and feet bone dry. Wow!

Many of you will be going "Ah come on man, we've been using these for years - get with it!" ... but I haven't seen many people using them out there on the streets, and I'm now a convert.

You do somehow look a bit of a git, almost at least half like a penguin - but they do the trick. Here's to a whole new era of dry feet.

KC

New bags please!

Right. That's it. I know my panier bags are not waterproof. That's why I carefully wrapped up my clothes in a Sainsbury's bag. Clever, I know.

Had my shower. Lovely. Reach for bag. Open bag. Somehow, enormous amounts of rain have gone through my paniers, penetrated the plastic bag, and ... my shirt is soaked across my chest. My trousers are soaked across my ... well, the bits that trousers cover. I'll have to dry off au naturel. Kind of.

Anyone know any good waterproof rear paniers? (!).

My increasingly sad bags - one of them

Note - hole at bottom of bag so you can quickly lose stuff. And what was once a fiercely waterproof  bag has become more like a sponge.

PS sorry about the extended absence. It's been tough at work and busy at home. I'll try to sneak in a few more updates.