Back in Rainy California

We had some pretty heavy rains storms recently, and uncharacteristically late in the season for our area. But "We need the rain" is the common refrain voiced by almost everybody, referring to our persistent drought conditions. I do kind of like the rain and dramatic cloud patterns we get this time of year — we have plenty of clear sunny skies the rest of the year.

I generally try to avoid driving my Smart car in the rain - the increased risk of an accident due to slippier conditions and reduced visibility has me a little cautious. I hadn't expected such a downpour when I left for work that morning. But the Smart does feel very solid in the rain, and tracked pretty well at full freeway speeds. It's only when the wind gusts up that it gets a little frightening — it knocks you around, tugging at the steering wheel, feeling a lot like heavy turbulence in flight.