Yesterday I went out locally for a ride (Shenandoah Valley of Virginia) and foolishly left my rain gear behind (no *way* it was going to rain). Of course, you know what happened: I got drenched. No problem, there are much worse thing than a summer rain storm! But as I rode on in dry, warm weather, gradually drying out, and as a new adv rider wanna-be contemplating beginning longer rides soon, I had this thought: with the right, quick dry clothing (e.g. no cotton, thin layers, etc.), might it be okay at times to avoid rain gear if there's no chance of hypothermia? I'm a long-time backpacker and learned that I could hike miles and miles in wicking clothing and at least moderate rain without bothering with rainproof gear and without discomfort. I had the advantage of generating drying heat as I hiked, admittedly, but on a bike I can easily generate 40+ mph of wind.
So what say you who are much more experienced with moto adventuring than I: with the right (non-waterproof) clothing, can you easily weather light to moderate rain without all the extra layers? Can you just let yourself get soaked through and then dry out riding quickly enough to not be miserable (assuming it's not 45F out, of course)?
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