Last Ride of the Year

TomCat · Post by **TomCat** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:44 pm

Finally decided to call it a season:
Yesterday-----------60's & sunny
Today------------- 40's, windy, temp dropping, snow flurries in the vicinity.
Rode to local gas station a while ago to fill the tank for winter,,,,,,,,froze my arse off.
My hat is off to those of you in colder climates who ride almost year round.
This Bud (or hot chocolate) is for you!

theflash784 · Post by **theflash784** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:42 pm

I took the scooter out on Thanksgiving since it was so nice- 60 degrees- knowing it would probably be the last good ride for awhile. I will probably just take it to the gas station to fill her up and then get her ready for the winter.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:51 pm

I too was riding on Thanksgiving morning before the family showed up for chow.
Just couldn't pass up a 60 degree morning ride.....glad I did too, it's only 34 degrees today in Northeast Illinois.
I never really put my machines away.....but I always top off the tank after any ride because I don't know when I'll be out again.
For me, over 40 degrees is OK but the salt has to be washed off the streets, IE post rainstorm and dry.
I admit though that the winter rides under those conditions are generally in the half to one hour range.......when ya get old, ya get cold.

Rob

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 9:39 pm

I haven't given up yet. This morning was a close call, but it had stopped raining, and it hadn't started snowing, and the streets were still dry... so I rode. Looking outside, I see that there's snow in the grass and some wisps in the parking lot, so the ride home will be a careful one (and chilly). But after all the false "last rides" of the previous winter, I'm not going to call this one lightly. I burned a lot of Sta-Bil a year ago, because I kept thinking that each fill-up was going to be the last.

jprestonian · Post by **jprestonian** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 9:57 pm

I got pimped over at Orin O'Neill's, too!
.

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:26 am

sad news

what is this thing in some parts of the country.....this "riding season?"

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 3:08 am

JHScoot wrote:what is this thing in some parts of the country.....this "riding season?"

It's something that builds character.

Howardr · Post by **Howardr** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 4:50 am

84 degrees here in the Old Pueblo today. Winter is almost upon us.

Howard

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:54 am

TVB wrote:
JHScoot wrote:what is this thing in some parts of the country.....this "riding season?"
It's something that builds character.

i would think so. i honestly don't think i could do it. i mean of course i could if i had to, but it would drive me up the wall to have to drive down the street once again

i am firmly planted and intend to stay that way. so thats good. becaue i don't think i could go to a "seasonal" riding locale to live. i can't think of one thing that could compel me to. not a job, a woman, more money (what the hell good is more money if i can't do what i love half the time?), or anything else. i mean it may sound sort of extreme, but maybe not? i just can't see trading riding 4+ months a year for anything

i have no character

no but seriously, i feel lucky and i know all of you who can only ride part of the year miss it like mad. i also wonder if any of you have gone through what i describe above (moving from a warm weather state to the tundra) and how did you deal with it? was there a "process?"

TomCat · Post by **TomCat** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:38 pm

when ya get old, ya get cold

That right there says it all

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:43 pm

I also took a little ride on Thursday, before the bottom dropped out on the temps yesterday.

I have this senseless personal goal that I've been able to achieve the last few years .... with last year and the mild winter temps being easy. That is to ride at least one day during each calendar month year round. So, I'll keep the tender on the one of the bikes ready to go.

Rob

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:15 pm

In Maryland I try to call a winter. Depends on weather and there are always nice days in Jan and feb. You guys in Michigan have it a bit rougher

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:21 pm

Well,
The weather Gods continue to smile upon the Northeastern Il and other usually cold/snowy locals.

I was riding on Friday, November 30th....it was 55 degrees.
Cruising on Saturday, December 1st......it was 61 degrees.
Rode the Toys for Tots ride Chicago, Sunday, December 2nd, with an estimated 30,000! (reported) of my closest friends at 68 degrees.
Cruzed around on and off yesterday December 3rd at 70! degrees......So far, so good.....spring gets ever closer.

I know mom nature will make us pay for our fun down the road so, when the time comes to play with the snow blower.....I'll try to remember these days while muttering/whining about weather.

55 is today, December 4th's forcast.....Guess I'll have to ride some more....Oh, woah is me, woah is me. (he,he)

Rob

hal888 · Post by **hal888** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:50 pm

I'm still able to commute the 14 miles to work each day. Warm clothes, thick socks, and heated gloves are now essential for me. Long underwear on the really chilly mornings. I took my first ride in sub 30 degree F temperatures, and that's when I really felt the cold seep through every crack. I may be approaching my comfort limit at sub 30F, however I survived just fine.

theflash784 · Post by **theflash784** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:16 pm

Yesterday it was in the upper 50's but we had thick fog. I rode to the gas station to fill up the tank and added some Seafoam to it. Today it is pouring rain and the temps will be dropping as a cold front moves in. I will wait for a sunny day to give Blaze a good cleaning and then put her away for the winter.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:38 pm

I missed a couple days in November due to light freezing precip, but only a couple.

Rode Dec 1 to do errands

Rode Dec 2 as Heck's Angels had our first ever ride in December

Rode Dec 3, temps maxed out at 55, and I took the parkways home!

Rode today, though it's a good bit cooler.

Will ride until we get more freezing precip OR lows drop below 25 or so. (My morning commute is at 6:30 am...basically when we hit our morning low temp)

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:22 pm

it's chilly here but livable. rode on the highway at 28 degrees, wasn't that bad! Of course we are soooo dry that might make a difference. I do wish for heated grips.

There's really only 10-14 commuting days a year I don't ride, usually due to excessive storms, ice, or large-scale sporting events.

ravenlore · Post by **ravenlore** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:29 pm

skully93 wrote:it's chilly here but livable...

There's really only 10-14 commuting days a year I don't ride, usually due to excessive storms, ice, or large-scale sporting events.

Thank you so much!! That is exactly what I needed to know...you see, my sister plans on moving to DEN in the new year. And she's very much hoping that year-round riding is an option. It sounds like it is

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:07 pm

sunny today with a high of 70

just like rubbing it in

TomCat · Post by **TomCat** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:16 pm

I really felt the cold seep through every crack

That's a little more information than what we need

hal888 · Post by **hal888** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 7:01 pm

TomCat wrote:
I really felt the cold seep through every crack
That's a little more information than what we need

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:31 am

I've had a couple days when I couldn't (safely) ride due to weather, but it looks like it's going to cooperate enough for me to keep riding up to the end of the year. There's a little snow on the ground, but not on the roads, and only a chance of significant snow forecast for the next week.

But when the snow comes again in earnest, and I have to park the scoot for a while, I think I'm going to skip the battery tender. The battery's been giving me trouble for several weeks, sometimes not having enough juice to start, like in the morning when it's coldest. In those situations the kickstart always works, so I'm pretty sure the battery's just near its end of life. Rather than replace it, and then have to keep a new one healthy through the winter, I think I'm just going to (metaphoricly) put the old one on an ice floe this winter and let it die... then replace it in the spring.

fossel · Post by **fossel** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 6:09 am

I rode at 8 AM in socal .It was 42 degrees and freezing.I wore my battle gear and only my face was cold.Later was around 63 degrees and more enjoyable.I dont know how you guys ride in 20 degree temps.My hats off to you.I sure didnt see any other bikes out riding,until about 9am

Wolfhound · Post by **Wolfhound** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:34 am

I ride daily unless it rains. That said, most of my riding from now to April is done here on my place, riding my IckyBear Trike to the mail box or
around the place. Unless we get a few 60s days you wont see anybody riding til the end of March.

Capt_Don · Post by **Capt_Don** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:39 am

I will have no choice, the weather can not dictate my transport, just my speed! In the 20s tonight.

Milt · Post by **Milt** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:00 pm

Yesterday (29 Dec. 2012) I rode the Sportster to Loveland from Fort Collins - a nice little 20 mile hop. For some reason I saw no other riders on the road. It was a balmy 30+ degrees out and there was very little snow left on the roads. Heated glove liners make all the difference for me, since my fingertips are the only part that actually suffers from riding in the cold.

Today, I might take both scooters out for a few miles to cycle fuel out of the float bowls; my schedule might not permit riding for the rest of the week.

SYMbionic Duo · Post by **SYMbionic Duo** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:08 pm

I'm planning on ending and starting 2012/2013 with a midnight ride. It will be both the last ride of the year and the 1st.

Modern Buddy

Last Ride of the Year

Last Ride of the Year

Last ride of the year

Last ride of the year