I spent much of last week in Colorado visiting family. After one too many nightmare trips through DIA during peak holiday travel times, we’ve recently started a tradition of celebrating the holidays around, but not during, the actual holidays. Canceled flights are so much easier to bear when there’s not 100,000 people going the same places you are! It’s kind of like swerving around an obstacle. Or maybe surmounting an obstacle. Oh ho, this post is about motorcycles after all!
While this trip consisted mainly of the typical family things, a simple conversation over dirty dishes revealed something notable: apparently, my dad once convinced my mom to go with him for a ride on a borrowed motorcycle. Only “once,” because she was so scared she said that she’d never ride on one again. Ah, well. My dad passed away a few years ago before I started motorcycling, and I never knew that he knew how to ride, though I did suspect it. After all, dad was the one who gave me my first computer and my love of fast cars (especially Z-cars). Looks like all those times he let me “help” him out in the garage paid off, eh?
Anyway, the weather was sunny every day, and this brought out plenty of motorcycles. There was 99% helmet use among non-cruiser riders, but only one cruiser rider wearing a lid. I guess one must maintain their image even in 40°F weather.
Speaking of gear, mom and I stopped by the BX for some shopping, and I was mildly surprised to see a display of Icon riding gear for sale. Hi-viz vests are now mandatory gear for riders on base, but it was good to see some jackets, gloves, back protectors, and boots for sale in what is probably a very convenient location.
That sums up the motorcycling parts of my trip. I’m trying to finish a write-up about riding in the rain that I’ve been working on for what feels like weeks. (What, you thought posts wrote themselves?)
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I can’t wait for the weather to get better so I can ride. I do ride all year but the my limit is the 40′s since I don’t have any heated gear.
@Mike: Lurk here — http://advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=54 — and you’ll find some heated gear soon enough.
I love Z cars. Not that I would give up my FJR for one. Anytime a company builds a car body just to help a motor move down the road……sigh!
One June we were out there and having packed gear & helmets, borrowed a friend’s R1150GS for a ride. Made an assault on Mt. Evans, but about 12k feet I realized I could see the tail-lights 30 feet in front of me, the headlights 30 feet behind me, the rock wall to my right, and the cloud to my left, and the thermometer on the dash said 34F. Time to bail. (At the ranger station on the way down, they told us they’d closed the summit and were turning people around at just above where we did.)
On the way back, we ran into a hail storm. We were sure to wave at all the Rugged Individualists. None of them looked like they were having fun anymore… Riding gear is not just for the crash.
Next time you come to Colorado we should try to get together to ride! Glad you had a good visit. I try to avoid DIA during the holidays as well.
Hi there,
me too can’t wait for the weather to get better. During the the last two and half months I sat maybe 4-5 times on my bike but only for 10-15 miles to get the engine running up to temp because it was so damn cold.
Right now the bike is resting in a warm, dry place (you can see it in the pics Stacey put up here on here page – the white SV). I took the battery out to give it a load every now and then.
Unfortunately I’ll likely have to wait till March to ride again. Last February we had 2-3 \warm\ days (57 degrees F) but that was rather a surprise. Oh, how I hate winter
If I’d win the lottery I surely would move to a place where the weather’s fine during winter, too. Maybe southern France, Spain or Italy.
Greets
Peter