12 for 12 in 2014

[the Ferret]

Todays ride was a weird one. Temp only varied 1 degree from 36 when I took off to 37 and back to 36 by the time I got home. Started off without electrics, but at the 40 mile mark, I stopped and plugged in. There was a wintry mix early this morning, but I waited until 1:00 pm to ride and the roads were mostly dry. What made it weird was the gloomy, dreary, damp, and cold conditions that never improved. Non fans of Ohio often call it "perma-gray".

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/Dec2ride018_zps9d9491e0.jpg.html]

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/Dec2ride021_zpsd7b9aa9f.jpg.html]

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/Dec2ride024_zps04d184da.jpg.html]

Today's ride also marks another year in which I've ridden in every month of the year Jan-Dec. I think that makes 8 years in a row now. My goal for the year was 25,000 miles and as of today I am at 24,906. 94 miles to go and 29 days to do it in. I know I'll get in 70 tomorrow as I am riding over to Sporttour on the western side of Cinti to have new tires put on the ST. Maybe I will just take the long way home and knock it out. Hmmm I wonder if 26,000 is possible? May as well give it a try. Been a great year of riding so far!

[CA200_imp]

Great job ferret, but even at 50mpg I could not afford the gas to do half that.

[Cormanus]

Great work, Ferret.

[the Ferret]

Great job ferret, but even at 50mpg I could not afford the gas to do half that.

Yea riding a motorcycle is not cheap. Besides approx. 500 gallons of gas it also took 4 tires and 6 oil changes.

Next year I'm cutting back my goal... to 15,000 miles.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Well done. I like that second photo. Another couple of degrees less and the base down a bit and that's freezing fog. Do you get that in Ohio? I've ridden in that stuff in the Netherlands. Cold only relieved by the fear of being rear ended by some crazy Dutchman. It tends to bring out the depressive in me, but in someone else's photos it has a mood that's kind of appealing. Your summer photos are so full of colour and light that winter looks like you are on a different planet. ST looks good. Aren't you glad you weren't out on the CB, or the long gone Nighthawk?

Cheers,

[ClassicVW_imp]

Yeah, that grey soupy fog is not my idea of a worry free ride. I too, would be worried that some yahoo will run me down.

[the Ferret]

I was worried a bit today in two instances..(1) I forgot to take my flo yellow green reflective safety vests which would have made me far more visible to cagers. Thought it was in the trunk. Ends up it was in my gear closet upstairs. and (2) I had one downhill left curve bridge over a creek I had to ride over on my route home. They can often be colder below than above and can get quite slippery. I transversed it cautiously and it was no issue today.

A couple degrees colder and this kind of fog just puts a ultra thin layer of ice on everything. At 32 or lower it can be an issue at 34 and above it's usually ok.

[Rocky_imp]

I tip my helmet to you for riding in all 12 months.
The weather here is too brutal in the winter and too variable to even think of riding between December and March.
Too cold; too much black ice; too much salt and sand; just plain too risky and not that much fun.
My bikes have been put away since 1 November although there was the odd day in November that it was decent enough to ride.
But to me, it's just not worth the bother to keep a bike serviced and ready to ride.
I'm retired so I can ride anytime I want in warmer weather.

[ClassicVW_imp]

I was told CHP parks the bikes at below 39 degrees because you can still have ice patches in the shady sections.
I don't worry about that because that is still below my personal comfort zone of 45 degrees and above.
This month, we have the wet leaves and the mush of smashed leaves left behind after they push the leaf piles along the roads to make bigger piles.

[the Ferret]

What can I say? I love riding and have been riding year round since 1965. Back when warm motorcycle gear was basically non existent. We have it so much better now. The gear is better, the motorcycles are better and the road conditions haven't changed much.

I can understand not taking the risk if you don't want to. I'm not encouraging anyone to ride in any conditions they are not comfortable with. There are dangerous conditions on the highway 24/7/365... Traffic, farm equipment, animals, oil, anti freeze, sun blindness, gravel, wind, rain. Winter riding just adds another layer of danger you have to watch out for..black ice, slippery over passes, salt piles, wet leaves ( although that's a fall hazard really) and traffic that is no longer used to seeing motorcycles on the road to name a few.

Like any other time of the year I rely on experience and good gear to keep me safe. So far so good. Heading out in about 45 mins for a ride.I love riding! Lol