A most spectacular ride

[the Ferret]

Today's ride was simply spectacular. Not for it's destination...a local loop, or it's length...43 miles, or the temperature.... 30 degrees F, but yesterday morning we were "blessed" to wake up with a quarter inch of ice covering everything. I mean everything. It covered the road, the vehicles left outside, the porch, every blade of grass, weed, tree limb, every overhead wire..everything. I decided not to ride yesterday for obvious reasons. But by today the roads appeared fine and I decided to ride. The sun was shining brilliantly, creating shadows, by the time I pushed the ST out at 2 PM and fired it up.

Due to the low temps, none of the ice had melted off the trees, shrubs etc and everything looked like it was made out of glass. Glass chandeliers were everywhere, sparkling in the light. In many places the frozen drips looked like led Christmas lights scattered throughout the trees. Out here in the country I would ride down roads with these glass trees and shrubs lining both sides. I'd ride over the top of a hill and laid out in front of me would be acres and acres of glass trees. Miles and miles of 2"-4" icicles hanging from over head wires. It was truly stunning visually. I took about 30 pictures just hoping one of them would show the brilliance of what I was seeing, but of course the camera couldn't capture it faithfully. I hope with the one I am posting you can at least visualize what it might have looked like. It was truly awesome!

Here is what the ice looked like that covered everything

 

[emptysea]

Beautiful..

 

[Stichill]

What a memorable ride, ferret. As I left work today in the car, I saw the sun shining through the ice-covered wooded areas and it was spectacular.

 

[jimgl3_imp]

this is the closest I can find to the most spectacular I ever saw

It was dawn and there was ice like yours, but was snow also. I was in a patrol car though, not on a bike!

 

[the Ferret]

Gorgeous pic Jim. Hauntingly beautiful

 

[Offroad]

Love to look at snow and ice!

School was out for us again (5th day)....we are out of built in snow days....any more days are added on so hope not or it could interfere with the rally.

 

[emptysea]

Hmmm... offroad, I sense in your tone that you may be coming down with a cold. One of those slow building ones that won't come into full bloom for quite some time......like the last week of May.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

A number of years ago we had an ice storm in the fall. There was a large crab apple tee not far from my home with its fruit covered with ice. But with the morning sun on them, they looked like Christmas tree ornaments instead of apples.

 

[Cormanus]

Ferret and Jim, what lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing them. It will be a very cold day in the devil’s domain before Brisbane ever looks like that.

 

[cookiemech]

Beautiful photos! But Ferret, I don't know how you manage such consistently better road conditions than I have in SW PA (I mean, Ohio, PA, same latitude, probably same elevation, though we have hills). We had the same freezing rain/sleet/snow mess here, but there's no way I could ride. I walk into town (~4 mile round trip) every day, and yesterday was a challenge to avoid falling on ice.

Send some of those dry roads over this way . . .

 

[redbirds_imp]

Lovely winter photos ferret. Ice can make commonplace things a treat for the eye.

 

[Razor]

Nice photos! You’ve got some serious “drive” to sustain your goal for driving every day :beerchug: :biker:

 

[Rocky_imp]

Nice pictures when the sun shines through the trees and bushes for that crystal look.
We get those conditions all the time up here, but nobody goes out and rides in it

 

[Django]

It surprises me that the roads were free.

When I experienced iced rain here in Germany, also the roads were covered by a solid layer of pure ice. It would be impossible to stay upright when leaving the house, so slippery it was.

Normally work live then stalls for a few days until melting.

 

[the Ferret]

Django thats why I didnt ride Wednesday, but by Thursday roads were fine.

I just looked out the window and it looks like it's pouring down rain, but it isn't. Suns out and temps got above freezing and all the ice is melting and dripping, so much so, it looks like a rain storm. Again very cool.

Riding in a bit.

 

[johnf514_imp]

Beautiful shots ferret, and to think I've been hiding the CB in the garage because we've had 40% chance of rain and temps in the 70s...

 

[use2b_imp]

Beautiful

 

[RLS_imp]

Great pictures Ferret. Thank goodness the snow and ice here are gone and it was 65 for my ride today.

 

[Bheezy27403_imp]

Growing up in OH that indeed was a rare sight, but, since my move to NC this happens quite frequently here. At least once every winter sometimes more. I couldn't believe it the first time I saw it. Incredibly beautiful. Especially when the sun is on it as you saw it. It is however incredibly destructive too. 3 years back we had a large ice storm that wreaked havoc in middle NC. I remember standing outside for a few hours taking it all in and the sound of trees snapping all around. Power out for 3 days, roads closed from hundreds of downed trees. Pure mess. I had to drive to Raleigh to buy a new chainsaw as they were all sold out in the area. Took a year to clean up my yard and woods.

 

[Stichill]

Django thats why I didnt ride Wednesday, but by Thursday roads were fine.

I just looked out the window and it looks like it's pouring down rain, but it isn't. Suns out and temps got above freezing and all the ice is melting and dripping, so much so, it looks like a rain storm. Again very cool.

Riding in a bit.

I was at the office today but Mrs. Stichill works at home. She sent me a video of the "ice showers" today when the sun came out. Definitely sounded like heavy rain was coming down!