13. There are two simple rules for riding smoothly and fast in snow and on ice. Unfortunately no one knows what they are.
That is so damned true. There was this one night I turned onto the street parallel to mine (but not uphill), got about 30 yards to where there was a working street light, and saw that the whole road (including the 30 yards I'd just ridden over) was covered in ice from a burst water main. Until that point, I'd known both those rules. They disappeared when the light shone on the ice. I made it to the nearest curb, parked the bike, walked up through my downhill neighbour's yard to my place. And didn't get to even look at the bike for about 3 days -- by which time the ice was all melted.
Sent to Eric the Contractor, who is an incurable motorcyclist.
Incidentally, I found out about JB Weld from EtC when he claimed that his friend Tyson's first motorcycle was comprised of at least 40% JB Weld. By weight.
i remember sitting in a chicago bar before i was leaving to get married and listening to this guy that was a legend in the goth/industrial scene way back when talk about how when he was in college the only mode of transport he had was an old ducatti(i know i spelled that wrong. what can i say- i'm tired and it was my dream bile at the time. now i want one of the older one of those and an old triumph. (drool) he had brought it back from where he was stationed in germany, and he would ride it in winter in a dry suit with a wet suit over it. yes- diving suits. at least il has helmet laws, and he did follow them, but finally the luck bag emptied out before the other and the bike was totaled- not during winter, but during one of those freak midwestern hail storms, sitting by a sidewalk cafe. i still can't believe he rode that thing year-round, though. ugh.
i will have to pass this on to some friends of mine!
I have a couple of friends in CA who are bike-only, but I can't fathom doing that here in New England. The roads suck too badly in the winter, and public transportation is too hit or miss outside of Boston.
you get a few here in minnesota. i saw someone a few weeks ago when the roads were barely fit for cars out on his bike, white knuckling it until he got up to the corner gas station, and then parked it, called a friend, bought a tarp, and waitied until the friend showed up with a pick up and they hauled the bike off. the thing was, it had been snowing for hours by that point, the roads were horrible, and it seemed as if he had been out in it all along.
i have seen a few of the three wheelers out this winter- both the low riders and the newer ones that i just think look cool. a friend's husband has one he uses for commuting in new mexico, but that makes sense. it's warm there year round, well warmer than where we grew up at least! all three of us grew up in illinois, so pretty much anywhere south is warm compared to prairie winters.
but yeah- i can imagine riding in southern california, florida, and maybe a few of the other gulf areas, but i don't think i would risk winter riding. if i owned a bike, which is still a dream of
God, I can't wait for Harry's Place to open again. Late April, from the sign - local bikers love to hang out there, and Route 85 just outside the computer room window becomes the road-rally stretch from Willimantic/Hebron to town, just spitting distance to the burger stand.
Comments 11
That is so damned true. There was this one night I turned onto the street parallel to mine (but not uphill), got about 30 yards to where there was a working street light, and saw that the whole road (including the 30 yards I'd just ridden over) was covered in ice from a burst water main. Until that point, I'd known both those rules. They disappeared when the light shone on the ice. I made it to the nearest curb, parked the bike, walked up through my downhill neighbour's yard to my place. And didn't get to even look at the bike for about 3 days -- by which time the ice was all melted.
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Incidentally, I found out about JB Weld from EtC when he claimed that his friend Tyson's first motorcycle was comprised of at least 40% JB Weld. By weight.
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i remember sitting in a chicago bar before i was leaving to get married and listening to this guy that was a legend in the goth/industrial scene way back when talk about how when he was in college the only mode of transport he had was an old ducatti(i know i spelled that wrong. what can i say- i'm tired and it was my dream bile at the time. now i want one of the older one of those and an old triumph. (drool) he had brought it back from where he was stationed in germany, and he would ride it in winter in a dry suit with a wet suit over it. yes- diving suits. at least il has helmet laws, and he did follow them, but finally the luck bag emptied out before the other and the bike was totaled- not during winter, but during one of those freak midwestern hail storms, sitting by a sidewalk cafe. i still can't believe he rode that thing year-round, though. ugh.
i will have to pass this on to some friends of mine!
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i have seen a few of the three wheelers out this winter- both the low riders and the newer ones that i just think look cool. a friend's husband has one he uses for commuting in new mexico, but that makes sense. it's warm there year round, well warmer than where we grew up at least! all three of us grew up in illinois, so pretty much anywhere south is warm compared to prairie winters.
but yeah- i can imagine riding in southern california, florida, and maybe a few of the other gulf areas, but i don't think i would risk winter riding. if i owned a bike, which is still a dream of
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1) The return of songbirds
2) Garage sale signs
3) Cycles on the highway
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God, I can't wait for Harry's Place to open again. Late April, from the sign - local bikers love to hang out there, and Route 85 just outside the computer room window becomes the road-rally stretch from Willimantic/Hebron to town, just spitting distance to the burger stand.
Reply
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