Comments on: Into the Night and Cold

By: Schnarpsel

Schnarpsel — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 17:20:44 +0000

Steve, I’m officially impressed. I don’t like to ride when it’s below 74 F, so “lovely at 50 F” is a foreign term to me. On the other hand I do not have all that gear either and that probably makes all the difference.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 07:02:53 +0000

Schnarpsel: After weeks of much colder and snowier weather last night was markedly easier to endure and navigate. Kind of straightforward in terms of managing risk (typical night riding and ice assessment) and 21F is really kind of, well, warm in terms of the riding gear I wear.

Still, I'm ready for warm weather in the 50F and above range and your comments transition from Tough, tough, tough to lovely, lovely, lovely...

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 06:58:12 +0000

David Masse: As desolate as that picture looks it was still invigorating to be out in that world. Hard to explain to most people, even other riders. I've quit trying to explain my madness.

Writing this comment from the blanketed comfort of my recliner....

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 06:56:04 +0000

bob skoot: The current state of my diet is terrible. Bad. Really bad. Cookies are just the tip of the iceberg!

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 06:55:16 +0000

Concetta Phillips: If I’m up to it and not in a hurry I can carry a lot of groceries on the GTS — topcase, underseat, pursehook, front rack, and tied down on top of the seat. Eight to nine bags of groceries. But when it’s cold outside I often don’t feel like fiddling around like that.

But even the simple haul of food is impressive!

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 06:50:28 +0000

Charlie6: I’m happy the HEET seems to be working as well instead of having to build a fire under the Vespa as if I were on my way to Stalingrad in 1941…

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 06:49:05 +0000

RichardM: Corrosive is right. I had to surrender the shiny Vespa up to the salt gods a long time ago as payment for riding through the winter. It began with the muffler and is now beginning to spread a bit.

Despite my complete disinterest in the cosmetic care of machines I really am going to have to take steps to be a bit more engaged with washing, waxing, and to attending to some emerging rust.

Really does seem like the government is spreading much more salty kinds of stuff now than in the past so people can continue to race through their lives unimpeded...

By: Schnarpsel

Schnarpsel — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 04:56:24 +0000

I kept reading your post aloud to my husband, only interrupted by adding my own exclamations which consisted mainly of "tough, tough, tough"...

Agree with David M. on the gas station shot. My favorite as well.

By: David Masse

David Masse — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 04:14:01 +0000

Love the pictures Steve, especially the gas station shot. I can feel the desolate cold and almost taste the salt. Yuck!

I'm definitely in recliner mode, well and truly stuck.

By: bob skoot

bob skoot — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 21:29:38 +0000

Steve:

Don't laugh ! Soon we are going to be in your predicament. It's going below freezing for the next several days (Gulp)

and those groceries look healthy, esp those loCal cookies

bob
Riding the Wet Coast