Riding the past two weeks has been brutal. Words like fry, broil, bake, roast and hell come to mind. Summer is my riding off-season especially when the temperature exceeds 80F. I can’t remember the last time I felt comfortable riding. Or walking for that matter. Junior heads for the creek when we go for a walk and I don’t feel like doing much at all. It’s reflected in the infrequency of posts.
Heading into town last week at 7pm and the world feels like a blast furnace. Everything is fading to brown at the Pennsylvania Military Museum where the People’s Choice Arts Festival had concluded a few days earlier.
Junior and I spent some time this morning at Starbucks before the world started to fry. When his tongue began to drag on the ground it was time to leave.
I had great plans to finish a post today about the BMW Rally in Bloomsburg but chose to work in the garden and some time on the couch instead.
It’s just too damn hot to ride, write or fiddle with a computer.
Bring on the snow.
+1 on the too hot…
I don’t know if I’m quite ready for snow yet but how about 30°F cooler. It was just as warm today down in Williamsburg, VA, though they had more air-conditioned buildings.
It was great to meet you again!
Richard
Six months from now you’ll have snow as high as an elephant’s eye!
Southern Ontario, west end of Lake Ontario hit 40C and then there was the humidity.
Comfort level? Not.
This is the reason ceiling fans, air conditioners, chunks of ice,
and large electric fans ere invented.
Over 30 degrees C, nothing is comfortable and as for Junior does he play in the creek or just lie down in the cooling water?
So did you join him in the water??
I spend Friday touring in the Pine Creek Gorge, Wellsboro, Coudersport, and Renovo. There were plenty of BMWs on the road, along with the usual Harleys and a couple of Victory bikes. Temperatures ranged from 97 in the rare cool zones to 105, even the higher altitude spots were above 100, as were the deeper glades along the creek. Separates the dedicated riders from the casual crowd, that’s for sure. Whatever you do, don’t stop when it’s that hot in those mountains, the deer flies will chomp right through your riding gear.
Indeed, it was very hot at Bloomsburg. It’s so nice to have friends (Alaska Leather vendor) who had air conditioned accommodations, i.e.- we stayed with them instead of the tent.
The wife saw you holding court with an admirer, but didn’t want to interrupt. Hope you found something of interest at the rally.
RichardM: It was good to see you again in Bloomsburg. You didn’t get to see Pennsylvania at it’s best under the high heat conditions.
Someday perhaps we can meet again in Alaska!
Bryce: Hadn’t seen you post in awhile so I thought you might be on a world tour or hibernating for the summer. Hope things are going well north of the border.
Yesterday it was a delightful 71F on my ride home so all memories of heat and humidity have left me. The snow can wait.
Junior knows the value of a dip in the creek. He almost heads there on autopilot. I heave the tennis ball, he runs it down, picks it up and heads straight for the water.
I’ve not joined him yet but the thought has crossed my mind.
Anonymous: Riding along Pine Creek is a wonderful place to explore and perhaps even at 100 degrees. Well, maybe not. But you certainly have to be a hard core rider to venture out in that weather.
Deer flies are nasty. I’ve been devoured by them and black flies more than once during hikes but so far have avoided them on two wheels.
Poppawheelie: I can’t imagine sleeping in a tent in that weather — you’re fortunate indeed to have a friend with air conditioning!
Holding court — that’s funny. I just remember yacking with a bunch of bloggers. Your wife should have said hello.