Cold Morning Ride
Gray skies, high winds and the temperature hovering near the freezing point provides the first real opportunity to beginning the winter riding tempering process — the slow introduction of body and outlook to the cold. Do it wrong or too fast and you risk joining the riding masses who put their machines away when the temperature descends below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
There’s nothing wrong with that decision either.
Riding into town via a slight detour allowed a little more time to face the cold weather music. Flecks of snow and ice drifted in the air. It’s time to begin scanning the road differently — identifying potential for ice and other winter hazards.
Saint’s Cafe in State College, Pennsylvania.
Eventually, the Vespa scooter and I make our way to Saint’s Cafe. Electric gloves, layers and winter riding gear, balaclava, and chemical heating pads in my boots. Hands were still cold — I held the pot of hot tea longer than normal to restore the blood flow to my fingers.
I’ll have to put the grip muffs on the scooter to keep the wind off my hands. They’re magic in that regard.
Photo by Paul Ruby
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Paul and I get together on Sunday mornings to share photographs and talk about photography. The intent that the conversation will keep us working. He just returned from a trip to Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico where he made a photograph at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The print he made was stunning and echoed the paintings by Mark Rothko.
Unfortunately, the clear blue sky in the photo was not available today.
Snow Begins
The weather forecast promised snow. Not long after departing from the cozy warmth of Saint’s Cafe the wind started to blow harder and snow arrived — the sticky stuff that requires constant removal from the faceshield on the helmet.
Snow on the Road
Despite being cold, windy, and having to clear snow off the helmet, the roads stayed only wet without any slippery accumulation of snow. As I made my way home the snow began to fall harder. The Vespa GTS 250 has an ambient temperature indicator on the instrument cluster that’s helpful in monitoring when I need to be concerned with water turning into something more dangerous — especially when there’s no salt on the road.
Snow Vespa
I’m not sure if I’m ready for winter. As pretty as the world looks in the snow there’s a lot of baggage that comes along with it. I remember how grateful I am to feel warm days in March and dream of putting winter behind me. But it’s only starting now.
This is the first snow. I have no idea what the next few months will bring. I’ll have to go up into the attic over the garage and retrieve my Heidenau snow tires and hope the squirrels haven’t decided to snack on them.
For now, I’ve taken the first step in preparing for winter riding — braving the cold. For me, it’s a mental challenge. A snow flurry and temperatures around the freezing mark will give way to temperatures ten degrees lower and so forth.
Will I make it into the sub-zero realm again?
Warm last week, cold and freezing temperatures this week; shocking change eh?
Mind you Yanks still haven’t converted to metric measurement; so when the temperature “here” drops below freezing “0C” it is sub-zero…
We did receive snow here as well, just enough to make driving interesting.
As to snow tires the rule of thumb is any temperature 7 degrees Celsius or less on a constant basis calls for the softer compound snow tires. May the mice not eaten your tires!
Snow tires, all four! Yes Steve, I am one who puts the two wheels into storage. Being cold isn’t fun for me and I’m too old to do things that aren’t fun!
There was a period of time when I thought we would switch to the metric system. I think that window has closed.
The soft rubber winter tires make an amazing difference in cold weather. Still haven’t checked on the status of the tires. I think I may put the scooter in the shop to have the underside repainted. Rust is starting to form…
Mental challenge indeed Steve…I look forward to your pictures, but really enjoy the winter ones best. Snow just makes everything look better.
Sometimes it’s like a bridge too far to get those pictures. I agree though, things do look great in the snow.
This past Saturday I had work to do around the house. It was glorious outside every time I stuck my head out and I thought, “Hmmm. This would be a great day to invent a reason to ride.” I didn’t
Sunday morning, after the overnight snowfall, I was out shoveling the driveway and slipping on the thin layer of ice underneath. “You didn’t ride when you had the chance. How do you like that?”, I said to myself.
Seems that chores always take a back seat if there is ride to be had late in the season. This could be the last opportunity for 4 or 5 months and it is nice to ride the season out on a high note?
Same happens here Jim. I pass on the great days to ride to do some mindless tasks and then am left with less than perfect conditions to ride in.
No shoveling necessary here yet.
Sadly it wasn’t a mindless task. I was helping my new wife hang curtains and other items in our new home. If I want to ride again in peace it’s “Happy Wife, Happy Life.” I didn’t get this old by being foolish.
Sounds like wise words to me.
For a long time I rode all year long here in Pennsylvania. I even remember one 30 mile return trip I had to make, the day after I rode to the destination 30 miles away on a beautiful sunny and clear dry winter day, only to awake the next morning to a foot or so of freshly fallen snow. The roads had not yet been plowed, and I spent the entire 30 miles keeping the motorcycle in the tire track of the tractor trailer in front of me.
Now winter riding is just too much of a hassle for me personally, having to put on all that gear, except for those rare dry and sunny winter days, when I’m always up for a day long ride.
Hey Steve, we don’t see snow our end of the world. Johannesburg South Africa. Now and again in the mountains a bit. But nice to see your pictures. Hope you get some riding during your winter. Been great following your blog.
Beautiful pictures of the Snow Vespa. Like a snow leopard, but more elusive I think.
Snow Vespa’s aren’t common in this part of the country!
Well Steve here in Florida we had our first 44 degree morning and it was beautiful. I DO have to get some new gloves however. Love the snow pictures – be safe
44F is cold riding. Good gloves are essential in that weather. I was out today riding and it was in the low 40s. Had some cold weather gloves on AND the heated grips on high…
Steve,
Another great one….
One of the things I am most thankful for is this site and the happiness that reading it gives me..
All the best my friend…
Safety Bob
Thanks for the kind words. Glad you find something useful in the things I post…