Brrrrr. What a way to get to work.

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Brrrrr. What a way to get to work.

Postby MrE » Wed Oct 06, 2004 9:54 am

What do you get when you combine temps in the 30's, no heated jacket, glaring sun just above the horizon, unfamiliar gravel roads with deep ruts, large potholes and loose gravel, sleepy commuters, tornado damaged trees and finally lots of deer? One hell of a good morning commute. :lol: :lol:

It started shortly after Heather pulled out of the driveway. I couldn't find my Gerbing liner and she didn't have her cell phone turned on. She had recently reorganized upstairs and I can't find anything. Oh well, its not THAT cold. And there is no way in hell I am taking the truck today. So I pulled on a fleece, closed the vents on the front of my jacket and headed out.

Sitting at the end of my driveway, waiting to join the herd, I could see that traffic was crawling all the way through town, which meant is was crawling all the way to Leesburg, and probably most of the way down the Greenway. People can't handle that early morning sun and drive like idiots. Well, this just won't do for such a spectacular morning. So I turned right, exactly opposite of the path I should be taking. I figured I would head west for a little while then turn south and hit some good gravel backroads. Just at the edge of town, Hughes street turns south and I had never been more than a mile or two down that road. I knew it connected to some of my fun gravel roads and figured I couldn't get that lost. It turns out that it quickly turns to gravel and roller coasters through the Loudoun County hills. Woohoo. With the sun beside or behind me for the most part, I was making "good time" on the hard packed gravel. Occasionally the road would disintegrate into washboard, potholes, ruts, or deep, loose gravel. Sometimes all of the above at the same time. Then back to full speed and the next set of obstacles. I believe this road was called Sands Rd. I was having to much fun to pay attention.

I caught up to a school bus, but before I could get pissed or pass, he turned onto another road. At the intersection, I turned left to head back in the right direction. I figured I had come far enough south to get away from the clogged feeder roads. Unfortunately now I was headed directly into the sun. The Autumn morning sun was sending shafts of burning light through the trees and completely eliminating all vision. I would go from very dark shadows to complete white out. It was like riding through a dark tunnel with a strobe light going off. The road condition ranged from great to complete crap. Usually the crap came just after I had been completely blinded by a shaft of sun. I used the force and pushed on.

By now the cold has started to work its way through my summer weight gloves (my winter gloves are with my heated jacket... whereever that is). Due to the glare of the sun, I had been riding with my face shield up so my cheeks were getting that tingly feeling too. But the surges of adrenaline that would peak just as I realized I was heading for a rut slightly smaller than the New River Gorge helped to keep blood flowing to the extremeties.

One major concern was the trees down from the recent tornadoes. Many had just been cut off at the road's edge, just wide enough to get the power company trucks through. They haven't been cleared back away from the shoulders yet. While I knew that hitting a deep rut could throw me, the idea of being clothes-lined or impaled by a rogue branch really kept me on my toes.

I continued on, dodging ruts, plowing through deep loose gravel, flying blind half the time, avoiding the limbs that stuck out like so many lances, fighting off the cold. And then there was bambi. Luckily I saw them first. I came to a stop as they lazily hoped the fence and continued through the field. There were 4 does, three of which were nice and big. One was probably a yearling. They trotted off through the field as if to say, "you don't really scare us. We were going this way anyhow." We'll see about that in November, beeeaaatch. One even stopped about 50 yards away to watch me. BLAM. Dinner. But this is October not November, so back into gear and on to work.

The rest of the ride was uneventful. Except for the truck crane that I met in probably the narrowest part of the entire road. He stayed right in the middle, safely away from the ditches and the downed trees. I rode IN the ditch and under the downed trees to avoid becoming a bumper ornament. Yield to tonnage.

Alive and well, sitting here with my hot coffee and avoiding the inbox full of email, I wonder how these people around me make it through their commutes each the morning. How do you go through life caged in climate controlled comfort never experiencing the world raw and in living color? A lot of you may ride more miles than I do, but commuting by bike is one thing that gets me through my days. After all, it's the sMiles, not the miles.
The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.
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Postby Sonar » Wed Oct 06, 2004 11:53 am

:P Don't you just love the blank stares you get when you walk into the Office on a cold or rainy day, carrying a Motorcycle Helmet. I work with six or so Harley riders most of which ride to the store on Saturday if its warm and sunny. When I moved to BMW, they immediately started calling me Euro-Yuppy-Trash (tongue in cheek), but after a year of seeing my bike on the lot every day the comments have subsided.
The wind in your face, the elements and the machine do wonders to focus your senses whether you are heading in or heading home. It sounds like you have some great roads to foster your riding adventures. Of course my LT would seriously be out of sorts on the gravel.
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Postby After12yrs » Wed Oct 06, 2004 12:50 pm

Mike, Thanks for a great going to work story. This site and your dirt ride are beginning to get me thinking that I should have gone with the GS vice the RT.
And here I thought that I was being so smart in thinking that the GS was only good if you lived on the Left Coast.

Ride On :D
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Postby Chubber » Wed Oct 06, 2004 1:18 pm

Sonar wrote::P Don't you just love the blank stares you get when you walk into the Office on a cold or rainy day, carrying a Motorcycle Helmet.


Yeah. The office mates often shake their heads ruefully as I come bouncing in on cold frosty mornings fresh from a ride on the R. The only other riders in the office are a Harley rider (who also rides 52 weeks a year) and a Honda liter bike rider who rides about 10 sundays a year.

I don't have electric clothes. All I have are polypro undies (I need them in the office as well because they keep the temps in the mid 60s, too cold for me), a turtleneck and a fleece. Windproof overpants and jacket complete the ensemble. That has carried me on dark rides as cold as 5 F. Below about 40 I like to put on the windshield. Below 20 I put on the GS handguards to cut the wind. 5 F and a 65 MPH windchill can be downright dangerous to exposed flesh, though, so be careful.

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Postby MrE » Wed Oct 06, 2004 1:52 pm

That has carried me on dark rides as cold as 5 F.

Hehehe... I think you may have me. I don't think I have ridden in single digits... yet. Now the gauntlet is down.

But you are right about the frostbite. Not a good thing and will happen quickly in those low temps.

I plan on picking up a heated grip kit at Morton's on Saturday. Meredith assured me that they are easy to install.

I like the Gerbing jacket and with my First Gear Jacket and Pants, Olympia gloves and a polypro balaclava under my helmet, I am good to go with no problems down to mid-teens.
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Postby Kres » Wed Oct 06, 2004 1:57 pm

I have to say that Mike's posts are at least 20% of the reason I'm getting the GS instead of the CS. I'm traveling to Seattle for 2 weeks (Renting a 1100R while I'm there - for 3 days to peek at the Volcano) and then coming home and picking up my F650GS. W00t!

I commuted in on 2 wheels this AM too. It was nippy, but man, it's better than phazing in and out in the car. I've got a pretty quick 12 mile run to work - no gravel, crane trucks or blow-downs - just Soccer Moms, SUV's and contstruction zones.

Funny, today I had no problem getting the front row motorcycle spot at work... :-) Without electric gear, I'm wondering how long I'll be able to ride in. Well, here's hoping for a mild winter!

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Postby island_dude » Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:02 pm

Yup it was pretty cold today. I NEED to go get electrics. This is not going to get any better. At least my heated grips help.

I have gained a bit of noteriety for riding in the face of all sorts of weather. The Harley riders don't dare make any comments since I only see their bikes in the mildest weather.
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Postby MrE » Wed Oct 06, 2004 3:22 pm

I have to say that Mike's posts are at least 20% of the reason I'm getting the GS instead of the CS.


YAY! I have corrupted another one. ::monkey dance::
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Postby Chubber » Thu Oct 07, 2004 5:37 pm

mrenloe wrote:
That has carried me on dark rides as cold as 5 F.

Hehehe... I think you may have me. I don't think I have ridden in single digits... yet. Now the gauntlet is down.


Actually the Gauntlet is part of the success. I did forget to mention that I have good winter gloves. Don't recall the make off hand (hah!) but they work well. The GS handguards let them work, cutting the worst of the wind that rolls off the windshield (50 MPH bike == 75 MPH wind at the edge of my windshield, right where my hands are.)

In temps that low the thing to look out for is black ice. A shady spot in the road, downhill from a pile of snow, etc. are all dangerous. No hooning.

Plus, that first cup of coffee when you get where you are going tastes that much better!

If this winter is anything like last winter, you will get plenty of chances to try riding in the cold. I burned almost 2 cords of wood last year, and I usually rarely do one.

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Postby JimVonBaden » Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:12 pm

Kres wrote:I have to say that Mike's posts are at least 20% of the reason I'm getting the GS instead of the CS. I'm traveling to Seattle for 2 weeks (Renting a 1100R while I'm there - for 3 days to peek at the Volcano) and then coming home and picking up my F650GS. W00t!

...

Kres


Oh, you are going to regret renting an R1100 then coming home to an F650. :lol:

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Postby Kres » Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:25 pm

Oh, you are going to regret renting an R1100 then coming home to an F650


Well... It just so happens that the R1100 is out of commision for my trip... Mechanical problems.

Now what was Banshee saying about the mechanical stabilty of the R's....

Hmmmmmmm :-D

Looks like I'm on a Honda Shadow unless there is a minor mechanical miracle!
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Postby JimVonBaden » Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:28 pm

Kres wrote:
Oh, you are going to regret renting an R1100 then coming home to an F650


Well... It just so happens that the R1100 is out of commision for my trip... Mechanical problems.

Now what was Banshee saying about the mechanical stabilty of the R's....

Hmmmmmmm :-D

Looks like I'm on a Honda Shadow unless there is a minor mechanical miracle!


LOL Consider yourself lucky! Most of the F650 owners love their bikes, but eventually want to move to a bigger bike. One ride on an 1100/1150 could ruin you! :wink:

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Postby Hello Kitty » Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:47 pm

And here I've been on the F650GS for a few weeks while the Montauk is in the shop and I'm starting to wonder if I want it back! I LOVE the 650! Super fun little ride. Back and forth to work is GREAT! I go about 38 miles on 95 and then the DC beltway. Oh, what fun! It is on the 650!.

I get the weird looks, and asked if I have a car. Some of the older guys have asked if I need help getting a car... They just don't get it. I don't have any heated clothing, yet. I might go that route this year. I've riden in the single digits, but that was when I worked 10 miles from home.

Bundle up and let the excitement of the ride keep you warm!
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Postby JimVonBaden » Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:53 pm

Nancy O wrote:And here I've been on the F650GS for a few weeks while the Montauk is in the shop and I'm starting to wonder if I want it back! I LOVE the 650! Super fun little ride. Back and forth to work is GREAT! I go about 38 miles on 95 and then the DC beltway. Oh, what fun! It is on the 650!.

...


Um, but the F650 and the Mauntauk have almost the same Horsepower, and the 650 weighs a lot less.

An 1100/1150 has quite a bit more HP and better handling. But you should ride whatever makes you happy! :D

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Postby Hello Kitty » Tue Oct 12, 2004 1:06 pm

I do love and miss the Montauk. I will appreciate the windscreen and less vibration in the handlebars, especially when traffic is as brutal as it was this morning. I pick it up today after work and will have some time with it before she goes back in a couple weeks.

I've only been riding for 5 years, so am still sorting out what I like and don't like. I didn't care for anything remotely sporty for a long time and only now am beginning to appreciate the style. Maybe next time.
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