Cold Ride Report

Saturday my SCRC State Officer and I went on a Toys for Tots ride transporting a stuffed bear for so many cents per mile donations. Left out in 28 to 30F weather and went 125 miles to our first stop. Where after refueling I began to shake, shiver, chatter teeth the whole bit. Coffee in the truck stop warmed me up and we continued. By then it had warmed up to about 45F and was 50F or better by the next stop another 125 miles away.
Now before you guys ask "what were you wearing"? here is the list. Thermal underwear under my jeans. 2 pair of socks inside my tennis shoes. Sorry no boots. Cotton insert in my summer gloves which went inside my gauntlet gloves. Still had to grab onto the valve cover and warm the hands periodically. Wool sweater, H.D. sweat shirt followed by my leather jacket. Balaclava under the helmet.
I felt good up until I stopped and was quite surprised at my shivering. Fingers and toes got cold but that's all. So I now know how insipid mild hypothermia can be. My state officer had a Goldwing so the full fairing helped him immensely. I of course only had my sport fairing which is all show and no go for cold weather! Chaps would have helped but not as much as STAYING HOME! Let's be careful out ther guys.

 

You are a nut, but we still admire you! Tennis shoes, no less.

I have electric vest, heated grips, and I still got cold. I have electric foot insoles but have not tried them yet.

You are a braver man than I, sir!

 

Tennies were all I had. I should invest in a pair of boots. Toes got cold on the first leg and were fine after that. Two pair of socks helped a lot. Needles to say , being that there is a fine line between bravery and foolishness, I won't do that again. I will be the guy in the truck pulling the trailer. I also thought about an electric vest the whole trip! Would have been nice along with some electric gloves. I don't know how you guys in Canada do it but I salute you!

 

I'm soooo glad we are just coming into summer.

Mind you we have just had the coldest winter in something like 30 years and I rode almost every day

Good on you for braving the cold weather for a worthy cause.

 

May I suggest the boots I wear:

http://www.epinions.com/auto-Motorsport ... tion_Boots

I rant and rave, but they're great boots and wearable under jeans for off bike time.

 

Yes you most certainly may! Those not only look warm and protective but rain resistant too! Thanks for the tip Woot.

 

very water resistant... never had wet feet in them... plus they are styled so that they don't look too much of a racer.

Good protection in shins and ankles too.

 

I have Sidi Stradas. Comfortable to wear all day, and I look sexy. Dang sexy.

Sidis at New Enough

 

The other ones I considered were the Oxtar Matrix - getting good reviews.

 

Can I get your SWMBO to agree with that? :roll:

 

I rode in 29 F last week. Snow pants keep the legs warm, leather boots and jacket, insulated underjacket, balaclava & goretex windproof gloves.

Hands pretty chilly but the rest was fine.

 

I rode today for a few minutes. I was cold. Mighty cold.

 

You guys are Brave. I drive with boots, a pair of fleece sweats under my jeans, insulated gloves, a throat protecter from a hard hat insulation kit and my insulated liner in my leather jacket up to the freezing point. However, I chicken out whenever the temperature drops below freezing. I just don't want to experience what happens when one half of my wheels meet a patch of frozen dew.

 

I have just told my Mrs about the cold you blokes have to out up with. It's 11.20am here and she is still under the duvet promising not to get up till I have the fire lit and the house warm, it's 13c. She has also promised not to talk at me again till I do have the fire lit, thank you god!

Faighaigh.

 

faighaigh,

Don't set your hopes too high. Once, at the end of an argument, Mrs. MiCarl promised NEVER to talk to me again.

That lasted about five minutes. Was a nice five minutes though......

 

On my Kaw KZ750 it broke the Vista curise cruise control and scratched the right muffler fairly well. I kept it up for quite a while sliding from one side to the other but eventually the ice won! My only injury was abruised ego. Which probably needed to be deflated at that time anyway!

 

Micarl.

Oh I know, I've had my wife's dulcet tones bashing my ears for 42 years
now. During that time she must have threatened to send me to Coventry a thousand times but the threats always proved to be empty, bless her.

Faighaigh.

 

I rode home the other night at 27F. Not much different than 37, and still not fun...

 

It's December 17th and it's gonna be 62 degrees today. At this rate, I'll never get my bike broke down for the winter rebuild I had planned. I can't decide if that's a good thing or not.

 

Supposed to hit 77F. here in Vicksburg! I skipped out on the club ride to Christmas shop. Never had that conflict before.