Saturday, September 02, 2006

Weather-testing the gear again


An overcast Saturday today, gray skies, temps in the 50s I think with mists in the mountains and rain droplets floating in the air as I cruised south through Parker, Sedalia, the Chatfield Reservoir, Deer Creek Canyon road to US285 and ended up at Tiny Town.

I gassed up and took a coffee break there at the "Little Log Cabin" gas station around noon and read with amusement the signs from from the Dept of Wildlife advising one how to deal with the mountain lions and bears which apparently roam that area!

I forgot to mount the windshield (which I regreted several times during the ride) and forgot my glove liners but otherwise my riding gear came through with flying colors except for the helmet. There's a gap between my chin and the helmet and the cold air was causing my eyes to tear up. I put a rag into the space which fixed that issue only to cause another when I stopped at lights and stopsigns.....it would instantly cause my visor/glasses to fog up! I think if I had the windshield on this would not have been an issue but since I forgot it, must test another day. I must also remember to bring along the anti-fog spray for my helmet visor.


Cool rock formation on Buckhorn Road.

Had to keep remembering to flip the visor open when coming to a stop or deal with no vision until I did so. Not a good thing, not being able to see. So after a bit, the rag came out and I dealt with wind coming in via the bottom of the helmet instead. The weather conditions: wet and cold, were perfect to force me to crack the visor to keep the visor fog-free. I kept having to wipe the rain droplets that formed on the visor from the floating rain droplets but that was no big deal.


Buckhorn Road, off of Deer Creek Canyon Road.






My fingertips kept getting cold but not unbearably so, I am now really looking forward to receiving and installing the heated grips I recently ordered. Then my digits should be nice and warm during these "cold and wet" rides.

All total, about 4.5 hrs of riding mostly county roads with brief highway intervals.
And no, I was not the only fool out there on a motorcycle! I saw perhaps ten other fools out there on bikes braving the less than perfect riding weather.

I also saw bambi and friends in the foothills, perhaps a total of six spread out through the ride. One was close enough on the side of the road on Deer Creek Canyon road for us to exchange looks before she lopped off away from me as I got nearer. I was watching her closely in case she decided to walk onto the road instead!


Intersection of Deer Creek Canyon Rd and Turkey Creek Rd.

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