In the Wind? In Colorado? In December?

NOT!

:) I rode through a lot of Colorado winters splitting the wind on any day that the thermometer claimed ten degrees or more. If the roads weren't all iced up I was on the bike and the bike was on  the road.

I remember one winter the temps stayed too cold and the roads too iced up to ride from before Christmas to the middle of January. I was one grumpy biker.

The V star I rode then wouldn't start below 17 degrees, so I kept it in the shop at night. I'd ride out in the mornings down as low as ten degrees, as long as I knew the high would get up to at least twenty or so... so I knew my bike would start to come home in the evening.

With my Raider waiting in my brother-in-laws shop in Phoenix, we've been up here in Denver for the past ten days or so on this Christmas circle with temps in the thirties. Balmy by my old standards, but apparently my tough old rounder days are over! All the bones I broke, dislocated and abused over the years are achin' and cursin' at me.

They're tellin' me my tough nut days are in the past. Yes sir! I believe I'm pretty solidly focused on keeping myself camped on sunny slopes in shirt sleeve weather! ;)

It's the old Been there Done that story. I know I did. I know I could... but now-a-days? I don't wanna! :)

Don't get me wrong, I still ain't gonna break down and hang a windshield on my motorcycle... All I'll admit to is a lot greater reluctance to ride when the bite of the wind leaves your face glowin' like a lantern! :)

Readying for our return south from our Christmas Circle.

Grab Your Handles and Ride
Brian

Sonja is a lot Farther South... but still...

hasn't gotten down off the truck. :) Kind of embarrassing for a Yamaha Raider... but we've all got our crosses to bear... right?

Sometimes things just don't work out right. We've been pushing a bit 'cause we had to meet a friend in Zion. We'd intended to spend a bit more time on the Grand Canyon's North Rim... and get her down there... but we pulled in with kinda soggy weather...

*Deceptive Photo at the North Rim*

 Looks kinda nice in this pic don't it? Yeah... well a couple miles farther on the windshield wipers were doin' their thing and the rain was comin' down! :) I judged that one right and didn't feel even a lil' bit poorly for wussin' out. :)

Took a tour the afternoon we pulled in, in the truck; and again in the rain and overcast the next day... hopin' for a break. But... when I got up that second morning in camp...

*It may be winter... but this Scooter is Riding herself! in the Snow*

I rode all winter in Colorado, clear down to 10 degrees... But I was younger and prettier there... To tell the truth... Though I might be a 'Rounder' that rides all year, riding in the snow and cold has just lost its romance for me. :-o

So we loaded up and headed for Zion.

I've got another day of working on rig repairs (failed plumbing parts) and then, with great weather threatened by the Weatherman for the next week or more... Sonja will be putting her two wheels back on the Asphalt and she and I will be scootin' around Zion and local environs! HooYa!

We'll be here or round-a-bouts for a week or two... then it's keep on south to get to Avondale in time for our jobs at the NASCAR race.

Livin' Fat
Brian

Guess I'm Getting Spoiled... Easy Living on the Desert Might Not be Good for a Biker!

Been so warm and nice down here on the Desert this winter... I've gotten soft. 

I moved our camp a few days ago to a new BLM region to stay legal with the 14 day camp rule... Back just north of Quartzsite where we'd been parked, the truck hadn't moved for most of two weeks. If we went somewhere... we rolled on my Roadstar Raider.

It sure cuts a frugal Bikers cost of living when I don't do any $80 truck fill ups for a couple weeks at a time... just 7 or 8 bucks to top off the motorcycle for a ride stretches the dollar a long dang ways!  :o)

Kind of planning that here too... if the weather will co-operate... So far... I haven't even felt like gettin' that Big Cruiser off the truck... too dang windy and cool!

*Bikers Camp near Bouse, Arizona...*

You can't see the wind... but it's goin' about thirty miles an' hour... and I'm feelin' puny... so I'll wait another day or so... supposed to be back up near 60 tomorrow... and 75 by Saturday... and the wind is supposed to blow away... Sweet!

I'd say it's cold here ... if folks back home in Colorado weren't runnin' around in 19 below zero weather! Complaining 'cause it's gotten down to 30 here at night sounds purty weak by comparison, don't it? :o)

But... after several weeks of 70's and bumpin' on 80... it feels damn chilly when it's 35 degrees and the wind is honkin' across the Desert... to think... I used to ride, all winter long at 10 degrees on the Colorado Front range... wind just whistlin'... as long as the road wasn't iced up... and now...

... here I am, whinin', and holed up inside... 'cause the wind is blowin' and it's only gettin' to a high of 46! I think Easy living is bad for a Bikers constitution! :o)

Grab Your Handles and Ride!
Brian

Return to the Home page of Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road
Visit our sister site goin' RV Boondocking

Share your stories and opinions;
*Tell us Which you think is the... The Best Touring Motorcycle
*Share...  Your Personal Motorcycle Philosophy with us!
*Tell us about your...  Great Motorcycle Roads

A Northern Bikers Heaven... Winter on the Desert

This will be the first winter we'll spend down on the Desert... in something like 25 years...

I grew up down on the Arizona desert... and though it's not the same place I left a long time ago... it'll do!

Not having to bury myself under four or five layers... and deal with the punishment of riding a motorcycle through another Colorado Winter... is something I think I'll have lil' difficulty gettin' adjusted to!

What with Arizona bein' something like a third larger than Colorado... there's no shortage of good roads. If the weather up north is bad?... ride down through the Sonoran Desert in the south. When the weather is good above? Take a run up to Sedona... or east a ways over to Payson below the Mogollon Rim.

*Cruiser Motorcycles in the Arizona Desert in the Winter*

 Sunday, we took a ride up NE of Phoenix, to Bartlett Reservoir... and it was easy to tell that the Winter, is Riding Season in Arizona.

I didn't keep a count... but I'm pretty sure there were as many, if not more bikes makin' that Sunday ride, as cars. Harleys, BMW, 'wings... you name it... quite a few duals... though I was surprised to see so few straight up sport bikes...

* Riding a Motorcycle in December... in shirt sleeves... in Arizona! HooYa!*

I'm guessing they must have a road, somewhere, with tighter twists in the asphalt.

But... bottom line? If you're weary, already of snow, ice and cold in that part of the country north of 75 degrees... move your butt... and your bike south! :o)

I do believe I've figured out the trick to "Winter Motorcycle Riding"...

Do your riding ... in Arizona! :o)

Grab Your Handles and Ride!
Brian

Return to the Home page of Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road
Visit our sister site goin' RV Boondocking

Share your stories and opinions;
*Tell us Which you think is the... The Best Touring Motorcycle
*Share...  Your Personal Motorcycle Philosophy with us!
*Tell us about your...  Great Motorcycle Roads