As I mentioned in my last post, I had let my drivers license expire while I was out of town. So that seemed like a good excuse for a long walk to the DMV yesterday morning. It was only about a 45 minute wait at the DMV, paid my $20 and headed back with my shiny new license. I stopped at the Fred Meyer store to warm up with some hot coffee since winter doesn't seem like it wants to leave town. The temperature was only in the mid-20's (°F) and there was a light wind. I wimped out and took the bus back to campus. By five, I again opted to walk instead of taking the bus home. This is another shot of Ballaine Lake. I have taken many pictures of this lake over the years with varying amounts of ice and snow since it is right next to the bike path.
This morning, I rode my airhead in to work and, in spite of the temperatures in the mid-teens, it felt good to be on two wheels again. I took the scenic route in and was starting to feel the cold sneaking in through the zippers in my riding gear. Maybe there is something to this heated gear that other riders seem to love. I have been thinking about picking up a Gerbing's heated liner for my road trip this summer and it may have felt good on days like today.
Richard:
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for your delayed Winter (no I don't, hehe). Get the heated gear, esp the heated grips. I always have my heated liner in my sidecase but haven't worn it in 5 years, but I know it is there. When we were in Bend, OR 2 years ago for the IMBC2010 it was 100°f during the day, but felt so cold in the morning I had to turn on my heated grips. I found out later that SonjaM also turned hers on too. Also they are good on a cool summer night when you may have summer gloves on.
Your alternater may be better than mine, I only turn on my heated gear when I can maintain over 3K rpms, around town I leave them OFF
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
My alternator is only 280 watts at 4K rpm. So even the headlight is a significant drain in stop and go traffic. I do have heated grips installed but I've only used them a couple of times. When it really gets cold. I have a new digital voltmeter ready to be installed to more closely monitor battery voltage.
DeleteYeah...no...still to cold for me!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it getting to be winter there yet? (i.e. an opportunity for those of us north of the equator to gloat!)
Delete$20 to renew your license, that is a steal. Ours is $68 because we have a motorcycle endorsement it is more expensive than a regular license.
ReplyDeleteI sure wish your weather would warm up for you. At least you got out on two wheels.
Troubadour tried talking me into a heated jacket liner for a long time before I finally caved in and bought the TourMaster one. Now I wonder why I resisted so long. Nothing like wearing a warm blanket while riding on a cold day.
Some things are still a bargain around here. No additional charge for the motorcycle endorsement. Next week I'll be headed north for a week so I may as well get used to the cold wind.
DeleteDo you have both the jacket and pants heated liners?
We just have the heated jacket liners, no heated pants. The jacket liners are nicer than the heated vests because the arms and collar are heated too.
DeleteThere are battery powered heated jackets that they sell at the Triumph shop in eugene and are about the same price. What is nice about them is that you are warm when off your bike or can use them for bicycling. That might be an option for you. You'd get more use out of it. They look like a Columbia outer shell and I've tried one out but the sleeves weren't heated.
Nice to at least get out on the bike. Glad you we able to. We've already received our fair share of high 80's...and it isn't pleasant. Supposed to be the same for the multiple sclerosis ride this weekend. Ugh....gear, sun and high temps. Blech
ReplyDeleteI don't envy you at all as far as weather goes. Is the MS ride the bicycle ride that you marshaled for last year?
DeleteYes. It is the MS ride. This was our third year marshaling. Very few riders this year. :( And high temps on Sunday were 91F. Blech!
DeleteI cant say enough nice things about a gerbing heated coat. I don't feel i need the pants. Only 280W alternator? yikes. I turn my coat off in stop-n-go traffic on the ural and the sv.
ReplyDeleteI don't ride year around as you do but there have been a couple of times when warmer would have been better. And the stock alternator seems to be lacking. But for a long trip, it may be a good thing to have...
Deletedon't need to ride year round to be warm. mountain passes get cold in the summer too :)
Deletegerbing makes a battery version that can plug into the bike or run off its own charge for 3 hours. a friend uses that on his mopoed.
I keep thinking about heated gear too, but so far have just gone with heated grips (they were the first thing I had installed when I bought the bike). So far I've really been lucky and only wished I had a heated jacket or at least a vest one time in the last couple of years.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you got out - hope it warms up for you soon.