Now that it's starting to get cold, the ice on the road is really there for a while. This is what it looks like after 5 graders went by doing what they could. Not much of a dent in the ice layer. I think that I may not be riding for a while until the ice starts to break up. Yesterday, I rode and it was pretty slippery and if I didn't keep the bike wheels on the packed snow between the lanes, I would tend to slide slowly to the right. Braking still seems to work okay but directional control could be better. BTW, driving on the ice isn't a whole lot better with four wheels. The directional "vagueness" is the same and you are always correcting for one end of the vehicle or another wanting to drift sideways.
Partly due to the ice on the road and the light snowfall on top of the ice, I opted to not ride in this morning. The temperature was still a relatively balmy 0°F. I hope this isn't getting to be a trend as it is much more convenient to just get a ride in and get dropped off right in front of my office. Tomorrow it is forecast to hit -27°F plus I feel tired and achy (it's beginning to sound like a lot of excuses, eh?). In other words, it's starting to feel like winter has settled in…
On another note, another asian restaurant recently opened up in Fairbanks called Aha!. Interesting name and based on the one dish I tried, very good, though the egg was a little overcooked. This is dolsot bibimbap (though they spelled it bibimbop) where, I believe, dolsot refers to the very hot clay bowl. This one was suitably hot in both temperature and flavor and there was a nice crust on the rice on the bottom of the bowl. The menu was a mix of Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. I had heard rumors that they were going to have tabletop grills but didn't see any evidence of that.
* DNR - Not Department of Natural Resources or Do Not Resuscitate,
Posted with Blogsy
So even the studs don't help when on top of ice eh? We very rarely get ice on the road(that sticks around anyways) so I can't speak to how a URAL would do.....I've chains but you have to go so slow on chains that its only for off road adventures really....
ReplyDeleteThe studs really help until it gets really cold. Then the ice is like concrete and not much helps except soft rubber tires. Or better yet, the soft rubber snow tires with silicon carbide granules like Green Diamond. Chains may but one problem seems to be the light weight of the rear of the rig. On icy hills, I can slide back on the seat and get a bit more traction. Maybe I can figure out a way to make some roller cable chains. Those worked really well on my old Saab in similar conditions.
Deleteyeah, weight on the pusher wheel is key, especially on the V-Strom rig. Even with a dedicated snow car tire as the pusher, had to put weight over the rear wheel to help things along.
DeleteI'm not sure that this is proper technique but I've on occasion. stood on the left peg and hung out on the left to partially unload the sidecar wheel and transfer the weight to the bike wheels (I think). The last time I did that made me think that there may be something to 2WD.
DeleteOne foot in the snow is the key with 4 wheels or 3 I am sure. I can't say I miss driving in the snow.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I remember driving up the Salmo/Creston pass in 1995 in a little Mazda 323 and Brad was passing everyone in sight with that little front wheel drive. It was fun, but probably because I wasn't driving. We got snowed in that year.
Yep, that's why I try to keep the bike wheels right on the edge of the snow between traffic lanes. A lot more traction. I was really keeping my speed down on Friday and Saturday and would pull over if I saw fast moving traffic approaching from behind me. It was usually some kid in one of those "unstoppable" Subarus imagining that he was a WRC competitor..
DeleteThat fried egg looks so good...even if a bit dry.
ReplyDeleteI actually love to drive my car in the snow, always have. It's the other people who are the problem!
You are 5 stars in my book for riding in as much difficult weather as you do.
For me, the fried egg makes the dish. I generally like driving in the snow as well though on ice, less so.
DeleteRichard:
DeleteI prefer to have an egg on top too. We have a Cambodian restaurant here which you may like. We often have eggs with soya sauce on top as a dinner extra with Lop Cheong and stir fried broccoli
If you can't ride, then you may as well eat out. Did this place take over the place that closed down ?
Studded tires don't work here either. Our frost layer is too thin and then it melts to reveal we roads and studs slip really fast. So Icicle tires work best
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Aha! is a brand new restaurant in a new building. The menu is an interesting collection but maybe it isn't really finalized since it is about 4 sheets of paper stapled together. They had a good selection of pho and I'm anxious to try those as well.
DeleteActually Richard, that is quite the proper technique...here's some stuff I found: Deep Snow Riding Tips
ReplyDeleteThank you for the confirmation. I had downloaded Hal Kendall book but I don''t think I ever finished it. Hanging off to the left while going straight will always feel weird and is somewhat of a challenge.
DeleteNasty stuff! I have little experience driving in snow, and the few times I've done it I hated it. It wasn't even the nasty ice stuff above, Just a few inches of slushy Oregon snow.
ReplyDeleteI think the slippery, slushy snow is worse than the fluffy powder we get around here. Snow on top of ice has to be the worst.
DeleteI think a lightly fried egg on snow should be reserved for nightmares only. Then you wake up feeling exhausted and can only be refreshed by a bowl of pho. Which is another way of saying "Cuban sandwich" around here, such are the culinary limitations in a small town.
ReplyDeleteMmmm, we don't have any places around here that know how to make a Cuban sandwich. There are some that have the label but the ingredients don't match what I've heard is authentic. One of these days I'll get to someplace like KW to try something more authentic.
DeleteWas relieved to see DNR meant Did Not Ride ... I have to agree (experiencing both snow and ice driving conditions here) I much prefer driving in snow than on ice and yes, snow over ice is the worst.
ReplyDeleteAfter I first saved the post, I decided to lookup "DNR" and was a bit surprised at the first hit on Google. So I added the asterisk.
DeleteRichard, in my life ... and especially in the short term, DNR has meant something totally different - I much prefer do not ride. I can live with that!
Delete...."starting to feel like winter has settled in"....
ReplyDeleteRichard, I think it's all around you. The ice is always bad, especially so when it arrives early and serves as a base below all that follows. There have been some bad winter starts recently around here, deep wet snow that was driven over before the plows could remove it.....ruts'n' bumps as a base for most of the winter.
The ice is slowly disappearing and the colder and dryer it gets, the faster it seems to disappear. Currently, it's -33°F and there are many sections of road where the ice is completely gone. Hopefully, the trend of ice disappearing from the road continues.
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