Two weeks ago...

  • March 17, 2012 1:26 AM PDT
    ... the snowmobile trails in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula were open.  Every bar had two trucks and twenty sleds parked outside.  We got eighteen inches of snow on 2/29.  It took me two days to plow myself out. 

    Fast forward two weeks.  75° outside, a foot and a half of snow melted off, road salt washed away, clear skies.  Other than the usual post-winter crud on the roads and the snowbanks on either side, you'd never know it was March.  I'm out riding in the same stuff I'd be wearing in June.  Absolutely surreal, but damn, I'll take it.  I have been waiting for four long months for this. 

    Hopefully everybody else up north is taking advantage of this weather, too.  Jeez, it's good to see the ground again, even if it IS just mud.  
    • 658 posts
    March 17, 2012 2:17 AM PDT
    Glad you're back in the saddle brother, We got lucky this winter down here in Carolina with a mild one only had a few days I couldn't ride. But we'll pay for it with the bugs this summer. Ordered a new set of chaps and the weather popped to 70's and 80's the day they arrived. I didn't know I ordered that option. lol I guess now I'll have them for next year.
    Medic
    • 3006 posts
    March 18, 2012 5:09 AM PDT
    Sounds like some decent riding weather,glad to hear your enjoying it.We are just coming out of a solid weeks worth of wet n nasty stuff,yet all in all its been a very mild winter except for a bitter cold spell.Its partly sunny here now with temps in the mid 50's gettin the ride out today n go visit some of my hungovr Irish friends lol see if I cant their lazy butts out for a ride
    • 1161 posts
    March 18, 2012 6:05 AM PDT
    Yep it was a mild "southern winter" here in south Georgia as well only like 3 or 4 days being chilly 40* or under but rode most of the winter I love it! It is all ready hitting mid 80's all ready.
  • March 18, 2012 8:01 AM PDT
    blurplebuzz wrote...
    Sounds like some decent riding weather,glad to hear your enjoying it.We are just coming out of a solid weeks worth of wet n nasty stuff,yet all in all its been a very mild winter except for a bitter cold spell.Its partly sunny here now with temps in the mid 50's gettin the ride out today n go visit some of my hungovr Irish friends lol see if I cant their lazy butts out for a ride

    I just can't get over it.  I have been riding every single day since last Tuesday, thinking this is never going to last!

    I did learn something today.  I took the bike on a cruise through Three Lakes, WI, today.  Even though the snow is mostly gone, the lakes still have a lot of ice on them.  The thermometer said it was almost eighty, so I just wore an old tee-shirt and jeans.  It turns out that riding sixty MPH on the downwind side of an ice-covered lake wearing only a tee-shirt and jeans is ridiculously cold.  Not that I'm complaining - I'd do it all over again tomorrow if I didn't have to show up at work in the AM.

    • 658 posts
    March 18, 2012 9:23 AM PDT
    There you go Wolfpack, Cold riding is still fun!!
    • 823 posts
    March 18, 2012 9:37 AM PDT
    Same out here in the desert, cold when the sun goes down. If you get anywhere close to water which is usually, no wait, always irrigation............brrrrrrrrrrrr............. But I like it!!! lol
  • March 19, 2012 9:37 AM PDT
    It has been a mild winter here for the most part. It usually is. We did get two snowfalls this year. One of them we got over 10 inches... which is unreal for us. I even got my snow skis out, and tried a little cross country skiing around the house...one time... lol. I didn't get to go to the mountains this year and do any real skiing... *whimper*... *whine*!!!
    I do love it that we ride all 12 months of the year.... normally!
  • March 20, 2012 12:36 AM PDT
     . ....same here Wolfpack. ...two weeks ago we were stuck in a blizzard in the middle of the woods trying to go up a steep hill in Chili,s truck...her 4X4 is broken....she tried 3 times and we,d get half way up and start sliding sideways....first time this ever happened to us...so we switched places and I did a lil "jersey driving" ...and got us up n over...and home.... next morning I got up and turned the Tv on to catch the weather....screen said that we hadnt had a signal in 4 hours  and to call Direct...I waded out to where the sattelite "used" to be...and carefully wiped off about 2 feet of snow and we gor reception back...first time that ever happened....were 94 miles south of the Mackinaw Bridge..


    ....fast foreward two weeks ......been in the 60,s and 70,s all week long...got the flower beds in the front and back yard all cleaned out....we been riding all over ...mainly to Traverse City area..... totally incredible weather.....fire pit has been well used in the back yard .....had the neighbors over for dinner on the deck Sunday night for a little corned beef n cabbage and washed it all down with 5 bottles of wine......Global Warming will probably be the death of us all....but for now Im diggin the effects...


    .....pic below was our place .....2 weeks ago.. 









    • 611 posts
    March 21, 2012 12:57 PM PDT
    Two weeks ago...
    We had 3-4" of snow so I said "It's time!" I brought Hildi in, jacked her up in the air and tore her down to the bare bonz... almost. Front wheel, primary cover, rocker box covers all off for gaskets and wheel bearing repack. I have been wanting to paint her since I bought her. Satin black, 4 coats with 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper between coats. Then I'll shoot 2 or 3 coats of satin clear over that. It takes a while, what with the spot putty and sanding that out to hide the road dings and scratches...
    Oh man is she lookin good! Between my local Harley dealer, Owen's Cycles and J&P Cycles I have gotten everything for my 85 FLHTC Geezer-Glide. Just waiting for the new fender tip lights and the acorn bolts for the primary cover. I'll put together a 'slide show' when I'm done and will post it then.
    Until then, have a great time and riderideride!
    EdgeWalker