Last Ride of the Year

Not much as far as RR’s go on this forum, but the way I look at it, I was on two wheels in the sun this afternoon, so it’s all good!

I saw the weather forecast last night and was informed that today may be the last day with 60 degree temps until next spring. Given that fact and my current employment (or lack thereof) status, I decided that I needed to get one last ride in before I put the bike up for its long winter’s nap.

Of course, this date last year, a ride was completely out of the question…



Anyway, I couldn’t go far, as I had to take my mother-in-law to an eye appointment in the morning (cataract surgery yesterday), so I just had the afternoon. I decided on a standard route I’ve done many times, south through some nice rolling farm country and on into Ellicottville, NY.



Once in Ellicottville, I checked out the ski slopes as they prepare for the upcoming season, with snow guns at the ready.



It’s an in-between time in E-ville, as there’s no snow, but the golf season has run its course. No one on the links today.



I headed back up Rte 219 into Springville and then took Rte 39 towards Gowanda. The clouds were gathering in the west and the sun was getting low.



I noted this white church in the glow.



The rest of the ride home was uneventful. Temps on the dash ranged from 62 up to 66 and didn’t dip below 60 until I rolled back into town at 4pm. The high tomorrow is a whopping 43 and we should have snow on the ground by Sunday, so looks like the season is changing even without anyone asking me if it was OK to do so!

Unless a job offer comes up from a warm-weather location sometime in the next few months, this is likely my last ride until the big thaw next spring.

I hope a job offer from somewhere comes through for you.

I do not understand this "Last Ride of the Year" thing. If it stays warm and sunny a couple more days I will be cutting my very green and still growing grass this weekend. I rode my bike home from work today and the temp was 84F.

Good to hear that you were able to get out and enjoy the day...wish I could have. Hope your winter is short, and a new job comes along soon.

Quite the contrast from year to year. Echoing the others, hoping a sunny job offer is heading your direction.

Thanks for sharing the ride!

--G

Nice pictures, thanks. The grass still looks mighty green a week before thanksgiving.

In that second picture, is that windshield really as dirty (or buggy) as it looks? That's the way mine looks during bug season around here.

Gary

darksider #44

Like RFH, I don't understand the 'last ride'.

Although.... if El Nino comes through as promised, I'll be staging the FJR at a friends house in town.

3 miles of dirt (mud) ain't happening on anything less than full knobbies or 4wd.

garyahouse said:

In that second picture, is that windshield really as dirty (or buggy) as it looks? That's the way mine looks during bug season around here.
Gary

darksider #44

Click to expand...

Yep, really that filthy. I think I cleaned it before we did Wellsboro and our vacation down through WV in May, but that's the last time all summer! In fact, the whole bike was covered in fine sawdust from a small woodworking project I did in the garage last week, so that was another excuse for the ride, to blow that off!!

If it's above 40F and no snow, I'm not parking the bike.

It's 34F right now, but should be above 40F by 10am, so I'm going to try and get 150-200 miles in today.

That's a ski hill? Gotta make do, I guess... Hoping to ride Sunday 'cause its supposed to get to 40! But down to 17 below by mid-week; too cold to ride (too cold to snowmobile!).

I just did my Last Ride of The Year.

I rode the feej up onto the lift table