Another great weekend weatherwise

[Fred W]

The end is near New Englanders. Doomsday (aka winter) is near

This weekend, forecast calls for some sprinkles late Saturday, but Sunday looks like a better day. Might actually be warm Sun after noon.

I'm gonna try and get my leaves whipped into submission tomorrow and then get out and about on Sunday.

I suggest y'all do likewise.

Soon enough we'll all be suffering PMS and lamenting for these above freezing days.

Have fun. And ride safe, will ya?

 

[El Toro]

When I was growing up in Massachusetts I remember that we would try to keep riding until early November, and then we'd take the bikes to the basement for "maintenance season." In late March, when the temps would climb into the 40's on a nice day, the bikes would come back out and get registered and insured for the new year. It cost about $18 for a year's worth of insurance, and if you cancelled it in November, you'd get a few bucks back. I think the excise tax would run another $15 or so for the year if you were riding something old enough.

In any event, I still ride with some of the same guys in the summer... and they're still up there.... and they're still "enjoying" the maintenance season. I guess there are advantages to living where Mother Nature forces you to take this respit from riding.

Growing up we always looked forward to winter and the outdoor sports it brought. More snow meant better skiing and a longer ski season. There's a certain rhythm...

Well, take advantage of the remaining nice days. The bikes are already in the basement further north.

 

[Ari Rankum]

Hi Fred!

The weather in New England may be great, but here in the Mid-Atlantic, it's crap - 20 knot winds and 2 inches of rain forecast for today.

Too, the real limit on riding this time of year in Maryland is not weather; it's deer. The damn things have exploded in population beyond all reasonable belief around here. Last year, I counted a dozen freshly killed deer between home and work one day. This year, I have seen herds, yes *herds* in a community bordering my own on the way home at night. This is just a mile or two outside Baltimore City proper. I point this out only because I had a belief before t-boning a deer at 70 mph on my Feej that, just because I had never seen a deer near BWI airport in more than 20 years of riding, there were no deer. The truth is, you may encounter deer on just about any paved surface in this state. Deer seem to be terminally stupid. This time of year, with the rut, they are terminally stupid++. I'm off the bike for a few weeks in their honor.

If any of you should be traveling through Maryland, plug your spidey sense into your Autocom. Else, *respect* your sight lines as you ride.

 

[Fred W]

Hi Fred!
The weather in New England may be great, but here in the Mid-Atlantic, it's crap - 20 knot winds and 2 inches of rain forecast for today.

Too, the real limit on riding this time of year in Maryland is not weather; it's deer. The damn things have exploded in population beyond all reasonable belief around here. Last year, I counted a dozen freshly killed deer between home and work one day. This year, I have seen herds, yes *herds* in a community bordering my own on the way home at night. This is just a mile or two outside Baltimore City proper. I point this out only because I had a belief before t-boning a deer at 70 mph on my Feej that, just because I had never seen a deer near BWI airport in more than 20 years of riding, there were no deer. The truth is, you may encounter deer on just about any paved surface in this state. Deer seem to be terminally stupid. This time of year, with the rut, they are terminally stupid++. I'm off the bike for a few weeks in their honor.

If any of you should be traveling through Maryland, plug your spidey sense into your Autocom. Else, *respect* your sight lines as you ride.

I hear that. The forest rats are restless up here too between being chased around by the men in orange and looking for a little nookie. We seem to have a larger percentage of the population willing to go out and shoot them and bring them home to eat. That helps.

In my opinion, they should open up the deer season to allow folks to take as many as they are willing to drag home. They are just over grown rodents anyway...

 

[87Doodle]

Hi Fred!
The weather in New England may be great, but here in the Mid-Atlantic, it's crap - 20 knot winds and 2 inches of rain forecast for today.

Too, the real limit on riding this time of year in Maryland is not weather; it's deer. The damn things have exploded in population beyond all reasonable belief around here. Last year, I counted a dozen freshly killed deer between home and work one day. This year, I have seen herds, yes *herds* in a community bordering my own on the way home at night. This is just a mile or two outside Baltimore City proper. I point this out only because I had a belief before t-boning a deer at 70 mph on my Feej that, just because I had never seen a deer near BWI airport in more than 20 years of riding, there were no deer. The truth is, you may encounter deer on just about any paved surface in this state. Deer seem to be terminally stupid. This time of year, with the rut, they are terminally stupid++. I'm off the bike for a few weeks in their honor.

If any of you should be traveling through Maryland, plug your spidey sense into your Autocom. Else, *respect* your sight lines as you ride.

Fred,

My Sympathy for your lost riding time.

Way down here in Massachusetts I ride every month as long as the roads are clear.

heated grips, hand guards, competition weight lethers, vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!

 

[El Toro]

Way down here in Massachusetts I ride every month as long as the roads are clear.
heated grips, hand guards, competition weight lethers, vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!

Keep them competition weight leathers on.... they're handy for sand and ice.

I had switched over to 4 wheels back in the winter of 1968/69, but a friend thought that even though the roads weren't clear, it would be fun to get out on the 305 Dream and see how well it would ride in 10 inches of new snow. He was a pretty good sand quarry rider, and he managed to keep the shiny side up all the way from Princeton to Holden. I doubt I could have done it.

As for the deer and the rut, we've got them here all year, but the rut is certainly the most exciting time. It won't get started seriously here for another 3 or 4 weeks. Gotta keep your eyes peeled for motion in the woods. Sometimes the does will hit the road at 30 mph, and the buck won't be far behind. If you see one, you can almost bet there's another one coming.

 

[87Doodle]

Way down here in Massachusetts I ride every month as long as the roads are clear.
heated grips, hand guards, competition weight lethers, vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!

Keep them competition weight leathers on.... they're handy for sand and ice.

I had switched over to 4 wheels back in the winter of 1968/69, but a friend thought that even though the roads weren't clear, it would be fun to get out on the 305 Dream and see how well it would ride in 10 inches of new snow. He was a pretty good sand quarry rider, and he managed to keep the shiny side up all the way from Princeton to Holden. I doubt I could have done it.

sand and ice are not the biggest problem, since i don't ride when there is ice on the road..lol. It's being extra invisible because cagers aren't looking for bikes normally and even less in December...

yea..there's a good chunk of down days..but there is also a good slug of mild days all winter long.

 

[cota95]

Down here in RI I try to ride at least once a month. This year I also have a klx 250 dual sport so there will be more 'snow riding'. I also snowmobile up Fredw's way in the winter so all is not lost

 

[Checkswrecks]

Ari and Fred

I could tell our temps went down this week when the deersies went flat-out nuts.

Tuesday one went across the road (Rt 124) in front of me, but at least I got a second in to brake. Yesterday going to work in the dark the car in front of me clipped one. She spun around going off the left side of the road backward but wasn't there on the way home so with any luck she's dead and the road workers won't even need to pick her up.

Bob

 

[El Toro]

sand and ice are not the biggest problem, since i don't ride when there is ice on the road..lol. It's being extra invisible because cagers aren't looking for bikes normally and even less in December...
yea..there's a good chunk of down days..but there is also a good slug of mild days all winter long.

If you ever move to the south, your definition of a mild day will change.

However, I know what you mean about the cagers because when I drive in the northeast (after having left there 35 years ago), I never cease to be amazed at how many people they've crammed into the space.

We used to decide at 4 pm to go to see the Red Sox. On the way out of town we'd hit Filenes and get box seat tickets behind 1st or 3rd for $3.25 each. We'd head down Route 9, and at 5:30 we'd be eating dinner at Jimmy's, and we'd be parked and in our seats at Fenway by 7 pm.

Can't do it that way anymore. You'all have some serious cagers, that's for sure.

 

[Fred W]

sand and ice are not the biggest problem, since i don't ride when there is ice on the road..lol. It's being extra invisible because cagers aren't looking for bikes normally and even less in December...
yea..there's a good chunk of down days..but there is also a good slug of mild days all winter long.

If you ever move to the south, your definition of a mild day will change.

However, I know what you mean about the cagers because when I drive in the northeast (after having left there 35 years ago), I never cease to be amazed at how many people they've crammed into the space.

We used to decide at 4 pm to go to see the Red Sox. On the way out of town we'd hit Filenes and get box seat tickets behind 1st or 3rd for $3.25 each. We'd head down Route 9, and at 5:30 we'd be eating dinner at Jimmy's, and we'd be parked and in our seats at Fenway by 7 pm.

Can't do it that way anymore. You'all have some serious cagers, that's for sure.

Agreed. I try not to ride in Mass anywhere east of Worcester.

 

[Ari Rankum]

You'all have some serious cagers, that's for sure.

Agreed. I try not to ride in Mass anywhere east of Worcester.

It was upon explaining to someone in Connecticut how I was completely outmaneuvered in my first driving experience in Boston that I first heard the term "Massholes". It about cracked me up.

 

[Fred W]

You'all have some serious cagers, that's for sure.

Agreed. I try not to ride in Mass anywhere east of Worcester.

It was upon explaining to someone in Connecticut how I was completely outmaneuvered in my first driving experience in Boston that I first heard the term "Massholes". It about cracked me up.

That's only 'cause you don't have to drive among them very often... :glare:

I am a native Masshole. When I was a teen in Drivers Ed they would bring us to the big rotary at the end of Rt 2 in Fresh Pond. That's how you learn never to make eye contact with another driver in traffic or they will gleefully cut you off. Then they took us down Mass Ave to Harvard Square in Cambridge and made us negotiate the traffic there without knocking down more the one pedestrian. The pedestrians in Boston are actually worse than the drivers. They want you to hit them so they can sue your ass.

I had the good sense to escape to Cow Hampster 25 years ago, but I still get the "opportunity" of driving into Boston for work about 2-3 times a month.

 

[El Toro]

I remember a traffic sign in one of the concrete road pits as you headed torward Northern Ave that said "Squeeze Left."

Nothing about merging. You were supposed to squeeze and hope that there was enough room to keep from getting squashed. That's probably gone now.

 

[87Doodle]

There is a lot of good riding in Western Mass, eastern NewYork and Northwestern Ct. I have found , over the years, by trial and error some outstanding routes for half day and day trips that snake through the Bershires and taconic range and pristine farmland.

I'd be glad to lead a ride down this way if there was interest. I would have gone on the covered bridge ride but I didn't read about it until just recently,.

 

[zip]

I commute into Boston about 12 days a month (home or traveling the other days.) I leave early in the morning and depart early in the afternoon to try and beat some of the traffic cause it drives me nuts. Not fun driving in Boston, though I don't have to go far into the city.

Working on a big project this weekend so pissed I can't get out tomorrow, but may take a day off this week if it's nice.

Doodle, I'm interested in getting out on some good roads sometime. Let me know.

 

[Fred W]

There is a lot of good riding in Western Mass, eastern NewYork and Northwestern Ct. I have found , over the years, by trial and error some outstanding routes for half day and day trips that snake through the Bershires and taconic range and pristine farmland.
I'd be glad to lead a ride down this way if there was interest. I would have gone on the covered bridge ride but I didn't read about it until just recently,.

I'd definitely be interested in riding in that area.

On the first leg of my trip to EOM I rode from here down through Nashua to Fitchburg on Rt 111, then took Rt 2 all the way across to Albany. I had driven, but never ridden the full length of "The Mohawk Trail". It was quite an enjoyable ride on a weekday. No traffic and lots of nice curves through the Berkshires section.

In case you're wondering why go out to Albany to get to West Virginia, the purpose was twofold. My primary reason was so that I could get far enough west to avoid all of the congestion of eastern CT, NYC, NJ and Washington DC. But I also hooked up with Roadrunner, who was coming down from his Adirondack home, for the rest of the ride down. If EOM is in WV again, I'll likely do the same thing again. The ride down was almost as much fun as the riding when we got there. Well worth taking the extra time and miles to miss all the lovely slab riding.

 

[DailyCommuter]

I hate working Sunday, I should be riding instead

 

[Old Michael]

Might actually be warm Sun after noon.

Have fun. And ride safe, will ya?

Fred, it's pretty nice out here too. Low eighties and clear. And this is NORTHERN area.

It's even into the 70's at 7000 feet!

Silver Lake campground yesterday afternoon. Lunch. Didn't see any deer OR Massholes. :lol: