Coldest Ride, 2019-2020 Winter

[STrangr]

Rode solo out from Ft Lauderdale, FL to Buford Wyoming last may to the Ames Brothers Monument. Left Florida around 80F arrived in Buford wyoming 34F and mixed rain & snow.
I was in full Gerbing gear. Jacket, pants and gloves (which failed, glad I had heated grips).
I made a video series if you're interested. Click below.
Solo ride Florida to Wyoming

2017 was my coldest. We attempted an SS1000 and when we reached Marianna, Florida (the turn around point) temps were 27F. Same heated gear minus the gloves. That was my coldest ride. Not bad for a Floridian.

 

[rjs987]

If you can find it, check out the Olympia Ranger jacket and the Olympia Dakar II jacket. You'll find the Olympia jackets are better in the details than the TourMaster gear. I'd say they are really more in line with the quality you find on gear that costs $100+ what their selling for.

I haven't been able to confirm it, but I'm thinking Olympia is going out of business. Their gear is on Closeout everywhere. It's a shame because they have some great products. So if you want a Ranger or Dakar Jacket, you'll have to move fast.

Chris

I noticed that on motorcyclegear.com. Selection of Olympia gear is significantly reduced and all are on clearance or "last chance" sale pricing. Looked at those on Amazon and the pricing is way over what I think is reasonable compared with what I have had in the past. TM gear is plenty good for me and Cortech is about the same. Yet TM or Cortech costs almost half the Olympia prices. I did previously look at those 2 which you mentioned and decided they are too warm for me for the hot times of the year. I really don't want a summer jacket and also a winter jacket. I've been able to use one jacket for all seasons, all weather, with just changing the inner liners or adding a rain suit. Most of my riding is in warmer weather anyway, between 45-105 deg F. So I don't mind adjusting to make my gear temporarily handle even colder temps. I prefer a rain suit over everything anyway (I do notice Olympia does that but still...). I'm cheap. If I can get a good jacket at under $180 then I'm real happy. TM has been good stuff for me. I only paid $162 for my current Flex 2 jacket new, but that was 10 years ago. Would be nice to pay the same again.

 

[paulcb]

Bob, is there a temp buried somewhere in your post that I need to record? Is it -2°F?

 

[rjs987]

Bob, is there a temp buried somewhere in your post that I need to record? Is it -2°F?

LOL, of course there is. That's why it's highlighted in Bold print.

 

[paulcb]

LOL, of course there is. That's why it's highlighted in Bold print.

Yeah, I saw that, just wanted to verify.

 

[rjs987]

If I was inclined to pull myself out of bed a few hours earlier and get to that same bank (in the photo of the time/temp sign) at 6 am instead of just after 8 am the temp would have been -6 or lower. But being retired means it has become really hard to get moving that early in the morning. Plus it was dark and I wanted to actually SEE where the ice was on the roads.

 

[the Ferret]

good job Bob. Dang the end of your driveway looks iffy to me lol. I might not go over that, or I'd get a shovel out and clear a small path thru it. At any rate way to tough it out. I'm just about to head out for todays ride, sun is shining and it's 28 degrees. There are still a few patches of ice to watch out for but I know where most of them are and will ride around them. I miss my scooter for this kind of stuff (400 Majesty)

 

[rjs987]

good job Bob. Dang the end of your driveway looks iffy to me lol. I might not go over that, or I'd get a shovel out and clear a small path thru it. At any rate way to tough it out. I'm just about to head out for todays ride, sun is shining and it's 28 degrees. There are still a few patches of ice to watch out for but I know where most of them are and will ride around them. I miss my scooter for this kind of stuff (400 Majesty)

Thanks. Yes, end of driveway was iffy. Warmer this afternoon at 20F so road treatment is starting to work. End of driveway now looks much better as does the rest of the street but still some of that stuff remains. Tried to clear it with a shovel earlier (square end shovel used like an ice scraper) but ice there was too hard so gave up. Enough roughness to slowly coast over with no issue as long as I ONLY run straight over it with NO hint of turning. I tried to pick out the least icy path there. The few side streets I rode on were similar so was mostly coasting slowly. Yeah, Scooters are great for this kind of stuff.

I actually have some experience riding on this stuff with this model scooter, though it was my first 2005 model. Rode to work around a corner over an ice stream (re-freeze from a previous melt) and had no issues. Then next day did the same thing but forgot to pay attention and leaned into a turn on that same spot. Took about a nano-second to find me picking myself up from the drop. Don't remember any front wheel sliding or anything, just one instant thinking of making it up the street (that was the mistake) and the next laying in the street with the scoot on its side. Ice makes the drop go faster.

 

[drbuzzard]

a cold 34f, the wind chill has to be around 25f. I rode around to the park but all the snow has melted

 

[the Ferret]

shoot they are predicting 60 for a high here Monday (in the first week of February)..

 

[drbuzzard]

shoot they are predicting 60 for a high here Monday (in the first week of February)..

46 - 48f for us next Monday, i'm thinking about playing hooky from henry's to go riding

 

[paulcb]

Saw 29° on my ride in this morning. Coldest it's been here in a long time. We actually had a little snow here yesterday. Didn't stick but was nice to see come down, if only for a little while.

 

[TipSTer]

Cool ride at my neck of de woods. Having a blast..!

 

[TipSTer]

Yeah, I saw that, just wanted to verify.

I think? Bob just pull out his bike park it on his driveway/street @Negative 2F Right Bob?

 

[the Ferret]

We are continuing our heat wave ..supposed to be near 40 today. Think we are supposed to get some snow tomorrow though.

 

[paulcb]

Cool ride at my neck of de woods. Having a blast..!

Looks like fun! What temps are you riding in... I can probably put you on the list if you like.

 

[mudduc]

Cool ride at my neck of de woods. Having a blast..!

I think I still have a studded set I can dig out. Let me know next time you are going out and I'll see if I can join you.
Later,
Kent DOT Larson AT gmail DOT com (Can you decode my net-bot fooling?)

 

[rjs987]

I think? Bob just pull out his bike park it on his driveway/street @Negative 2F Right Bob?

*I* would have been warmer doing that but that Lincoln Savings Bank is 15+ miles from home and is the nearest branch to me. Besides, this game is honor based for accuracy so I neither acknowledge nor deny those accusations.
I almost didn't go out that day with the road conditions as they were. Don't expect temps to be close to that in the next many weeks. Possibly not for the rest of this cold season. And especially now that I received my new jacket that is actually a little warmer than my old one.

You didn't mention what the temps were while you were having fun on the ice/slush track.

 

[paulcb]

Possibly not for the rest of this cold season. And especially now that I received my new jacket that is actually a little warmer than my old one.

So, you're the reason for such warm temps this Winter!

I had to wash my bike on Sunday so it would rain here on Monday and Tuesday.

 

[TipSTer]

*I* would have been warmer doing that but that Lincoln Savings Bank is 15+ miles from home and is the nearest branch to me. Besides, this game is honor based for accuracy so I neither acknowledge nor deny those accusations.
I almost didn't go out that day with the road conditions as they were. Don't expect temps to be close to that in the next many weeks. Possibly not for the rest of this cold season. And especially now that I received my new jacket that is actually a little warmer than my old one.

You didn't mention what the temps were while you were having fun on the ice/slush track.

Last sunday was 46F a week before was 24F I been out at -4 a few years ago.