Where did you ride today?

I got to go out for a ride on the second day of the year!
Was still nice out but also cold. The high temp was supposed to be 30*F but really only made it to 25*F. That's where it stayed for the entire 53 mile ride today.
I tried using my wife's hand heater pods but they are too fat to fit inside my gloves. But they do lay nicely in the handlebar muffs so I set them on max heat. I could feel warmth for a while and then they quit working. Ran outta battery power. I thought they were charged but I guess not. Still the finger tips were not too cold in the muffs. I was thinking of riding farther but the gas gauge started flashing at me so I cut the ride short. The gauge was flashing for 18 miles when I stopped to fill up and there was still a half gallon left in the tank at that point. I calculate I can still get around 40 miles when the gauge starts flashing.
 
Just an observation: traveled by cage today from NC to Hilton Head Island, SC. While on the I95 parking lot, in the rain, a group of 4 bikers made their way past us. Two Goldwings, a Harley, and a silver ST1300! I thought to myself.....man, I wish I was with them on mine (08 Red, the fastest color). I'll just have to be patient until my scheduled trips later this year, first to Ohio, then to upstate NY and VT. Happy New Year everyone, and be safe in 2026.
 
Another nice mostly sunny day here so rode out in the country on county roads for 43.1 miles. Temps stayed right around 40*F.
Realized that some cool breeze comes into the bar muffs through the opening on the inside part along the handlebars. So I took some packing foam sheet, the thin stuff, and packed it in around the cables and reservoirs. It wasn't below freezing during this ride but I could still tell it made a difference.
 
Another day, another ride. That makes getting a ride in the last day of last year and 4 out of the first 5 days of this year! Actually this time I was thinking of waiting until tomorrow but my wife said something about "so when are you going for a ride today?" so I just had to go.
Ended up going 75 miles today. Temps were around 50*F +/-3*F. Mostly cloudy which I like better than sunny. That's 'cuz the sun is low and I'd be looking right at it for much of the ride either coming or going.
This pic is the same location in the middle of a long S curve looking each way. I'm sorta lazy and didn't want to stop more than once for more photos.
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I'm seeing a pattern here. My wife keeps telling me to go ride the bike!

Today was full sun and mid 50s*F. My wife told me she was feeling a craving for some Dutch treats from Pella... Jaarsma Bakery.
Took off after lunch for the Bakery and stayed to mostly back roads. Ended up with just over 143 miles round trip. I did an unusual thing this trip... I stopped a few places for pictures.
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This is the bridge across the middle of Lake Red Rock.
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This is the dam across the south end of Lake Red Rock.
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W0QNX said:
Looks like you had a warm day of riding way up there in Iowa. But I think a strong Rum cake would be better.....

Oh 73 here today and 76 yesterday but my tags expired last month on the ST.

:(
Click to expand...

It was a heat wave up here. High topped out about 60*F. Set a record for this day in my area. I did see that temp on my temp sensor I carry on my ride but only for a few miles. Believe it or not, I saw the coldest temp (54*F) at the southern most point of the ride! Warmest in the middle. I did see a lot more riders about today than I was expecting. Then again... most serious riders don't want to pass up a good day of riding.
Rum cake is not Dutch. Originally from British concoctions brought over to the Caribbean and modified there. We both personally prefer Dutch treats even though neither of us is Dutch. :giggle-2x:

Sounds like you need to visit the FDOT office for new/updated tags. I thought you had another bike to ride besides the ST.
 
I'm very happy about this "riding season" so far. Normally we would be getting more freezing temps and more snow preventing any riding except maybe one day per week at this time of year.
Went for a 56.6 mile ride today out west from home. First rode north and west then rode south and east, then north to home. Not many curvy roads on this route but pleasant riding just the same.

I tried out the rechargeable hand warmers I bought to use in my gloves and/or handlebar muffs. They are 2.25 inches square and very slim. I set them on the high setting which puts out about 128*F. First I slipped them inside my gloves on the back of my hands. One side of the warmer pods gets hot and the other side stays skin temperature. So I put them with the cool side against my skin to prevent burning. The temps on this ride were not really all that cold, only upper 30s*F and low 40s*F but I could still feel if they are working as desired. The back side of my gloves were very warm and that extended out to my fingers, but I could tell not as far as I would prefer. So I used the lanyard they have to let them set in the bottom of the muffs. I used the lanyard to prevent them from slipping out of the muffs while riding and when I take my hand out and put my hand back in. My finger tips were actually getting hot that way with the pods just under my finger tips in the muffs. Little heaters inside the handlebar muffs. I think this will work when the temps are much lower. Less than $14 compared to a LOT more for the cheapest questionable heated gloves liners. We'll see when the temps are down below 20*F.
 
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