Riding Season

Typically I haven't been one to store my motorcycle for the winter. Dress for the cold and ride anyway has been how I've dealt with winter. I'll have to see how it goes this year.
 
Getting suited up for a long cold ride isn't too bad. I've ridden for several hours in near freezing temps. Dressing that warmly for a short ride is a bit of a pain since you find yourself having to peel off layers in a pretty short time only to have to repeat the process for the short return trip. Last winter I rode in Springfield many times at or around freezing. Long johns, heavy jeans, double gloves, and a good coat were enough for city streets and a short ride.

There are no city streets or town roads around here. Even a short trip requires getting on a rural two lane highway and that means riding at speeds where more cold weather gear is necessary. I have a feeling the bike will be parked more this winter than it has been in the past.

As it is,  haven't been riding as much as I used to. I've become more aware of how I consume the earth's resources and have been more reluctant to just hop on the bike for a long pleasure ride. I enjoy riding it for small errands when I can, but it doesn't work well to pick up groceries or anything that needs more room than the saddlebags can handle. And I haven't done much meeting friends for breakfast or lunch this year. 

The bike's in the shop for some regular maintenance and tire repair right now. I'm still hoping for the occasional winter ride, but I think I'll have to rearrange the garage to make my car the easy access instead of the bike -- at least for a few months.

John