1st ride to work

[Aced It]

Originally Posted by hiteck

... I opted to take the cage today and regretted it all the way to work

Hehe, welcome to the addiction ... I mean withdrawal.

[Redman52]

hitek,

If you can ride in 46 degree, then that will greatly increase the number of days you can ride to work.
I would say that every 5 degress is quite noticable, as far as how prepared need to be and how far you can go.
But also every 5 degress that yiu can ride in will efffect how many days a year you will be able to ride to work.

Around here, anyway, being able to ride in upper 40s probably more than doubles the season as compared to someone who wants it to be in upper 60s.
And there are those that only ride if it is 70 in morning and they can only ride to work for only a couple weeks.

Actaully I would prefere upper 40s in morning with the upper 70s in afternoon, to upper 60s in morning and near 90 in afternoon.

Sunday, I was out in 36... but did not go far. (pics in "pics in unusall places").

Yah, if you can ride to work, you will find that you are riding a lot more. And occasionally can "take the long way home".
Windshield really helps if want to ride more/longer in colder weather.

Sounds like you work aftgernoon shift. That is the most advantagous for riding to work, relative to avoiding cold temps.
When concider morning temps and afternoon temps and midnight temps; the morning temps are usally the coldest.

Working afternoons, maybe instead of taking long way home, you might take long way into work.

How far east in Texas?
I had occassion to ride Texas Hill COuntry in 2005. Was great. Wanted to go back but never thought I would be able to. Then our daughter had a work assignment in Sequin a couple years ago, so, hey, thought we should go visit her. And did.

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[hiteck]

Originally Posted by Redman52

hitek,

If you can ride in 46 degree, then that will greatly increase the number of days you can ride to work.
I would say that every 5 degress is quite noticable, as far as how prepared need to be and how far you can go.
But also every 5 degress that yiu can ride in will efffect how many days a year you will be able to ride to work.

Around here, anyway, being able to ride in upper 40s probably more than doubles the season as compared to someone who wants it to be in upper 60s.
And there are those that only ride if it is 70 in morning and they can only ride to work for only a couple weeks.

Actaully I would prefere upper 40s in morning with the upper 70s in afternoon, to upper 60s in morning and near 90 in afternoon.

Sunday, I was out in 36... but did not go far. (pics in "pics in unusall places").

Yah, if you can ride to work, you will find that you are riding a lot more. And occasionally can "take the long way home".
Windshield really helps if want to ride more/longer in colder weather.

Sounds like you work aftgernoon shift. That is the most advantagous for riding to work, relative to avoiding cold temps.
When concider morning temps and afternoon temps and midnight temps; the morning temps are usally the coldest.

Working afternoons, maybe instead of taking long way home, you might take long way into work.

How far east in Texas?
I had occassion to ride Texas Hill COuntry in 2005. Was great. Wanted to go back but never thought I would be able to. Then our daughter had a work assignment in Sequin a couple years ago, so, hey, thought we should go visit her. And did.

.


.

If I had better gear I would have rode this morning anyway. Got a set of chaps last night and still waiting on a leather vest I ordered to help keep my core warm. Bought a set of River Road (i think) gloves that are almost to warm.

Last year I think we only saw a handful of freezing and below days, but it's Texas you just never know.

I work 8 to 6 Mon-Thurs and 8-noon on Fridays. So I head out about 7:00 to 7:15 in the morning and usually get home about 6:30ish M-Thr.

As far as how far east I'm about 1/2 way between Dallas and Texarkana on I-30.

[Gruntfish]

It's been below freezing here and I have been wearing a hoody under my leather jacket, chaps, neoprene face mask, bandana, and have been relatively comfy.

Live to ride.

[hiteck]

Originally Posted by Gruntfish

It's been below freezing here and I have been wearing a hoody under my leather jacket, chaps, neoprene face mask, bandana, and have been relatively comfy.

Live to ride.

If I had a leather jacket or leather vest I would have been riding this morning.

[racerc20]

Get yourself a good quality military field coat with liner...i was riding today in high 30 low to mid 40 with a long sleeve shirt and that jacket. The layers are awesome. Kept me nice and toasty...when inwas on th highway the other day i put my leather vest on under the field coat and my core was nice and warm...
Get one and try...

[Amos Iron Wolf]

Good on ya. Within less than two weeks in when I started riding to work I ended up riding home after and at the tail end of a deluge. Getting out of San Antonio around 1 AM was a bit on the nerves, but by the time I was clearing SA and heading out Hwy 90 West I was enjoying it. Wasn't my last heavy rain commute either.

Since we moved I've had to make a few 2.5-3 hr trips back to the SA area from Del Rio and the mornings have been nippy. As long as body parts are getting frozen and hurting it's good. You just have to work out what gear works for you and just change it up as needed.

I know on those last two runs to SA I was thinking I sure wish I'd gotten the fork mounted deflectors to go with my windshield. Can't afford it now, but I also don't have a commute anymore either. Just runs back and forth. If things work out I'll also be making a 4 hour one way run up to Midland then back the next afternoon.

I used to get a kick out of it when it was raining or cold and people say, "You must be crazy for riding now." Well, the crazy part is probably more true for reasons not to do with riding in the cooler or wetter weather. I kind of get a odd pleasure of riding when others don't and being just a little ornery and obstinate about it.

Be careful, you may become one of those crazy biker guys who ride instead of cage unless you absolutely have to. Ride it cause you want to and it means something to you. If you just don't feel like dealing with it one day, take the cage that day and ride again tomorrow. Like someone else said, the firsts are memorable. They also build your skills into you and teach you things by doing that you just don't get in videos or MSF courses, or anything else that is done on an intellectual level. Doing it until you quit thinking consciously about it and just do it because you've done it enough it feels right. That comes from riding.

I will tell you I won't ride if there has just been a light sprinkle of rain. Too darned greasy slick. After some good rain, not problem, but I had to run something up to the wife by noon one day and it just sprinkled enough to wet the road surface and it was like riding on grease there and back. I had to take the bike because I don't have a cage. The wife does, but not me.

[Corigan]

Congrats on the best way to commute. I hate my commute, but hate it less on the bike.

People always look at you weird when you roll in and it is cold. I rolled into a place the other day and it was 35F. I had on my heated gear. The guy said.. "Aren't you cold out there?" My Response.. "Could you please hold my jacket I gotta get out of this gear, I'm sweating in here!.."

[hiteck]

No rain forecast so I knew I was riding today. Layered up, put on my new chaps and headed out in 40* this morning. I don't care what anyone says about chaps, they made the ride more enjoyable this morning and that means more riding for me!

[DarkAero]

Originally Posted by Aced It

Hehe, welcome to the addiction ... I mean withdrawal.

Raining here today and I still regret not riding to work! Buying some rain gear this weekend...

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