dry...and "%%%%" cold, too

So, having a 10 break during the holidays, I was somewhat non-plusses at
the annoying habit of our bay area weather always zero-ing in on MY days
off in order to fulfill the rainfall quota.
In other words, it pisss me off that every year, when I get time off, it
rains nearly all the time.
Now that isn't enough in itself to keep me from riding. I do own a can
of scotchgard, and an aerostich roadcrafter, enough to keep me
comfortable in most drenching rain storms. But I prefer somewhat drier
roads than are available on rainy days, so that I will not be compelled
to ride my R1100RS all the time, instead of my less rain adept bikes )
VTR and R1). But I can make do. After all this *is* a luxory problem by
any standard.
So to the point of this posting:
It was not pouring down rain this AM at 630, so I got up. Put on two
full sets of REI industrial grade longies, a long sleeved, turtle neck
fleece pullover, a standard issue full head and neck baclava(sp), and
the aerostich. My hands went in to a pair of REI glove liners, under my
helimot gloves. Ok, in the garage I was feeling pretty smug about being
so well geared up for anything.
So off I went at about 730 toward marin and those fun little roads.
I was prepared for the CHP speeders greeting contingent between the
macarthur tunnel and the north tower of the GGB ( radar detector works
fine at 38F ) but dam....
by the time I got to pt. reyes station, I was absolutely bone chilled,
my fingers ached, and my eyeballs were about frozen wide open.
Needless to say, I am a confirmed ninny now, and am seriously
considering getting off that R1 on days like this or going to the RS and
it's comfy heated grips for the more brutal days.
Even the VTR has kimpex snowmobile grip heaters that put out a nice
toastyness, so I may be peeling the old R1 grips off soon and installing
a set of those.
But not even those grip heaters can mitigate the nastyness of the damp,
mean spirited frigidity of west marin winter mornings. I may go to yet
another layer of REI all polar attack underwear.
I did see a few other riders out this AM, and all I could think of was,
"you crazy bastards, don't you have any sense at all?"
But all things considered I still rather be freezing my ass off on a
bike than laying about in my bathrobe all day, snuggling up to a
crackling fireplace. That's what winter nights are for anyway.

Oh, and our tickets for MotoGp arrived today, and we got our hotel
reserves taken care of.
I could not believe what we paid for the room for three nights though.
(in fact I am not going to say how much it is)
Just a warning though, nearly every room in Monterey county is taken, so
make haste if you are going to the races, and get your room reserved now.
Happy new year!!
Jim Stinnett
R1100RS
VTR1000
R1
http://moto-rama.com

 

I just read my post, evidently my brain conveniently left out a few words..
here they are in case you need them:
day, would, of , that
JS