It was so brisk, I switched to textiles for this ride! Well, that’s what the forecast indicated it was going to be, anyway… One can never fully trust any ‘predictions’, as we all eventually learn, because they are at best still speculation.
Sure, many are based upon history, scientific data, and previous patterns, and weather forecasts nowadays are all based upon very sophisticated computer models; however… in the end they are all still ‘educated’ guesses. Often impressively close and occasionally spot-on… Pretty darned close this time, so far!
Anyway, we departed the ol' homestead yesterday morning and had a rather uneventful ride back to Eufaula, AL. A very nice day, though, well... except for the last couple of blocks! We were once again racing the rain, and we made it, too... all but that last little bit! No complaints at all, however, because that rain was actually very timely.
We still had time to make Montgomery before dark, and I was leaning hard towards doing just that. However, that sprinkle changed my mind in an instant! Had it not been for that, we would have ridden on... and, there is no place to stop for nearly a hundred miles. That timely, fortuitous sprinkle kept us from getting seriously wet!!!
I usually travel with a heavy leather jacket, leather chaps, and my Gerbings this time of year. Because I ride in and out of cold weather, but sometimes rather warm temps come into the picture, this gives me what I consider for my own needs the greatest range of apparel wearing with minimum storage time while traveling.
Leathers are bulky and take up a lot of space when not being worn… On the other hand, with all the zippered vents everywhere, those garments can be tolerated for most winter time conditions… if one stays far enough south! Only during very brief periods is it ever necessary to strap my leathers onto other bags. Even a bit further north, however, can sometimes place comfort at great peril!
Many years ago I bought a Tour Master cold weather riding suit that works really well in very cold weather, especially when heated electrics are added in. Too much for moderate temps, though, so they have to spend much time in saddle bags, tour bags, or strapped on top of bags… not good. They are not as bulky as leathers, but they still take up valuable space; so, they rarely get taken along these days.
If I’m home and making day rides, they do get a bit more usage, but most of my riding nowadays is on road trips of a couple of weeks to several months, so maximum flexibility inclines me more towards the leather combinations… Warm weather riding, of course, especially during summer, is a whole nuther kettle of fish!
No problems with pesky warm temps expected on this ride! So, the textiles got the nod… in fact, that choice wasn't even close… Well, that very first day had me wondering if I might have an issue or two, but that never actually arose… The forecast temp was to be just high enough to cause a little extra careful consideration.
Based upon my first look-see outside this morning in the predawn hours, there will be no storage issues this day either! If the longer-range forecast is even close to being accurate, then I’ve made a most wise wardrobe ensemble decision, indeed! When there's frost upon the pumpkin, textiles keep our testicles temperate and tranquil…
One other acknowledgement of coolness... It started out as just being too lazy to shave, but I decided to keep the whiskers for a while, because they do help my face and chin stay a bit warmer when wearing an open-face helmet in cold weather... I ain't trying to be cool... I'm trying to avoid being too cool!
DDT
