Bruce, you talk about Florida often... do you know how to ride through
there on "nice" roads, or do you just submit to traffic?
-Mike "soon-to-be retired people want to know..."
Mike,
The short answer is... YES! To all the above... There are, surprisingly, some nice roads to ride down here, but you have to pay attention to what you're doing... I try to avoid urban centers, anywhere in the shadow of Mickey Mouse, and the 'Gold Coast'... which is basically anywhere along the entire east coast of Florida south of Port Orange! The vast majority of my riding down here is north of I-4 and west of I-95. I avoid Interstates whenever possible and large cities/towns... A little map work and route planning can produce some really fine riding, but it can turn ugly quickly if you wander onto a major thoroughfare... Any road is subject to having the dreaded 'blue-hair' drivers appear, so do keep a sharp eye out for those!!!
DDT
Besides the obvious challenge of maintaining body heat and allowing normal bodily functions to perform properly, there are the spin-off effects… With winter comes frozen precipitation, and with that comes salt, brim, sand, and other road treatments that seriously discourage bike riding… for months on end!
They poured the salt slurry on the roads around here 8 days ago. I have not seen any snow since last spring but the salt brine is already down this year ... just in case I guess. And I am living well below that Mason Dixon line. I really hate getting my bike out on that salt crap but just had to go for a ride yesterday anyway.
Make adjustments as you need to my friend and enjoy that ride west. I know you will.
Bigwolf
Jerry,
I hear ya, man! Weather-wise I almost always stay south of I-40 in winter-time and I prefer to stay north of I-70 in summer. That said, it's become rather bothersome to even venture north of I-20 in winter anymore, precisely because, like you said, of the road treatment being employed so lavishly and universally up your way these days! Oh well... at least we have the desert out yonder to go for a spiritual rescue! That is, some of us do... others... ummmm, they have my sympathy, if that counts for anything...
DDT
"I’d resigned myself to having to take my car this time"
You have a Car? 
*snort* That was my thought as well
Challenger & Daniel,
Yep. It's a left-over item from my recent sedentary period when I also owned a house. I made a half-hearted effort to sell my car when I sold the house, but nothing materialized... So, mostly it just remains parked in my land-lady's garage and depreciates... I doubt I've put even a thousand miles on it in the past year! She takes it for a spin once in a while, but... I do need to get rid of it, but I really haven't been 'home' long enough to take care of that...
DDT
Antsy?
Antsy!
I've got yer antsy right here along with cold blustery rain.
If I don't get to ride soon I'ma gonna lose my $..t.
Brand new rear tire and not a chance to break it in since it was put on.
Paul,
That's exactly what I'm talking about!!! I must say I admire you and all those who endure 'winter' and extended periods of no riding... You must have nerves of steel and the patience of 'Job'... I, on the other hand, am probably a little too delicate to survive for long in that predicament... I've been cooped-up for nearly a week now, and I'm already gittery and anxious!
DDT
Evan,
That's another thing! Not sure my ol' bod could stand up to frozen precip and the slips & falls that automatically go with it! I vaguely recall a couple of those way, way back yonder a few decades ago... I barely made it then, doubt there would be any hope at all now! I wish you well... you only have three or four more months and you'll be right back out there again! I have a couple of days at most, so... I think I'll keep things for myself this way, actually!
DDT
Us Yankees can't pile the miles on like you do Bruce. But when you have to park the Valk for four to five months a year, the miles we do put on are that much more enjoyable. This time of year, friends and family ease the depression that might set in. I'll have to start the annual maintance, inspection and enhancement routine on my '98 Tourer in the near future. That activity retains my sanity, but don't talk to my wife, Susan, about that. She may/will have a different opinion...
BobB,
Yeah, 'sanity' is a relative thing, for sure... Many times I would have considered myself to be just fine on that score, only to discover my 'ex' saw things entirely differently! I've, according to most who've known me, lived pretty much on the thin edge of that condition most of my life... I'm confident your winters would be the gentle nudge needed to push me right over the edge!
DDT
Dennis,
We all do what we have to do, my brother... I feel for ya, but... I just can't get there myself! That's only because I don't need to, though... If things were different, I'd most likely do exactly what you're doing... Mercifully for this dude, a serious ride is squarely in my crosshairs, and a departure date is looming large later this week... Ummm, I do have this doctor scheduling stuff to deal with, though... So, maybe I'm being a tad premature in announcing my 'ride plans' just now... We'll see...
DDT
