Global Warming... (Ride Report)

Was Al Gore right back in 2000 when he told us we had maybe ten years to make changes before the 'tipping point' had been reached and irreversible climate damage had been done? Heck, I dunno...

I do know that I awoke yesterday morning with a serious urge to ride. The temp was in the low 20s here, but as I continued to watch my trusty thermometer on my patio climb, I could envision a reading of 30 before long!

Ordinarily I wouldn't go out on a day like that (windy too), but I really had the 'urge'. The problem for me was compounded, though, by the fact my daily dilemma was starting to rear its ugly head... cook, make a sandwich, or go out... I would have to eat something, of course, but what and where are always-present decisions I have to confront... Then I thought about Al's admonition, and my over-active rationalization skills kicked in...

What if the temp was indeed rising, only it didn't stop going up this time? What if yesterday was the beginning of the end, and the mercury would just keep on going up, eventually bursting out the top? Was yesterday the last day I would ever be able to ride? NO! by golly, I was not going to waste one more day by not riding!!!

One more check of the thermo-meter, and yep... almost 30, all right. I made the preliminary moves for departure, and as always doubts began to surface... It's going to be brrr cold out there, and my chaps won't offer sufficient offset... I can get by with the leather jacket because I now own a set of Gerber jacket liner and gloves combo... (Napper calls my Gerbigs 'Gerbers', I think, because my behavior is often child-like, occasionally even infantile.)

As I pondered that little matter, my gaze happened upon my Tour Master cold weather riding suit! I rarely use them anymore, because they are for serious cold only... anything less and I run the risk of over-heating, and perspiration in cold is a sure-fire recipe for trouble! A solution was readily at hand for that most recent concern...

About then I started to think thoughts like... Fate has ordained this ride, because all the ingredients for going are present, and any objection I could come up with was easily overcome... Yep, this ride was definitely on!!!

After layering up, I moved to the garage to see how ALI might feel about such an undertaking... I can't truthfully say she appeared as eager as I was, but, as always, she was willing... I turned the fuel petcock to on, set the choke to full-on, turned the key to on, and touched the starter button... 'Our bike' roared to life immediately, and it occurred to me that I just might have underestimated her zeal for getting back out yonder! She's such a real trooper, you know... a campaigner extraordinaire...

Garage door down and we were off... Down familiar roads, but roads we hadn't actually ridden in a few weeks. It wasn't until the fourth attempt that she and I were able to finally complete the ride to southwest Texas, and we'd only returned from that little jaunt a few days before... It's good to ride new, or nearly new, roads... this day was shaping up to be a mighty fine one.

I rode the back roads to Tallessee and the Huddle House Restaurant for some much needed nourishment... Yes, I did indeed get some curious looks, and a few comments, too. As I was preparing to leave, for example, one guy walking out shock his head and said, "God love ya, man!" Well, as a matter of fact, He does...

Since the thirty miles or so on the way over had gone so well, I decided to take a long-cut back home, rather than simply retrace our previous route. I rode up through Red Hill and thought about rkneff777, and I wondered if I'd hear from him (I later did). I then let my thoughts drift towards future rides... where, when, solo or accompanied... No particular reason, just something to keep the cranial juices moving...

Cold and blustery all day, but because I had on adequate gear (including a Balaklava), it seemed to be a great day... I was soooo glad I'd made that call, and that I'd actually pulled the trigger! ALI seemed grateful, too, to be let out of her garage cell and allowed to strut her stuff... about 170 miles by the time we'd pulled back into the garage.

DDT

P.S. It never got out of the 30s here yesterday, and it did turn much colder last night. While ol' AL still may prove to have been right, it appears yesterday was not the beginning of the end after all... I do hope to get in some more ride days before that happens... and soon, too, just to be on the safe side... Don't want to waste any of this precious, soon to be rare coolness...