So yesterday was the day I decided on finally taking Kari down to spend the winter at my parents. They happen to have a garage, and it won' cost me anything, perfect solution, I think. I'd been watching the weather since Friday, and monday was supposed to be the best day coming up for the trek, mid 40s, sunny, low winds. Now, for background knowledge I'm very wary of taking her too fast in the cold, because she's cut out before when the engine temp got down to the bottom of the gauge, and while that was most likely due to not letting her warm up before riding (apparently national parks close at dark... who knew?) it may have been from ballin in low 40 weather at night, or maybe from her knowing I was trying to sell... I dunno. Either way, if the high was 46, I wasn' about to be doing beltway speeds. Losing power on 15 at 10pm with absolutely no one around is one thing, losing it going down 95 with semis is something completely different, and sucktastic.
Due to this, I planned a very round about way down that only involved the beltway for one exit (get on at Cabin John, get off at 193, literally just the bridge, no merging required)... sure it would take a while, but hey, it was a gorgeous day, sunny... not a care in the world. I took a half day at work, got home around noon, geared up, and threw everything I wanted in my car which a friend was gonna drive so I had a way home. We start going at 12:30, popping onto 198 down towards 29. Right around the time we get to 29 the coffee I'd drunk that morning kicked in, and so we stopped at a gas station on E Randolph Road. When I walked inside I realized I couldn't feel my hands, or my face already, and we'd only gone 11 miles!
By this time is was completely overcast, and I was just prayin it didn't start raining sometime in the next 40 miles. Got my gear back on, and we headed out. Down Randolph, onto Montrose, and past 270. Or at least, so I thought. The 'chase car' was actually leading (since he could read directions and drive) and he pulled over t some apartment complex under construction. I assured him he was going the right way, and when we went to get back on Montrose... it turned out to be an on-ramp for 270. FRICK. So I just prayed I'd survive, and finally broke into 3rd gear. Did I mention that I was keeping rpms up around 9k so the bike would stay warmer? It was an ear-splitting good time tucked in right next to the gas tank to get out of the wind. We got onto 270, and just stayed in the right hand lane, not breaking 60. This worked well enough, so we got onto 495 for the few miles until 193. Once we got off at 193, I stopped in at the church I grew up in to let my face and hands thaw again. But as we walked out my friend says "Hey, is that rain?" I said "Nope, no way. Its not raining today." And then the drops started hitting my helmet....
I wish I could do my job as well as a weatherman. 20% accuracy is considered a good day, huh? Yea, I'll run those numbers boss. One out of every four five digits are correct, you get to guess which.
So now I took the point since I knew where we were, and just tried to beat the rain. Beat most of it, the downside was if I tucked in the rain went down the back of my jacket, and if I leaned up enough to prevent that my face froze... hmm...
Either way I made it home in one piece and stoked at having survived that ride... it was fun, if freezing, and wet, and long. I spent the majority of it tucked in trying to suck whatever warmth I could from the engine because I never got around to buying anything warmer than my first gear this summer. Yea, those nice comfy Sidi boots? Tons of air vents all over? *thumbs up*
Finally got home around 2:30, and wanted to get gone by 3:00 to beat traffic home (had to run up to the NW of Baltimore after rush hour). I rushed getting the bike in the garage, stupid. Yea, I got her in a nice corner, but it involved picking up the rear and dragging it over. At the time my dad and I made hernia jokes (we've both had them before)... jokes on me just got back form the doc and sure enough, I've got a small inguinal hernia. Not enough to give real sharp pain, but enough to feel uncomfortable when I move or just lie down. sucks....
Lessons learned:
- Plan for winter storage before winter (I'll note I drove in actual snow up to Towson after rush hour... just barely beat it)
- Wear 5 layers next time, not four... of just bring extra clothes in the chase car
- Don't be an idiot even if in a hurry.
Kickin myself now.. *sigh*
Life's like a machine gun... just close your eyes, squeeze the trigger, and pray you hit what you wanted.