Cold Weather Riding in the 50s

The other weekend, the high on Saturday was 50.  I tried going down a state highway at 55.  It is like driving into an deep freezer with an industrial strength fan blowing on you.  My jacket and chaps work great.  But I can feel the cold air on my face, my hands, and my seat where the chaps don't cover.  I went to lower speed limit roads and it felt better.  Still cold, but better.  Cold is a natural deterrent to going fast.  They should add that into cars somehow.  It would really help speed limit adherence if the faster people in cars went the colder the air blowed in their face and bodies.  It was a short day of riding, but hey at least I got in some miles.

Then Sunday the high was in the mid to high 50s.  It was like living in another state.


That 5 to 10 degrees, plus less wind, made all the difference.  Glass of water from the fridge cold, not ice cubes from the deep freezer down your pants cold.  I was able to get in some good riding that day.  I think then that's the cut off.  That 5 degrees between 50 and 55 is the difference between I want to go riding and I want to go home :)

Then the weekend after that, the high was in the upper 30s with high wind speeds.  I didn't even try to drive the motorcycle.  It was the first weekend since I've started that I didn't drive the motorcycle on the weekend.  Alas, the end of the driving season is ever looming.

It'll be interesting come around next year in Feb or so.  When I've gotten used to 0 degrees.  That 50 may feel like a heat wave.  We'll have to see.  I also remember when I used to weigh twice what I do now, I was impervious to cold.  Back then, people would ask me if I owned a coat.  I would be out basking in 0 degree wind and be like man this weather is nice.  I don't want to go back to that, but it is funny to think back too.

For now, I ordered some additional cold weather riding gear: glove liners, heavy weight thermal underwear, and a face mask (like a balaklava).  I don't expect this to solve the 30 degree days.  Besides the cold, the 30s risk ice and I don't want to mess with ice right now.  But this extra gear should help with making a 50 degree day good and maybe even the 40s.