0
At 4pm yesterday I warmed up the bike, put on my warmest gear and went for a quick 50 mile ride. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
As the sun set and the shadows grew larger along the roads I was getting the distinct feeling that the day's warmth had passed and I was in for a frosty return home.
After 2 pit stops with gloves tucked in under the carbs to defrost them while getting a coffee I set out on the last leg of the trip which had me mostly in the darker section of the woods and cooler as a bonus. Good for me.
About 7 miles from home it started, a twitch here and there, followed by a few seconds of shuddering and then what felt like aftershocks. Was it the bike or the road? My hands were numb and I gave up using the clutch to up shift. I was in state, as my feeling for the foot pegs had diminished and my efforts to contain heat had my knees pressed into the tank.
Yup, it was cold out and so was I. For Christmas this year I will ask Santa for a heated vest and grips to extend the riding season.
Gotta love fall in New England.