IT WAS on the frosty side, as you may imagine. Around 20F, windy. My intention was to take the iron piggy out for a blast around the Scituate Reservoir but we never got there. Ended up riding mostly in & around town because of an electrical issue.
Rolled on home around 11 p.m., stripped out of the cold boots and leathers in front of the wood stove, and she who is made of love handed me a bourbon hot toddy. Life could be tougher.
I typically don’t bother with the heated gloves and jacket liner unless I’m going to be out half a day or longer. For an hour or two it’s not worth the fuss; I dress for the ride and feel warm enough on my own.
Last night was kind of a dumb escapade, because I thought, well, you’ve had a bad cough for a week, use the electrics. The electrics failed, of course, and, for some kind of full-moon fool reason, I hadn’t anticipated the ever-present possibility of the electrics failing. By the time I got cold I didn’t have enough clothes with me to get warm again. Had a pair of mittens in the saddlebags but not the wool liners.
On my way home, my hands were pretty frozen so I passed the highway entrance, pulled a U-turn at the next light, pulled over and warmed my hands on the engine for 2 or 3 minutes.
Blown fuse, most likely, but it could be the controller is shot, too. It’s had a lot of weather exposure over the years.
I had a gopro in my pocket last night and a couple of fully charged batteries. Wasn’t sure I would bother to stop and set up the camera (same principle as the electrics, I’d rather ride than fiddle) but then I did stop; stopped at a gas station where there was light to work by.
The batteries usually last an hour. Last night, the camera got so cold it quit after 19 minutes. And its ability to record sound was breaking up for about a minute before that. After I warmed my hands on the engine and got on the highway, I passed a pickup on the right because he was hogging the left and on the clip it sounds like the motorcycle’s coming apart.
The surface of the road felt good. Good grip. I had aired down both tires by 6psi so they’d warm up a little faster. Not that they ever really warm up this time of year.
On an unrelated matter, I’m likely in the queue for another six-month ass kicking in the chemo arena. Knew I would have to deal at some point with the RADCAT 4 results I started to get… when? Must be a year and a half ago by now.
Anyway… situation is developing. Will let you know.
Cheers to all, and thanks for reading.
Tony DePaul, January 15, 2025, Cranston, Rhode Island, USA
