This darn web blog site makes me nuts! I'm not always allowed to choose what size my font is going to be...and today is one of them! Ahhh well.
Let's start today's blog off with what happened yesterday...
I woke up to a very gray and drear day. I knew it was not going to be the best of days out there...but I was really hoping for some sunshine, as it really helps me to get my head on a better level...you know, more aware of what's going on around me kind of thing? What can I say...I so love sunshine! None the less, I got up, showered, picked out some warm clothing for my ride...and wahaaa...I was ready to go out and crank up the old girl.
She needed just a little prodding with the enrichner...a few extra twists of the wick, and she fired up...no coughing...which is always nice when starting a Sportster. They always seem to have that hiccup...that kinda spit from the carb...and sometimes my little girl will even gives a pop through her pipes...she sounds worse than her bite for sure!
She was quite cold blooded running though. The enrichner was required for just about a mile before I could be sure she wasn't gonna cough and sputter before catching the fumes of the fuel and firing off on her plugs...ahhh once she warms up, shes a beautiful thing to feel under ya.
Taking off into a Easterly direction, I headed up Hiway 321, then taking US19W into Roan MT.
Hanging a right onto Hiway 143, which leads directly into the State Park. I love it here, come spring the flowers will start to come out...and ahhh beautiful sights, even better aromas!
The ride was quite unremarkable, except the roads were a tad bit slippery at this altitude. That I knew was only a prelude to what I could expect as I ascended Roan MT. especially on the north face of the mountain, where the sun rarely shone, or where the pines were thick, rather than the hardwoods whose dressings had come and gone for the winter months. I wasn't sure exactly how bad, or good the road would be ahead, but I've seen it covered in ice sheets before...so I wasn't gonna try out ride my line of sight today!
Yes, it got very cold from here on out. I don't ride with a fairing, my bike isn't set up with heated grips, guess one might say I believe riding should be as close to it's natural state as we can make it. I enjoy the wind, even when it's 35 degrees or colder outside. I believe in keeping up with the conditions and preparing yourself for them. Wear or carry everything you might need to make the ride physically safe.
I also don't ride with saddlebags, so everything I take with me is bungeed to the fender or somehow attached to me at the belt...or where ever an attachment will work!
Today, I made sure to bring along an extra scarf to wrap my head into and cover my face. I used two of them, since the wind was so bitingly cold. I stopped at a pull off (scenic) and donned more clothing. All you could see of my face...well you couldn't see my face, I had my face wrapped up like an Arab woman in Jalalib garb. I don't care what people think...when it's that cold outside, and you have limited funds for things such as keeping warm...you use what is available, and you stay warm, dry, and happy!
Just before mounting the pinnacle, on the North face of the mt. I came across this on the road...whew...scary...
Coming back down the south face was quite nice, as I descended the temps got warmer, and off came the layers, although never as warm as the weatherman said it was gonna be...it did get nicer as I headed south west into North Carolina!
I didn't hit any more bad roads with ice and other problems the rest of the way...but I had the best time in a long while today...there is nothing like riding...and I think today isn't any different...I'm going....going...POOF
and this is what we look like right now...check out how far up the tree trunk the water is now. Six more inches, and it will be in my Mom's Garden of Good and Evil....
