Sunday 20 January 2013

Getting Back in the Saddle

Wow, the sun is coming up, the snow is sparkling and temperature is hovering at -27 C (-16 F) with the windchill at -42 C (-43 F). Funny that the temperatures are the same in Celsius and Fahrenheit once it gets so low. It's like someone said, "Oh whatever, it's just freaking cold!" 

If you live long enough in Saskatchewan, you begin to realize that every conversation in the winter starts with "How are you? How was your drive/walk to work?" It sets the tone for the day and for my postings. 



It is too cold today to do anything outside, and I will have to plug in my car for two hours if I want to go anywhere. What I would really like to do today is hop on my Suzuki with a bottle of water and some granola bars and ride for a few hours - but that is not going to happen for obvious reasons...

I was going to do some sewing yesterday but noticed that my machine does not want to do reverse sewing anymore. Will be going to a machine repair shop soon...so I guess that leaves painting indoors. Our son has recently moved out and his room needs new paint, new carpet and a new function. I am going to make it our motorcycle gear/guest bedroom/seasonal clothes/Christmas stuff/books storage room. I bet you all have a room like that in your home. We have not had the space until now to have a dedicated room for all of that. It's always just been stashed all over the house wherever it fit.  

So, this will keep me busy until May when riding season will startMy riding skills will be rusty again by then - there will be lots of trips around the neighbourhood until I feel like my muscle memories have kicked inOnly then will I head out into the city and then the highway.

Riding season goes to about October 15 here. I've been out on the bike most weekends for the last two seasons. In those two seasons, I realized I am a lot more cautious than I was at 20 when I thought I was invincible. I never worried then about riding in the rain, riding at night, or riding with a passenger, and yes, I used to do all three of those at the same time - a lot!

For one thing, I did not have a car and I liked to go see movies with my friends so off on the Kawasaki I'd go. When the movie was finished, it would be raining, it would be dark and a friend would want a ride, so I would ride them home. I did this for two years before I saved enough money to buy a car and then got my driver's license. 

So anyway, it is off to do wall preparation for painting for me until all the snow goes away and the roads are clear once more - to ride to our heart's content.


Suzu 


   


10 comments:

  1. wow -27/-42 degrees C sure is cold!!
    What are your summer temperatures?

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    1. Thanks for checking in!

      Today's temp is -29 C with a -41 C windchill. The car was plugged in all night and I will be plugging it in at work. Our summer temperatures go from about 26 C to 38 C. When it gets that hot, I don't want to be out on the bike then either! Those are the days when you get up very early to get in a few hours riding before you melt...have a good one...

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  2. Damn that is cold. I really feel bad about complaing about our weather hovering at freezing. It is the damn freezing fog that makes it seem so cold.

    I remember visiting my mom in Edmonton and it was -38 C, damn that is cold. Funny at the time it didn't seem as cold as -5C does to me now. I am in fact a weather weenie.

    Oh, and we too have a room in our house like that. Motorcycle gear, bookshelf, pantry, catch all. Have fun painting.

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    1. The dampness does make you feel just as cold, like you're never going to be warm again...

      I'm looking forward to a great little room to tidy the house up! Enjoy your day!

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  3. Suzu:

    I am like you. I don't mind the cold we get but there is most always frost when temps get down to freezing and I don't like to ride in temps above 30°c, unless I am touring somewhere hot. I don't know how you can endure the endless minus temps you get all winter. I am not a fan of painting either. I can patch holes, do the masking but someone else can paint. I make too much of a mess with the rollers with paint dripping everywhere.

    do you live anywhere near Regina ? I remember going through there. I missed the signal light on Hwy 1 and I could see the stores on my left down the road, but I didn't stop

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube

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    1. Yep, riding in hot weather is not great. Will be looking for a mesh jacket this spring. I literally can feel my focus getting fuzzy when I get overheated.

      This winter is very cold, the last three have been very decent, usually only -12 to -18. I have gone into hibernation mode - I get to work and to the store for food - and then I scurry back to my little house to thaw out.

      With painting, I've discovered the trick is to use a small roller - about 4 inches wide - the mess has gone away but it then takes longer...

      Yes, I do live near Regina. The city has grown more toward the east and north now, you would not be able to drive far down the Trans Canada without running into a bunch of intersections that slow your trip down. On the plus side, if you look up you just might see the Snowbirds practicing out of Moose Jaw. Awesome sight!

      Have a great day and interesting to watch your construction zone evolving...Suzu

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    2. Suzu:

      I have the Joe Rocket, Alter EGO 11.0 (I think) the panels are removeable revealing a full mesh jacket underneath. You will love it.

      and I also have the TourMaster Flex riding pants, which also turn into a full mesh pants.

      I'll see how close I can get to Regina this summer. I was thinking of taking Hwy 2, on the south side of the border on my way East

      bob
      Riding the Wet Coast
      My Flickr // My YouTube

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    3. Thanks for the information on your gear. It's interesting to hear what everyone else wears...will be a bit before the stores have the jackets to try on but I will keep that in mind!

      Here's wishing you a great trip this summer on your way East...you have lots of planning to keep you busy until you can go...

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  4. Hi Suzu,

    Wow that's cold, but reading about made me feel cool for a while .. I liked it :)

    We have one of those rooms, ours is also our guest room so it has to have a clean out evey now and then, tis good for making me get rid of things that I've been hoarding.

    Good luck with the painting, I love painting but hate the preperation part, that's why our poor kitchen is still waiting to get painted!

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  5. I'm glad I could help cool you down...reading your blog warms me up! Today, it is supposed to get to -4 C and we will definitely be going for a long walk to stretch those legs.

    Yes, nothing like painting to get you to move everything around in a room and realize - why am I keeping this? Lots of stuff to find a new function or a new home for because it's just taking up space and has no sentimental value...

    Thanks for checking in...enjoying your blog of learning how to ride! Have a good one...Suzu

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