[vito]

Yesterday was pretty hot, but while moving on the bike I felt great. I went our early in the day and did my favorite 100 mile ride in a bit less than two hours along the Rock River. Today I was not able to get out until about 11 AM and even without a jacket, I was roasting immediately. Probably got about a half mile from home and had to stop for a red light and I really starting sweating. Turned around and pulled into the garage. I think I clocked about a whole mile and felt like I had to take another shower.

I feel like I am back in the Army, where bitching is a way of life no matter what is going on. All winter long I looked forward to summer, and now that its here in spades I am wishing it were not so summery. But the season is still young, with the best riding days coming in the Fall.

 

[hogcowboy]

I love the heat. I'll take it over the cold any time. But I admit the old I get the more I question that logic. But I can't take cold so heat it is. I just call it quits by 2:00pm or 1400 hours if you like that better.:grin:

 

[Herrick]

Yesterday was pretty hot, but while moving on the bike I felt great. I went our early in the day and did my favorite 100 mile ride in a bit less than two hours along the Rock River. Today I was not able to get out until about 11 AM and even without a jacket, I was roasting immediately. Probably got about a half mile from home and had to stop for a red light and I really starting sweating. Turned around and pulled into the garage. I think I clocked about a whole mile and felt like I had to take another shower.

I feel like I am back in the Army, where bitching is a way of life no matter what is going on. All winter long I looked forward to summer, and now that its here in spades I am wishing it were not so summery. But the season is still young, with the best riding days coming in the Fall.

What was the temperature?

 

[Retired Guy]

Soak your t-shirt then jump on the bike. If you use cold water to start with, it's really cold for a little while.

 

[BWB75]

I totally get this. It can be miserable on the bike, at a stop, with intense heat. That said, I'm with Hogcowboy. In warm areas the peak summer is our equivalent to winter. It's the uncomfortable time. But at least in a hot summer you can still go out and get things done and do fun stuff, if you want to. You're not stuck like in a cold, grey winter. And the really hot stuff doesn't last 7 months. Only a couple. I'll take a hot climate with tough summers over a northern climate any day!

 

[RonK]

--

Well, I just got back from about 9,000 miles of trip from CO to VA to most of New England, to MI and thereabouts. Most days were mixed with combination of elements. Heat wasn't the biggest.

Most annoying was constantly being lost on routes that were poorly marked (or possibly I just can't see the signs so well these days--but I'm dismissing that possibility).

Second most was construction delays, along with some traffic tie ups because of too dang many cars! The problem here was that with a big twin generating heat like a hot mama, it can become unbearing. Actually wearing the black mesh jacket wasn't really that much hotter. Mostly only where the plastic pads pressed against my skin and allowed no air. Even the silver helmet was keeping direct sun off my head. (Note: There are no slow jams during low sun hours or when raining, only during full sun.)

Then you have your touring local neighborhoods trying to find your way out since the main routes that you somehow got off aren't visible. Here you have your helpful street people who don't know dink about how to get out of their neighborhoods and send you off on 20 mile jaunts in the wrong direction. Heck, it took me four hours to get out of western Columbus, OH.

Also crummy is on your last day when you drop your bike loaded with a giant pack while trying to park in the shade behind a gas station in Iowa. Twice. After the second time I ended up that day riding 13 hours, the last 10 were with a sprained elbow (I thought was broken) I got "saving" the bike. I figured if I stopped, it would swell up and I wouldn't be able to ride home the next day.

I did find out that if you can get your rain suit on BEFORE it rains, riding in the rain is fun. I suppose that comes from living in Droughtland, USA for so many years. I really like it.

So even after the occasional 8-13 hour days, I never really got too awful hot and bothered until at least when I got off the bike at the end of the day.

--

 

[Critter]

Did you ride your new Yamaha Ronk?

 

[RonK]

Did you ride your new Yamaha Ronk?

--

Long trips are what the Eluder is made for. It's a bagger for one person. It's similar to the Yamaha 2018 Venture other than no large rear seat and trunk, no movable windshield and no reverse. The stability and comfort on the road is superior.

--

 

[SteveCB500F]

Yesterday was pretty hot, but while moving on the bike I felt great. I went our early in the day and did my favorite 100 mile ride in a bit less than two hours along the Rock River. Today I was not able to get out until about 11 AM and even without a jacket, I was roasting immediately. Probably got about a half mile from home and had to stop for a red light and I really starting sweating. Turned around and pulled into the garage. I think I clocked about a whole mile and felt like I had to take another shower.

I feel like I am back in the Army, where bitching is a way of life no matter what is going on. All winter long I looked forward to summer, and now that its here in spades I am wishing it were not so summery. But the season is still young, with the best riding days coming in the Fall.

This weekend we had air temps of 99-101 with head indices of 110-113 so I went out at 6AM on Saturday and 7AM on Sunday when it was only (only) 80 degrees. It was fun riding that early in the morning...very little traffic and I beat the worst of the heat. But I really don't like hot weather at all. A perfect day for me is 55-60 degrees. I've ridden down to 31 before and was fine except for my fingertips getting cold after a while. I'm going to get some heated grips and hand guards installed on my bike before next winter to deal with that. :nerd:

 

[Critter]

Our low last night was 86, and I am not that far from you.

 

[SteveCB500F]

Our low last night was 86, and I am not that far from you.

Yeh, tonight the low is supposed to be 80 in the DC Metro area. I'm definitely going to throw on another blanket or two! :wink2:

 

[Doc Samson]

Soak your t-shirt then jump on the bike. If you use cold water to start with, it's really cold for a little while.

I've found that to be a great way to start the ride this time of year. I've got a multi-sprayer attachment on my garden hose with a mist setting. I'll put on everything but gloves and helmet, mist myself real good (whole upper torso), then get my helmet and gloves on, and go! Even if it's hot, I start off feeling pretty cool and by the time most of me is dry, I'm usually ready to head home anyway!

 

[SteveCB500F]

I've found that to be a great way to start the ride this time of year. I've got a multi-sprayer attachment on my garden hose with a mist setting. I'll put on everything but gloves and helmet, mist myself real good (whole upper torso), then get my helmet and gloves on, and go! Even if it's hot, I start off feeling pretty cool and by the time most of me is dry, I'm usually ready to head home anyway!

That's a great suggestion and I'm going to try this. Thanks!

 

[Doc Samson]

That's a great suggestion and I'm going to try this. Thanks!

Yeah, I get some very mild stop and go traffic in my area and it gets hot quick! I can't imagine being where you are and dealing with that on a daily basis!

 

[hogcowboy]

On PGR missions, I get one bottle of water to drink and one to pour on my head and upper body before heading home. The thermometer on the bike has read 120º many times but with the water on me I'm almost okay until I can get to the interstate and make a bee-line to home. I always refuel first and that is always brutal but I'd rather do it then than the next time I'm out and it's still hot anyway. I'm fortunate that once home I can strip and run outside and jump in our pool. Makes for a great end of PGR mission and ride.

 

[Nyjack]

Yesterday was pretty hot, but while moving on the bike I felt great. I went our early in the day and did my favorite 100 mile ride in a bit less than two hours along the Rock River. Today I was not able to get out until about 11 AM and even without a jacket, I was roasting immediately. Probably got about a half mile from home and had to stop for a red light and I really starting sweating. Turned around and pulled into the garage. I think I clocked about a whole mile and felt like I had to take another shower.

I feel like I am back in the Army, where bitching is a way of life no matter what is going on. All winter long I looked forward to summer, and now that its here in spades I am wishing it were not so summery. But the season is still young, with the best riding days coming in the Fall.

Hi Vito,
I thought that I was the only one worrying about bitching about the heat. I'm sure in the middle of the winter, I will not remember just how hot it is and kick myself for not riding for the past few days:wink2:

 

[SteveCB500F]

Yeah, I get some very mild stop and go traffic in my area and it gets hot quick! I can't imagine being where you are and dealing with that on a daily basis!

Luckily it doesn't normally get that hot around here. Normal highs in the summer here are upper 80 to low 90s. We can get near 100 sometimes but it's not the norm thankfully!

 

[Doc Samson]

Luckily it doesn't normally get that hot around here. Normal highs in the summer here are upper 80 to low 90s. We can get near 100 sometimes but it's not the norm thankfully!

I'm not too far from you and we are usually slighter cooler but I'm sensitive and cranky about the heat... and the cold... and too much wind... :smile_big: