Winter Riding in New Hampshire

[dhgeyer]

Did an 80 mile ride on the Beemer today. Left about 10:40, got back about 1:55. It was 30 degrees when I left, and as I went North and West it stayed about the same till I started back. The roads were mostly clear, with only a few slick spots to dodge. I stuck to 2 lane designated routes (no back roads). Our driveway is still quite icy, so the 50 feet out to the street was the trickiest part. Anyway, my electric gear and heated grips kept me warm for the most part.

The last time the roads were clear enough to ride was December 20th. It's been snowing every few days since then, including a couple of significant storms. I wanted to get at least one ride in January, and it looked like today was the day. If there's a lot of snow around, I think I like it better if it's around or below freezing. If it gets too warm the snow beside the road melts and the roads get wet. If the roads are dry, the salt doesn't get on the bike too much, and doesn't really hurt anything as long as it stays dry. I can then rinse it down at my leisure instead of having to do a thorough spraying as soon as I get back.

Anyway, the Sun was shining the whole time, and I had a great ride. And man-o-man I sure needed it!

I apologize for the picture quality. I didn't think to take my camera, so these were taken with my phone.