It's The Dead Of Winter

[Crusty]

It’s the Dead of Winter
 
 
I hate winter. I know that there are people who like it; who enjoy wrapping themselves inside a cocoon of insulation so they won’t freeze to death, but I’m not one of them. There are also people who don’t especially like the winter, but prefer sub-freezing temperatures to the heat and humidity of summer. I’m of the opposite mindset. I don’t especially like sweating my ass off, but I find it a lot more preferable to risking frostbite.
As most people who know me are aware, my favorite coffee cup has WINTER SUCKS emblazoned on it in bold letters.
 
I’ve decided to stay holed up in my apartment today. The temperatures aren’t supposed to even get close to the freezing mark until after midnight and the weather forecast is calling for 3 to 5 inches of snow this evening. Then, it’s going to warm up so that the snow will turn into sleet and freezing rain and will continue to warm up until it’s all rain by tomorrow afternoon; which means that the snow will have the consistency and weight of overly wet concrete by morning when people have to shovel it. It will plug snow blowers as soon as they’re started, and older folks will be dropping by the scores from heart attacks. As a little bonus, once the rain stops, the temperatures are supposed to plummet to well below freezing, so all the little bits of slush that didn’t get completely cleared away will freeze into a good imitation of polished and waxed granite. Oh, joy.
 
Winter loving acquaintances tell me I should find a winter sport and learn to enjoy it. They have suggested skiing. Now, aside from having to do this in miserable temperatures, there are two very good reasons I don’t want to take up skiing. First, the idea of putting slick boards on my feet then sliding down the side of an ice and snow covered mountain sure looks like a real recipe for pain and disaster. My friends  who ski have told me that if I feel out of control, I should just fall down. I’m a motorcyclist. All my training and instincts are to not fall down. I can just see where replacing my survival skills on the street with that tidbit of information will really be a help. “Yes, Saint Peter; when I saw the soccer mom yakking on the cell phone in her SUV and drifting into my lane, I decided to play it safe and laid it down!”  Uh; Right!
Second, I have a bad ankle. It was crushed in an industrial accident back in the ‘90s, and it hurts like a toothache in the cold.  Skiing is definitely out.
Ice skating is another Fail as well. That same ankle isn’t very flexible. Besides, I have never enjoyed skating, whether on blades or rollers (at least roller skating happens in a heated building).
 
What other winter sports are there? Bobsledding? Uh, no thanks. Snowmobiling? It can be fun, but it’s still too freakin’ cold. Curling? I don’t know the first thing about it, and don’t really care to learn.
 
Pretty basically, the best part of winter for me is the chance to get away from it. I think there are a lot of others who feel the same way, even if they don’t want to admit it.
Bike Week in Daytona is the biggest motorcycle rally in the country. It regularly draws a half million people or more to Florida where the temps are much more tolerable. As we all are aware, the vast majority of rally attendees haven’t the least interest in the racing that takes place at the Speedway. They go so that they can once again feel warm and get some sunlight on their skin.
 
That’s also why trips to the Bahamas and various Caribbean Island resorts have January and February as their peak Tourist Season. There aren’t too many people who want to loll around on a lawn chair at Prudhoe Bay in January. Hell, there aren’t too many folks who want to take a scenic February cruise up to Anchorage either, I bet. While I’d like to see the Northern Lights some day, it will either happen in the Summer or it won’t happen at all.
 
Well; I’m stuck in New England for this winter, but I’m taking steps and making plans to be in a much more enjoyable climate for next year. If it all comes together, I won’t even need a long sleeve shirt; unless it’s to keep the sun off my skin. It really is something to think and dream about.
 
Now, I wonder if TV Land or one of the other old TV show channels is having a Death Valley Days marathon?

[Klaus]

Crusty,

we´re not only the same age.............we´re brothers in arms !!!

That´s exactly the way I feel about !

[sib]

Here's another like-thinker, Crusty.  I'm still living in RI mostly because I've accumulated so much stuff it would be too much work to get rid of it or move it all to a warmer place.  I've got the excuse of advanced age (72+), but I didn't like winter even when I was as "young" as you are.

Sam

[fotoguzzi]

[canuck750]

-21C, sunny blue sky,  but is still sucks!

Heated garage and bike projects help, just.

[Lannis]

Winter doesn't bother me.   I'd like to ride more, but there are compensations.

1) I've got a loaf of bread baking, and a big pot of split-pea soup simmering.   The house smells great.

2) My warm and cuddly woman is even warmer and cuddlier in the winter time.  

Me, I like the variety.   I'd get bored in the tropics.

Lannis

[lucydad]

Crusty,

I hear you buddy, I do.

Follow the weird naked indian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSG3s7Y9lP0

Watch Lawrence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmr1iSG3RTA

Maybe a bit of pod racing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_krCKECpzrU

Seriously though hope Springs eternal, the cycles progress and life goes on.  When I lived in Anchorage, AK this time of year really could be a pain.  I won't give you the outdoors advice, but one thing that helped me were full spectrum lights, walking, and particularly going to the gym with a heated pool and steam room.

Hang in there.  We have had over a week of grey/wet/cold here and I tend to have SAD if I don't get some sunshine. 

[wavedog]

Well, its not exactly a tropical paradise here, but it is 80, some clouds, with a little comfortable humidity. I wore the mesh jacket on my ride today. I had plans to be gone all day, but my wife is ill so the jackal had to make do with a quick hundred miler. Supposed to cool down the middle of next week with daytime temps dropping into the 50's. That is way too cold for me. I am an endless summer kind of guy.

[jazzamoto]

Crusty,

I hear you bro'. I was born and raised in Connecticut and two weeks after graduating from high
school I was living in Venice, CA. Never went back. Snow is God's way of telling us to "Go South!".  ;-T

[father guzzi obrian]

I just spent 10 days in Noblesville, outside of Indianapolis, it was cold, but many of the days we had snow in so cal and not in Indiana.... Looking to move up there, will be about 25 miles from Chuck, should be interesting....  Indiana has good pork products. whooo hooo ~;

[jas67]

Winter sucks.
That is all.

[Vince in Milwaukee]

I'm in the camp of I'm willing to put up with winter as long as the summer time isn't all hot, humid, and nasty.  Having lived in Wisconsin for most of my life, I just roll with the 4 seasons.  Things aren't perfect, but when your family and job are here, you stick around. 

[mgfan]

Nothing better in winter than a pub with a fireplace and a 60" TV. Watch your favorite hockey team(sorry Jim, you'll have one some day) and the NFL playoffs have just started! Spring will be here before you know it!   :BEER:

[Cam3512]

Winter sucks.
That is all.

Agreed.  Nothing to like about it.  Rather be riding my bike year-round in a Hawaiian shirt (and full face helmet of course).

And stop with the "I love the change of seasons" line of crap.  Yea, it's winter and I'm cranky.

[Green1000S]

Crusty.....

I know EXACTLY how you feel.

I moved out of Finland because of all the damn snow and ugly weather. Found Bermuda, wonderful.
Few years later to New Joisey and after year 1994 and 16 (yes... SICFUCKINGTEEN) major snowstorms, I moved to Victoria TX. Excellent!!
Eventually up to Dallas and then the company made me an offer I could not say no to and I relocated to Pannsylvania.

Guess what???  Damn snow is here again. Cannot wait to retire to South Carolina! Thats another 9 cold winters in PA. Duh...

Wanna know how I feel during winters?

[Nic in Western NYS]

Fitchburg is a tough place in the winter.  Life in a northern town...

Hoping you find a sunny clime before next winter hits us.

Nic

[jabberwocky]

Winter doesn't bother me.  

Winter wouldn't bother me too much if I lived in VA either.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 Yea winter is here.  Up on the hill last night the wind was 80 to 90 knots with a few gusts at 130.  Slashing rain pelted down in a continuous roar
 on my tin roof.  Electric power went out around midnight last night and was not restored until 4 PM today. I've been eating things that do not need to be cooked until power came back on.  However it is now calm and back to a normal winter time 80 fahrenheight  or however they spell it.  I have not seen any humpback whales yet this year.  They usually come in November but I think the Japanese have eaten them all, or perhaps they have eaten all the fish that attract them here.

[Guzzistajohn]

You know, I can put up with these southern Missouri arctic temps in the 30's but the short days/lack of sunlight is what I really get sick of.

[Guido Valvole]

I think snow is beautiful -- when I'm looking at it out an airplane window from 35,000 feet above. And I'm not particularly fond of the airline experience these days so just (expletive deleted) pass…

There was one day in February 1976 when it snowed in the SF Bay Area, all the way down to sea level. I was working graveyard shift at my redneck job at the Kaiser Steel pipe mill in Napa, commuting to home in Berkeley. What was usually an uneventful (in 1974-6) 45 minute drive was a 2 hour+ mess. With as many cars in the ditch pointed the wrong way as getting anywhere. If you think CA drivers are hopeless in rain (mostly they are), just wait to see them in snow… (I'm actually a native, fwliw) When I got home, I was able to make a 3-foot snow man where people were nude sunbathing a few days before. Ah, February in California!

Otoh the current abode has the OEM "heater", a stove burner that is good for maybe keeping the hallway between the bathroom (and shower) and bedroom from being like the ugly part of a Finnish sauna, where hapless victims get to roll naked in the snow. I don't have the insulation to survive that…
2, 4, 6, 8, (expletive deleted) time to hibernate!
cr

[Guzler]

At least it only rains at night here.
My T-3 loves 5 or 6 thou into 2nd or 3rd. Me too.
some day about I'll tell you about  the 110* downhill off camber 80 mph
leap of faith ! ::)

traffic blows

[Penderic]

Oh joy. Snow.

[Penderic]

Brrrrr....Then it is time to give up!

[lucydad]

Sun finally came out late yesterday and we expect a week of cold, dry and sunny weather in Houston.
Thought about a bike ride today to church, but 45F and 25 mph north winds nixed that in combo with a bad sinus headache.
Thought about a bike ride after church, but just rolled the V7R to the back of the garage and hopeful for next weekend.  North winds have increased and so has my headache.

Winter is short on the Gulf Coast.  We could have a few days of spectacular warm/dry/sunny weather anytime in January.  Spring starts popping out by mid-February and it is full blown real Spring by March.  The downside is by early May the heat and humidity roll in from the Gulf, and it is Hades until mid-October.

But, we ride year round. 

[Lannis]

Winter wouldn't bother me too much if I lived in VA either.

Well, you know what they say ...

"If it hurts when you do that ... DON'T DO THAT!"

I-95 has a southbound lane.   Get out of that frozen wasteland into some civilized territory.   And I say this as a native Virginian that has already seen WAY too many Yankees come in here.

Just want to offer my fellow rider an alternative .....  ;-T

Lannis

[Kev m]

I can dig a limited amount of winter. I'm not a huge fan, but a can put up with some ski trips and some winter hiking, and a little snow. But if I had my way I'd move to the desert.

I don't like being sweaty either, and the desert handles that with instant evaporation.

[Stevex]

I'm a winter hater too.
Go to work in the dark, come home in the dark...and I work in an artificially lit hangar.


And I hate the cold.

[Muley]

I didn't realize until a few years ago that humidity is my problem, not heat or cold.  All my life I lived in the SE US where we rarely have record temps to compare with other parts of the country but we do have world class moisture. I have had friends from Colorado hunt with me here and freeze their arses off when it's only about 30 degrees because of the high humidity.  I have a friend from ND who poo-pooed the idea of our 95 + deg. summers, saying it gets to 100 in ND.  That is, until he lived here for a summer and "waded" out into the humidity.  He said the moment he walked outside it felt like he s&%t himself, and now he's a believer.

We had a rare summer several years ago when it was triple digits during the day for quite a while but very low humidity.  I wasn't overjoyed but it was pretty tolerable.

Nope, give me cool and dry with plenty of sunshine.  If the humidity is high then the colder the better.  I can always put on more clothes.

You folks in the extreme winter climates do have a right to complain though.  Minus 30 is hard to get comfortable in regardless of the RH.  Feel free to join us here to overwinter, but please go back home in the spring ;D

[gsf12man]

I LIKE North Dakota summers . . . winters, not so much. I've tried out the summer humidity in places like Houston and southern Louisiana and D.C.—you can about swim in it.

Right now the wind chill is about -25F so even that sounds pretty good.

[drums4money]

Winter sucks.
That is all.

This Mississippi boy hates winter more each year.