Heat

[Lannis]

Earlier in the year I did a week long trip with several 40°C+ days. At that temp the wind doesn't cool you at all. Still wore all the gear but unzipped my jacket half way. I stopped every hour or so for a drink and ran my t-shirt under a tap. All good.

It IS all good, but it probably makes us look funny to those folks in cars who are looking at us.

Coming across northern Arizona in 90+ temps after visiting the Grand Canyon, I had a bottle of water tucked into my jacket.   At a traffic light, I slipped off my helmet, poured the water over my head and down my neck .... and as I did, I glanced at the guy in the car next to me.   A nice car, a Lexus or something, with multi-zone air conditioning, cooled seats, sound system, and a guy as fresh and cool as could be looking over at me.

And saw a wet, bedraggled, sweating rider soaked in warm water, in full riding gear, and though he didn't know it, 2800 miles more of this to go.

It even made ME wonder.

Lannis

[cliffrod]

You either ride or you don't.  the only time I'm interested in what some other motorist/person/biker thinks is when they say "hey- I know where there's a bike like that just sitting...."

[Lannis]

You either ride or you don't.  the only time I'm interested in what some other motorist/person/biker thinks is when they say "hey- I know where there's a bike like that just sitting...."

Well, I'm "interested" in what they think only as an item to talk about with my fellow riders, AND to maybe figure out why so many non-riders think that motorcycle riding is weird and unusual and "not for them".   It does affect us, indirectly.

Lannis

[Sheepdog]

106 F. in Utah somewhere, mesh jacket & Camelbak hydration pack kept me relatively comfortable as I got used to the higher temps.

 

To keep everything in perspective, the photo below is also Utah...last month:

[oldbike54]

 I have been outside working on the Bassa today , 90 F , relative humidity of 70% . Have a large fan blowing right on me , at least it keeps the mosquitoes away 

 I have nothing to prove by suffering in the heat anymore , we get about 7 months of decent riding weather here , although sometimes it requires riding in the rain , which isn't a big deal .

 Dusty

[not-fishing]

I don't ride in California when & where the heat gets above 100.  I also don't ride when & where it's snowing.

At 100 & above it's time for something with a top and / or AC.

In the snow it's time for 4 wheels or skis.

[Bulldog9]

I have a thin camel back that has just the bladder and straps that I can wear under my coat. Filled with Ice and water, it really helps with the heat, and most 7-11/Wawa gas & go places dont mind you refilling it with Ice. I usually put it in the tank bag, but on hot days is a nice relief.

[ohiorider]

Coming home from the 2012 Virginia rally in Buena Vista, central  Tennessee, 115F degrees outside, me inside the Nismo Frontier with an Eldo in the back. Air conditioner on "Blast", and Rolling Stones on the box. Drinking ice water. Poor bastages outside wilting in their ATGATT riding two up back home to Arkansas and Oklahoma. I guess it's a question of "How bad do you want to have "fun?"    We all got to ride our bikes on the BRP and hang out. They get to tell a far more heroic tale to the grandkids.

Remember that weekend well!  I had flown to Atlanta, then was shuttled (in a car) to Dahlonega, GA for the ride portion of my 'fly and ride.'

Hotter than hell in Georgia.  Guzzi Steve set up my Tenni Green 8vSE Griso, which I rode in the Georgia heat for a few days to accumulate 500 miles so Steve could perform first maintenance.  That done, I headed for home.  I was working my way toward I 77 (W Va Tpke) for a one night stopover at my son's place in Charleston WV.  "Sure, dad, you're welcome, but we have no ac, gas stations are closed.  There's no power" 

So, after making it to Statesboro NC, it was backtrack and pick up I 75 toward Cincinnati, to assure I was riding in areas with power (ergo working gasoline pumps.)  It was as hot as I remembered a summer ride from L Vegas to Zion NP a few years before.

I stopped at nearly every rest stop restroom, to hold my tee shirt under cold water, and put it back on dripping wet under my mesh jacket.  It would evaporate in a matter of minutes.

One hell of an introduction to traveling by Griso!

[Bobic69]

I'd rather be hot than cold. I find it harder to concentrate when I'm freezing. Not to mention roads that don't dry out and low sun in your eyes in winter.

[Shorty]

   Shorty, I was at that 2012 Virginia Rally when that Delreco heat storm came through. 100 degrees sleeping at night in a tent. And I had to ride home to Florida. Ended up with heat exhaustion and since then I can't tolerate the heat very well. Course I am getting older and that might have something to do with it.

I hear ya. It seems I'm trapped inside the house here in Oklahoma from June til mid September. I lived in St Pete when I was in my early 20s. (early 1970s) Worked outside on a stucco crew doing condos on Clearwater Beach. The heat did not bug me so bad then. But then again, that was 45 years and 50 pounds ago.