The weather Sunday was sunshine, cold temperatures, and wind. I headed south through Estacada, then caught 211 toward Colton. Shady spots along the highway were still covered in frost and I had to slow down on a few curves to avoid sliding. The air temperatures were noticeably colder in Colton and Molalla than they were in Sandy.
I made it to Silverton and instead of heading back the way I came I turned west and rode to Mt. Angel. I had never been there before. I followed highway 214 into Woodburn, then cut back toward Molalla and the return route home.
As always the V-Strom performed flawlessly. I saw several other riders as well, taking advantage of the sunshine. It was a good day to get out on two wheels.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Frozen fog? No worries!
I rode to work today even though we had freezing fog overnight. We've had freezing fog the last several nights in a row. The streets in my neighborhood had a dusty shine to them when I left home this morning on my way to work, and I could feel the slipperyness when I accelerated. But I took it slowly and got out onto the highway without any problem.
It was in the upper 20's at my house and the moisture in the air made it feel very chilly. My gear worked very well, however, keeping me comfortable. I've ridden in temps as low as 25, but this morning did feel the coldest of all my rides so far.
It was in the upper 20's at my house and the moisture in the air made it feel very chilly. My gear worked very well, however, keeping me comfortable. I've ridden in temps as low as 25, but this morning did feel the coldest of all my rides so far.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Winter maintenance, dryer weather
My 2007 V-Strom 650 hit 20,000 miles recently, giving me an average of just over 10,000 miles per year (I purchased it on Feb. 12, 2007). I change the oil every 3,000 miles, it's on its third set of tires (Metzeler Tourance), its second chain, and I've had the throttle bodies synced twice (although I don't think it needed it either time). The bike has been 100% reliable with zero failures or problems of any kind.
Saturday I changed the oil and gave my chain a real good scrubbing and lube job. I'm not sure what scheduled maintenance is due at 20,000 miles but I doubt it needs any of it. The bike is rock solid and a joy to ride.
The weather is supposed to be dry all week. I rode into work this morning and had mist until I got to Gresham, where the precipitation could be considered 'pizzle' ... not quite rain, but close and certainly enough to get you wet. It should be dry by the time I head home.
Saturday I changed the oil and gave my chain a real good scrubbing and lube job. I'm not sure what scheduled maintenance is due at 20,000 miles but I doubt it needs any of it. The bike is rock solid and a joy to ride.
The weather is supposed to be dry all week. I rode into work this morning and had mist until I got to Gresham, where the precipitation could be considered 'pizzle' ... not quite rain, but close and certainly enough to get you wet. It should be dry by the time I head home.
Monday, January 5, 2009
First ride of 2009
I rode to work today. My last ride was Dec. 9th. Almost a month without being on two wheels, and it damn near drove me crazy. It snowed last night, building up a couple of inches at my house, but it turned to rain by 10pm and it was just rain by this morning. It wasn't very cold, either. 44 degrees in Gresham.
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Big Thaw
The Portland metro area, and the Pacific Northwest in general, is thawing out from one of the biggest and worst snow storms in decades. I had 23" of snow fall at my house in the Cascade foothills and have a pile of snow several feet high blocking a large portion of my driveway.
According to my notes, I haven't ridden my motorcyce since 12/9, the longest riding drought I've had since I bought my bike back in February of 2007. It's driving me nuts.
Now that the snow is gone, the prodigious amount of standing water and sanding gravel on the roadways is the biggest problem. It's raining to beat the band and there is no sunshine in the seven-day forecast, but I'll probably ride to work on Wednesday anyway. That will give the road crews enough time to hopefully sweep the main streets. The rain won't bother me, however.
It's been quite a storm.
According to my notes, I haven't ridden my motorcyce since 12/9, the longest riding drought I've had since I bought my bike back in February of 2007. It's driving me nuts.
Now that the snow is gone, the prodigious amount of standing water and sanding gravel on the roadways is the biggest problem. It's raining to beat the band and there is no sunshine in the seven-day forecast, but I'll probably ride to work on Wednesday anyway. That will give the road crews enough time to hopefully sweep the main streets. The rain won't bother me, however.
It's been quite a storm.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Too cold to ride?
The short answer, so far, is 'no'.
I've ridden in temps down to 25 degrees before without issue. There's a thin sliver of cold air that comes in through the top of my helmet's face shield and hits me right on my eyebrows, but if cold eyebrows are the only thing I have to complain about on a cold ride then I'm doing pretty good.
The weather lately, however, has been a bit more than I'm willing to risk. It's been cold to be sure -- 17 degrees when I got to work this morning -- and I'm tempted to set a new record for my coldest ride yet, but there is still a lot of patches of packed snow and ice around and we continue to have very strong east winds. The combination of random and various slick patches coupled with a brutal crosswind make it more than a matter of comfort.
It's a matter of safety. It's just not worth it to be on two wheels right now.
I've ridden in temps down to 25 degrees before without issue. There's a thin sliver of cold air that comes in through the top of my helmet's face shield and hits me right on my eyebrows, but if cold eyebrows are the only thing I have to complain about on a cold ride then I'm doing pretty good.
The weather lately, however, has been a bit more than I'm willing to risk. It's been cold to be sure -- 17 degrees when I got to work this morning -- and I'm tempted to set a new record for my coldest ride yet, but there is still a lot of patches of packed snow and ice around and we continue to have very strong east winds. The combination of random and various slick patches coupled with a brutal crosswind make it more than a matter of comfort.
It's a matter of safety. It's just not worth it to be on two wheels right now.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
How to Sleep Outside
Although it's not exactly the time of year to be thinking about rallies and bike camping, I decided to write an article covering the tips and techniques I've learned over the years about how to sleep outside. It's more than simply plopping a $20 bargain basement sleeping bag on the ground and crawling inside.
Sleeping bags and pup tents were not built for comfort, they were built for survival, for getting by. While you can't expect the experience to match a high-end king size mattress under a down comforter in your own home, there are some things you can do to make the experience a bit more comfortable. Here are some things I've learned through years of backpacking.
Preparation
What you do before you hit the hay can have a big impact on how well you sleep once you do.
Go to bed (and get up in the morning) at the same time every day of the week, even on weekends. Sleep experts recommend this approach to everyone whether you're sleeping in a tent or in your own home. I've adopted this approach and find that I wake up at the same time every morning, ready for the day. Plus, the quality of my sleep is a lot more consistent. I also don't have a problem getting up to go to work on Monday mornings, either.
Wind down before bed time. Don't engage in intense activity, or even conversation, in the half hour or hour before bedtime. Don't exercise or do anything overly strenuous for at least an hour beforehand.
Don't consume caffeine after mid-day. Keep it to mornings only if you can.
Boudoir To Go
How well you sleep depends a lot on your gear and how you set up camp.
Sleeping bags are rated for the lowest outside temperature they'll keep you comfortable. Not all manufacturers are truly honest about the ratings they assing to their sleeping bags, but a good rule of thumb is to buy a bag rated 10-15 degrees colder than your intended use.
Mummy bags will keep you warmer than rectangular shapes. If you like to sleep on your side or in a curled position, move the entire bag with your body rather than move your body within the bag.
Use a smaller pillow than you're used to. It only needs to be about 12-16” long, and maybe 6” thick. I take a polar fleece jacket and stuff it into its own sleeve. Also, put the pillow under your sleeping bag, not inside it. You'll sleep warmer that way.
Uninsulated air mattresses are not very warm. Invest in an insulated model, such as the “Insulated Air Core” model from Big Agnes (www.bigagnes.com). [Highly recommended] Another idea is to place a closed-cell foam pad on top of your air mattress. This adds extra comfort and insulation without adding a lot of bulk to your gear bag. Keep in mind: direct contact with the ground will steal your body heat much faster than the air will.
Don't wear sweaty socks to bed. Put on the next day's socks before crawling into your sleeping bag.
Wear a soft fleece stocking cap and pull it down over your eyes. This will keep your head warm, keep your face from feeling sticky when pressed against nylon sleeping bag material, and will keep things dark for your eyes.
Wear foam ear plugs. They keep camp critters weighing ounces from sounding like ravenous carnivores weighing hundreds of pounds. They also keep you from being disturbed by roads or any other late-night human activity.
It's not a good idea to have a campfire if you're not awake and watching it, but if you need to keep a fire going through the night, set your body's alarm by drinking a lot of water before going to bed. When you have to get up to go the bathroom, stoke the fire, drink some more water, and go back to bed.
Tents are meant to keep you dry and keep bugs from driving you crazy. They're not meant to keep you warm, so get rid of that expectation. The best they can do is block wind from making you even colder.
If you want to be woken up by the sun, place your tent in a spot that will be exposed to the sunrise. If you want to sleep in, make sure it will be in the shade until late morning. If it's particularly cold outside, early morning sunlight on the side of your tent will be welcome added warmth.
Sleep Aids
Sometimes there's nothing you can do to get a good night's sleep. When sleep is crucial but just doesn't want to happen, there are some ways to assist the process.
Avoid alcohol. Although many people feel sleepy when they drink, alcohol can actually reduce your quality of sleep. Instead, use an over-the-counter sleep aid. Many people find Tylenol Nighttime to be very effective, especially if they have any sore muscles from the day's activities. They also make a Simply Sleep formula that has the same sleep aid minus the pain reliever.
Warm decaffeinated tea is a great late night snack before going to bed. Decaf chai tea is especially effective. If you are in a campground with hot showers, take one within 30 minutes of going to bed. As your body cools down, it makes you sleepy.
Sleeping bags and pup tents were not built for comfort, they were built for survival, for getting by. While you can't expect the experience to match a high-end king size mattress under a down comforter in your own home, there are some things you can do to make the experience a bit more comfortable. Here are some things I've learned through years of backpacking.
Preparation
What you do before you hit the hay can have a big impact on how well you sleep once you do.
Go to bed (and get up in the morning) at the same time every day of the week, even on weekends. Sleep experts recommend this approach to everyone whether you're sleeping in a tent or in your own home. I've adopted this approach and find that I wake up at the same time every morning, ready for the day. Plus, the quality of my sleep is a lot more consistent. I also don't have a problem getting up to go to work on Monday mornings, either.
Wind down before bed time. Don't engage in intense activity, or even conversation, in the half hour or hour before bedtime. Don't exercise or do anything overly strenuous for at least an hour beforehand.
Don't consume caffeine after mid-day. Keep it to mornings only if you can.
Boudoir To Go
How well you sleep depends a lot on your gear and how you set up camp.
Sleeping bags are rated for the lowest outside temperature they'll keep you comfortable. Not all manufacturers are truly honest about the ratings they assing to their sleeping bags, but a good rule of thumb is to buy a bag rated 10-15 degrees colder than your intended use.
Mummy bags will keep you warmer than rectangular shapes. If you like to sleep on your side or in a curled position, move the entire bag with your body rather than move your body within the bag.
Use a smaller pillow than you're used to. It only needs to be about 12-16” long, and maybe 6” thick. I take a polar fleece jacket and stuff it into its own sleeve. Also, put the pillow under your sleeping bag, not inside it. You'll sleep warmer that way.
Uninsulated air mattresses are not very warm. Invest in an insulated model, such as the “Insulated Air Core” model from Big Agnes (www.bigagnes.com). [Highly recommended] Another idea is to place a closed-cell foam pad on top of your air mattress. This adds extra comfort and insulation without adding a lot of bulk to your gear bag. Keep in mind: direct contact with the ground will steal your body heat much faster than the air will.
Don't wear sweaty socks to bed. Put on the next day's socks before crawling into your sleeping bag.
Wear a soft fleece stocking cap and pull it down over your eyes. This will keep your head warm, keep your face from feeling sticky when pressed against nylon sleeping bag material, and will keep things dark for your eyes.
Wear foam ear plugs. They keep camp critters weighing ounces from sounding like ravenous carnivores weighing hundreds of pounds. They also keep you from being disturbed by roads or any other late-night human activity.
It's not a good idea to have a campfire if you're not awake and watching it, but if you need to keep a fire going through the night, set your body's alarm by drinking a lot of water before going to bed. When you have to get up to go the bathroom, stoke the fire, drink some more water, and go back to bed.
Tents are meant to keep you dry and keep bugs from driving you crazy. They're not meant to keep you warm, so get rid of that expectation. The best they can do is block wind from making you even colder.
If you want to be woken up by the sun, place your tent in a spot that will be exposed to the sunrise. If you want to sleep in, make sure it will be in the shade until late morning. If it's particularly cold outside, early morning sunlight on the side of your tent will be welcome added warmth.
Sleep Aids
Sometimes there's nothing you can do to get a good night's sleep. When sleep is crucial but just doesn't want to happen, there are some ways to assist the process.
Avoid alcohol. Although many people feel sleepy when they drink, alcohol can actually reduce your quality of sleep. Instead, use an over-the-counter sleep aid. Many people find Tylenol Nighttime to be very effective, especially if they have any sore muscles from the day's activities. They also make a Simply Sleep formula that has the same sleep aid minus the pain reliever.
Warm decaffeinated tea is a great late night snack before going to bed. Decaf chai tea is especially effective. If you are in a campground with hot showers, take one within 30 minutes of going to bed. As your body cools down, it makes you sleepy.
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