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Ren's Biking Blog
The Long Dark Damp Road
Blog Date - 01 October 2012
We're getting to that stage in the year when we'll start to see the last of the dry roads. No matter what the moaning British public think it does NOT rain constantly and persistently in the UK. However during the winter a combination of rain, mist, frost and darkness conspire to keep the roads moist most of the time. The days of dry and grippy roads are few and far between, all I can look forward to for the next 4 to 5 months are many miles of damp road.
I noticed early on this year that when the sun came out and dried the roads I'd actually forgotten how to throw the bike through a bend rather than carefully and cautiously pick the least slippery line. I'd also forgotten how much fun this can be! We've not had too much summer this year but I still cherish the memory of throwing the Fazer around the road to Gairloch in the Scottish Highlands. It may be some time before I can do that again.
Dull...grey...and miserable...it's the future...
I guess it's also heading towards that time of year when more and more bikers will be putting their bikes away for the winter. I have several friends who "SORN" their bikes over the winter and only tax them for 6 months across the summer. As far as I can tell the bikes remain insured so they're only saving a few quid in tax. Even if I did not use the bike in winter I'd still keep it road ready, you never know when you might get that one warm, dry winter's day that can make the whole season that much more bearable.
I will ride through most of the winter. I am also getting older, wiser and either less dedicated or more cautious. I have learned, the hard and painful way, that you can't ride on ice or snow. I'm sure there's a full blown hardcase that claims he's ridden across the Arctic Tundra on a 1976 CB 500 with nothing more than a Belstaff jacket and Derry boots, but I can't keep the damn thing upright on black ice. I'll stick to the main roads when it's sub-zero and I'll use the car when the snows come.
There's a masochistic part of me that's looking forward to the challenges the winter brings, there's another part of me that sighs in despair and fear. I know for sure it won't be easy, I just hope it might be fun. God I'm miserable now...
Reader's Comments
John said :-
God I'm miserable now...the smiths.
I know what you mean Ren, very very careful on the big un, it was bad enough on the vespas mate,
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Tom McQ said :-
I rode cross the Arctic Tundra on a 1976 CB 500 with nothing more than a Belstaff jacket and Derry boots!
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
I was thinking of you Tom when I wrote that line...
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
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