Blanket Party

Leading up to yesterday, the weather forecasts had called for yesterday’s snow storm to not amount to much of anything, maybe a dusting, nothing more. Then yesterday morning, the forecasts changed; we would now be receiving an inch perhaps, with a small area (near Walpole) possibly getting 4 inches. Hmmm….well, having a forecast change at the last minute is nothing new, nor is it unusual for a new forecast to be worse than previously expected. We just had to sit tight and see what the weather gods had in store for us.


All day long, the white flakes fell, but quick glances out my window showed the roadways were just wet, no accumulation. Even at the end of the day, when the fluffy white stuff seemed to be fading away, the roadways were nothing more than wet. Nice, this is turning out better than expected!

Ahh, but then things changed. Just before turning in for the night, I stepped outside to check on things. The wind had picked up, the fluffy white stuff was back, and picking up steam. Damn. Guess I just gotta see how things look in the morning…

Fast forward to the morning. I walked out to find a nice white blanket awaiting me. But not on the ground…on the roads! There wasn’t a bit of snow to be seen anywhere…not on the grass, not on the Jeep, and certainly not on the roads. But the salting crews had apparently been out, and they sure must have been mad at someone or something, because they hadn’t spared any expense. There were salt crystals lining the edges of the streets, looking like shattered glass. There were piles of salt dumped out at intersections. Everywhere I looked, the pavement was hidden by a thick blanket of pure white.

Fabulous.

The temps are going to be a bit better over the next few days, but there's no cleansing rain in sight. I may have to scrap the usual “salty roads = no riding” credo and just continue to get miles on while I can. Hmmmm….

Ride Hard, Wash The Salt Off Your Bike

You Know The Drill By Now

Chilly but very clear tonight. Dry seat means no frosty buns. Also means nice roads for ripping up. Snow coming tomorrow! (But maybe 50's this weekend?) Sweet!!

Yet Another Temp Check

Quick bolt fix @ McCarthy's, then lunch & some liquid antifreeze, then off again. Temps dropping fast but gotta get the miles on when I can. Maybe snow on Tues!

Hidden Treasures

Out riding with Nellie and Scott. Quick pull-over to put the clears on. Saw this small stone arch in the woods. Who built it & why? No idea, but it's way cool.

Great Night For Riding

An ice-crystalized seat greets me again. The temps are low but my spirits are high. The music is crankin' & the stars are out. The road is mine. Time to ride.

Victrola, Russell!

Still miss the hell out of you, Brother. Wish we were sitting around a fire & swapping stories & laughter again. Say hi to Dana and give Rosie a scratch for us.

Temp Check

Sure it's chilly, but it still beats the hell out of snow!

Bunch Of Wild One Year-Olds

Waltham Legion Riders one-year anniversary party tonight. Room fulla vests, room fulla camaraderie. Good time with good friends, both new and old.

That's Brisk, Baby!

Not sure why I get such a thrill from finding ice crystals waiting for me on the seat of my bike. An exciting ride awaits!! (Yes, the pic, and my phone , suck.  It's the best I could do with the low light that was available.  A streetlight is in the background, a pickup is between the light and my bike, and the black thing in the foreground with a sheen (and white dots) on it is my seat, covered in frost.)

Two Beats Four Once Again

Big accident @ intersection. Cars/trucks were diverted to East Bum Fcuk, but I squeezed around (with the cops' blessing) and just kept on keepin' on...

Veteran's Day

Thank a vet today!

We Are All Patriots

9:30am...there's a rumble in the distance.  It gets louder and louder, and soon rows and rows of bikes are flowing past, heading down Rte 1, turning left in front of Gillette Stadium and eventually setting their kickstands right into the grass of the Patriots' playing field.  Was this some kind of hostile takeover, or violent protest?  Not at all.  The Massachusetts chapter of Rolling Thunder had worked with the Patriots to establish a POW/MIA memorial chair.

As it turns out, the Patriots are the first NFL team to honor POW/MIA's with such a chair in their home stadium.  Hopefully, though, other teams will follow suit.

Per the Patriots' owner, Robert Kraft; “We have always felt a special connection with our military and saw this seat dedication as a unique way to recognize and honor those soldiers who served, but never returned home,” said Robert Kraft, chairman and CEO of The Kraft Group, the owners of Gillette Stadium. “We hope the seat will serve as a constant reminder for fans attending games at Gillette Stadium that whomever we’re rooting for, we are all Patriots.”


How cool is that?

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the ceremony this morning (damn work - always getting in the way!), but Kevin did, and he sent me this pic.

Very cool, and very timely as well, since Sunday is Veteran's Day.

The weather looks to be good this weekend (for a change).  Get out there, fly some flags on the bikes, show support and pride for those that do, and have, risked their lives for us.

Ride Hard, Take Chances

Dwindling Season Blues

Dreaded Daylight-Savings kicked in this past weekend, and while an extra hour of sleep is always a welcome thing, the fact that darkness descends earlier as well, kinda sucks.  It's just one more indicator that the riding season is winding down and winter is on it's way.  Now it's dark on my ride in, and on my ride home.

At this point, the biggest "Your season is done" indicator left in Mother Nature's satchel of goodies is her first-snowstorm-of-the-season to come along.  What's that?  Have I checked the weather reports?  Why yes, I have.  And said snowstorm is headed our way on Wednesday.  Thanks Mother Nature for that wonderful kick in the naughty parts.

The one possible saving grace is the rain/snow line; it keeps moving back and forth.

Here's hoping that snow line heads a bit north and west of here and that we get enough rain to keep the roadways clear of that other indicator of winter: salty roads.

Kide Hard, Cross Fingers For Rain.