Just this last weekend we checked the temperatures which were hovering around 50 degrees and quite chilly, looked at the motorcycle, and then looked at each other.
"You wanna go?"
"Let's do it!"
And the next 15 minutes found me pulling out and putting on:
a long pair of leggings, long underwear, pair of jeans, pair of wind pants, tank top, long sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve turtleneck, winter coat, 2 pairs of socks, tall boots, two pairs of gloves, scarf, toque, and helmet with a face shield.
I found out last fall it's impossible to overdress (for me at least) when taking a cool fall ride. The more I have on, the merrier the ride will be. The only complication comes from not being able to bend as easily. The trick of swinging on and off the bike can get more interesting the more layers I have on. But every layer is still worth every modified movement!
We had it in our heads that we might take a little longer ride but ended up traveling and hour or so out, took a break for lunch (soup and a bagel) and then rode the hour or so back. The sun came out for short bursts the last 5 minutes before we got back home and within 30 min of returning all the clouds had dispersed and the sunshine was in full swing. That being said, it was still lovely to see the turning fall colors, pumpkin patches, and people out and about doing their fall yard work. We passed signs reading "Mums for Sale", "Pups for Sale", and "Pumpkins for Sale".
Upon our return we were both tired and I couldn't feel a few of my toes, but I had a strong sense I wouldn't lose any to frost bite and just figured it would be good to curl up on the couch in some sweats (just one pair) while the feeling returned.
Fast forward 2 days and I'm in the McDonald's drive-thru ordering an iced coffee to cool down while I'm on the road for work. What a difference a few days make. The fall temperature changes are always unpredictable, but I'm happy to be back in the 70's this week. I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe we might even get in one more warm weather ride!
