Living on Borrowed Time

As I'm writing this, the thermometer outside reads a chilly 49 degrees Fahrenheit.  Yes, the Autumn is upon us and it will be dragging along its sidekick Old Man Winter.  For us motorcyclists up north, we're living on borrowed time.

In no time at all, the batteries will be removed from the bikes (and the Corvette) and placed in the basement to ride out the winter.  I'll stare mournfully at my covered bikes as I warm up the snowblower.  I'll check the weather on a daily basis with the hope of a warmish day to do some riding only to find none.  The sky will be a perpetual shade of gray.  Winter is a time of longing - for sun, warmth and riding.

In the meantime, though, there's still plenty of riding to do.

Early Autumn offers some of the best riding of the year.  The heat and humidity of summer is replaced with much cooler temperatures and beautiful scenery as the trees change color.  It's nice not being drenched with sweat when coming home from a ride.  Another plus is riding quickly through a pile of leaves and watching them in your mirrors as they get blown around, just like in the movies.  That makes you feel fast.

But with all the pluses of Autumn riding, there's still the cold wind of Winter blowing down your back.  The knowledge that the one good riding day can be followed by a week of rain and cold can make Autumn riding depressing and bittersweet.  The onset of Winter is making me antsy and wanting to do more riding.  I know I don't have much riding time left and I should enjoy the time as much as possible.

And that's what I intend to do - enjoy the time left as much as possible.  With that thought in mind, I'm going riding.

Not now, though; it's dark.  I'll ride in the morning.