~ Nippy Weather on the Way to Work Today ~

When I got up this morning to sub in a school library I couldn't decide if it was warm enough or not. So I thought I'd get my hair washed (why? I don't know! Helmet hair messed it up, lol), dressed and then checked the outside temp. It was hovering at almost 30 degrees F., but with the wind they said it "felt" like 23 degrees F.

I just read Steve's blog over at Scooter In The Sticks yeststerday. Here's what he had to say "It was 14° F when I started the Vespa this morning. The weather forecast promised temperatures rising into the mid-20's under sunny skies. These kinds of days always provide a break in the bad winter weather and allow a ride if you are so inclined."

Well, I really had my heart set on riding to work, so I figured "I was so inclined." He made 14 degree F. sound down right balmy, lol. I thought I had to give it a try at least once. The forecast was for almost 50 degrees later in the day, so the ride to my afterschool math tutoring at another school should be warm.

The ride to this school took 20 minutes and there was a slight brisk wind that was like a jump in a cold pond. But it wasn't so bad that I was terribly uncomfortable. It was a fun ride and I was glad I chose to do it. What better way to get to work? The sunrise was hitting Pikes Peak and it was gorgeous. After I got off the first job it wasn't the balmy 50 degrees F. I had hoped for, but it wasn't as cold as the morning. I was anticipating taking the liner out of my motorcycle jacket, but with one step out of the building and into the wind I immediately changed my mind. It was cold. It was supposedly 48 degrees and with the wind it was reported to feel like 43 degree F. It definitely wasn't as bad as the morning, but "Brrr" came to mind.

One thing I wish I had done was fueled up the other day. This morning I rolled my motorcycle out of the garage and it was close to empty. I felt pretty confident I should be able to get to work without "hopefully" having to turn the fuel valve to reserve. The last time I had to do that it happened at the most inopportune time. It was two summers ago when I had only had my motorcycle for about 4 months. I was in the middle of a busy intersection, not realizing that I was running out of gas. The motorcycle chugged it's way slowly to the other road and died before I could get the darn valve turned, aughhhh!!! I was able to get out of the way of traffic, but some were mad at being inconvenienced at the slow down. Once I was out of the way, I turned the fuel valve to the reserve and then it wouldn't start. Finally it did after a minute, and that was about a full minute that felt like a cazillon years when everyone is staring at you passing by.

Long story short, I keep a close eye on my fuel gage and fill up long before I need to. But this morning did catch me in that uncomfortable situation. I got to the school, but then I was sweating a little riding to the next school in the afternoon. As soon as I got out of math tutoring I was high-tailing it to the nearest gas station. That thing drank a lot of gas, lol. I'm just glad that it's not as expensive to gas up the motorcycle as my van.

So this story ends with another great ride to and from work. Hopefully the weather holds for my sub job on Wednesday and I will try and take a picture. I'm not an early bird by nature, so I usually don't have time to spare to stop for pics in the morning and I'm rushing in the afternoon to get to my math tutoring job. So, we will see.

Wishing you adventures in your part of the world,

Biker Betty :)