Sun is out

2Trider

2Trider

New member
The Frozen nut ride report

The Frozen nut ride report

So what happens when the Sun is out and you have two nutbars with plated/insured motorcycles......
they go for a ride
Ignoring that the thermometer was reading -19 when I left Hazelton heading for Balmy Terrace at -8, if one did not know better spring was springing.....wait... it is still fall....nearly winter.

Meeting sparklr (CB for this report) at the car pool lot behind the scales with him already whining about cold feet from the ride up from Kitimat.....so off he goes for fuel and coffee at the Esso/Macs while I continue to layer myself up and striking off to re meet CB.

Deciding to go do Whitebottom we strike out down the road. At 60kph things are not to bad.....you can feel the cold trying to creep in but not enough to say what the heck am I doing.
Turning off onto Whitebottom we are greeted to a dry dusty FSR. Humm looks like summer without all the greenery. CB takes the point with me flanking his left avoiding the dust cloud. So far the cold is staying at bay and things are rather comfortable.
First stop is to detour up another FSR for some views....but first must drain fluids and warm the fingers. No wind and full sun ...now this feels good. CB still whining about cold feet.
Having finished the pit stop off we go with me taking the lead .....up up up we go over a slight rise.....oh oh ice ahead....touch rear brake...oh oh already on ice ...easy steady okay yep all is good.....crap a gate ahead...and lots of ice leading up to it. Figuring I could get around or under but CB's pig was going to be another story. I turn around to see if CB is coming and see the pig having a nap laying the other way.....hummm time to go back and investigate....yep the ice that looked like dirt laid the pig to rest...nappy time.
No worries all was find once we got the pig back on its wheels and back to Whitebottom FSR we go. As the FSR tightens up it gives me a chance to generate some extra heat as I keep up the pace scanning for those pesky water flows of ice...water puddles are frozen smooth these things are not and usually with a layer of water on top they are slippy.
Making it to the FSR end snapped some pics waited waited waited waited for CB but no see, so head back looking for him....apparently some technical issues delayed his movement....pig was losing some bolts.
Riding back out and I was almost starting to get a sweat going but the road run back to the car pool lot took that off quick. I load up as CB heads back for Kitimat with a plan to improve feet warmth for Day 2.

Day 2 Sunday
Deciding to meet for 11:30 I arrive at the Esso to await CB's arrival.....and wait I do...40 mins later CB shows up.....apparently pigs do not like the cold and refuse to get going. Oh for those wondering the pig refers to CB's KLR650.
At least no whining about cold feet this time...seems the warmth issue is sufficiently resolved. Pig gets fueled CB gets a coffee and nicotine fix and off we go to the Kleanza FSR where I unload add my layers and strike out. Temps today are floating around -8 to -12....balmy. Having never been up the Kleanza i look forward to what lies up there....well the FSR is in great shape good for turning up the throttle...except for a couple of things. Where are those pesky water flows err ice and the drop off on my right is rather abrupt. Adjust speed stay focused. As we climb up the gravel starts to slowly turn white. Perfect I love riding on snow. Some trucks have been in here leaving there tracks which to me ruins the snow fun. Tracks are packed snow and usually icy. in this case not so icy but better traction in the fresh snow...till ruts start crossing...yikes ...okay ...made it..throttle on. Stopping at one point to snap some pics and see if CB was still progressing of which I gave up waiting and continued deeper down the FSR. And so did the snow with accumulations around 10cm but traction is still good and I continue forth. Reaching a point where the trucks had unloaded there sleds and from then on the FSR was not so fun, too many ruts and knowing no way the pig is going this deep in I decide to head back (be no fun having a issue in here)
On the return I note where CB had made it too and could tell he was struggling in the snow so seeing his uturn tracks (and noting they did not go over the hillside) I continue on, meeting CB at a bridge where he was taking pics and pit stopping.
On the return out we ducked into a couple of other FSR sections but snow and ice quickly ended that.
So a quick blast out with glasses fogged over and shield icing up, arrive back to the hwy. Other than my feet feeling the cold all else was toasty warm.

Rides like this are the ones that will be remembered. Riding in the extremes is what makes it a adventure.
How many more ride days left for 2010.....stay tuned.:cool:

Pics are here in my last post there today
http://dirtybikes.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=1544&p=12999#p12999
 
bchunter

bchunter

Member
Awesome ride guys. Great RR 2T :clap:

It is nice to live vicariously through your RR's :)
 
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sparklr

sparklr

New member
Whining Vs Frozen?

Whining Vs Frozen?

Now I have to defend against Freezing when it is referenced as Whining in retort to the RR accusations. I think for Day 1 we were looking at -8 with the associated wind chill somewhere around -17, that was for Kitimat, Terrace being the Land of the Howling Wind seemed worse. Now factor in 55KM rendezvous distance at slightly above posted speed limit. SB (2T) for this retort had the luxury of truckin' the steed to the Rendezvous :p.

In reality though, my feet were frozen to the point of not much feeling from the arches forward while at the fuel/coffee/smoke stop. No pain no gain! Now the last time I was up Shift Creek there was no ice and no gates, nothing but a spectacular view of the Skeena. The patch where I went down was sheer ice and covered with a dust film that made it look like normal FSR, further on there was an obvious issue with icing that I was bracing for. However it was too late for me, one touch of the rear brake and I was down and sliding backwards before I even knew what happened, a quick glance back revealed the telltale signs of my demise. It was damn quick while at the same time eloquently graceful, a little tweak on the stock KLR guards and a little pretzel to the shifter. No bruises, aches or pains. I left the Pig in squalor amongst the frozen passage of doom, contemplating picking it up by myself, pretty damn slick and I can't even feel the ground beneath me. SB assists to upright the PIG, whilst forgetting to take an obligatory Faceplant reminder on his BB.

As he reported we continued on, SB is quite a ways ahead and this is OK by me as it is dustier than I had anticipated and I'm still struggling with my frozen lower extremities, can't feel the shifter, rear brake or the pegs. Hear some banging around and pull over, my already semi-destroyed rear rack has lost a bolt while I meandered for a spot in the Sun to tighten it up. Zippy ties were needed on one side, so was a smoke and some walking around to get the feet warmed up, which really didn't happen. Met with SB after his return from the end and headed back to call it a day. Oddly enough the feet recovered by the time we got to his truck and I felt my toes for the first time in hours:clap:

I head back home and at the halfway mark I opt to take the Wedeene FSR back as the toes were feeling the cold again, even when riding with the feet glued to the crankcase as my Cheap Bastard foot warmers. The Wedeene is about 33KM in length with a few long fast straights but better characterized as a Twister. This worked well as the sun set and the toes were just toasty on arrival home.

Todays boots were GoreTex lined and leather clad, with a couple Cheap Bastard Toe warmers thrown in for good measure, although practically useless! Heated grips though are a blessing:clap:

For Day 2, I made an attempt to avoid or eliminate some of the issues that made the prior days' ride somewhat torturous. I switched boots to my -30C rated Sorels and add 2 each of the ineffective toe warmers as today was to be -10/-20WC. I would also ride out on the Wedeene to keep the speed down and activity level up. This worked well and riding only halfway on the highway seemed to be of benefit. Wouldn't put much credence to the boots or warmers making much of a difference though, but on rendezvous I still felt my toes:clap:.

:shock:, apparently late as usual and by quite a bit, my apologies to SB! Well I can't really Whine about riding as SB is a much better rider, his bike had new meat and I had a full tank of gas. Wait there are more excuses. Not really, but I try. The Pig did refuse several times to go any further, traction was an issue and that Survivorman Don't Sweat in these conditions adage kept playing turmoil with the small amount of cellular activity I have left. Seeing as I sweat when I think too much, I made a hasty retreat to a place of lesser evil, not much warmer, just less evil.

So Kleanza Creek was done as best as I could, bid SB safe journey home and contemplated the journey home. My right foot was numb but with some help from the crankcase, I managed the Wedeene turnoff. Some high speed, high activity level DS'ing and I was at home with warm feet. This endeth the lesson.

Other than my Whining Frozen toes it was an awesome weekend of riding at -20C and then some. I thank SB for coming out and making it an eventful and enjoyable weekend. The 2 days we went out were phenomenal and in many ways an eye-opening experience.

In summary I will share what I learned:

1. Riding in -20C Weather not really an issue if you are well equipped and don't put yourself at risk!
2. Don't go for extended highway trips at speed, keep up the activity level to aid in circulation!
3. Grip warmers are a blessing, adding gauntlets would be a plus, and excellent gloves that allow heat transmission are paramount.
4. Really good boots, rated as high as possible and great socks. Battery heated help really is pointless. Wired for heat is the way to go for highway, but for the off beaten path would not be my choice. Hand and toe warmer pouches are useless!
5. Riding around at -20C and getting the I'm A Pussy Glance from cagers- Priceless!!

What was I wearing for clothing you ask? Nothing spectacular by any means. On the bottom was a Shit stained layer of your regular gonch, coupled with a layer of cycling long-johns, regular long-johns and the nastiest pair of sweat pants imaginable. Delicately cloaked with water-proof, wind-proof Scorpion Street gear and some made in China Crappy Tire store special wind/waterproof ensemble. For the uppers, it was a delicious blend of long-sleeved cotton shirt, wrapped with Pure Polyester long sleeve sweater type thing, a Scorpion weatherproof jacket and stylishly encased with a tortured Sidi raincoat. As for the melon, mostly stubborn Finnish carcass, wrapped with a Work Wearhouse Belaclava inside a Scorpion 1000 shell.

Despite all of that, from ankles to fingers not an issue, could have ridden all day comfort wise. Riding with the visor semi-open most of the time proved to be a non-issue either with only sporadic frosting. With only heated grips though I wouldn't recommend long distances at these temps.

Other than that get out and enjoy and post up your follies.
 
2Trider

2Trider

New member
It is a pleasure pulling a bike apart without having to beat on it...no rust, seized, water damaged, stripped bits. Only ugly was the shock fluid....it was time to change.
 
2Trider

2Trider

New member
:(Well no sun today
So met bc for coffee and to return his forks in the morning and it was darn right balmy out so was itching to go for a ride.
Fueled me self, the bike, dawn my gear and off we go..... all was going good till I hit some off camber ice.....splat ...slide. ...shucks. Pick bike up and continue on. Ducted into Silver Standard mine and while cruizin up one of the little trails a dam branch poked me in the bicep and sent me veering left down a slight edge and wedged into some trees...shucks again.
Conveniently the camera was not running during those 2 episodes.
The rest well here is today's tour ...oh it was snowing out;)

 
bchunter

bchunter

Member
Ya, I was real happy with the strip down as well. It went way easier then I thought.

So 2 bails in one day, that put the 2010 count up to 3 eh? :mb:

Cool video as well. Looks like I have some video editing competition :) Who was more surprised, the front end loader or you? How many stares from the cagers did you get?

Next year you are going to have to show me those trails. They look like a hoot. Can't wait to try them with the new suspension.
 
2Trider

2Trider

New member
One bail as the wheels went left and I stayed centered and dropped....second oops I never did dismount....stuck with it till she stopped.
I was warned about the Hoe coming out so was prepared...was stopped by the bossman and had a long chat with him....even offered me a job running a loader in there for next spring...hummmm guess he figured if I am crazy enough to ride in these conditions I won't mind getting paid to do so...lol

Believe it or not I did not get any funny looks ...as one of my friends said to me prior too me heading out
"Theres nothing normal about where you live.... you fit right in...LOL"
I truly believe her now.....LOL

It is a cool figure 8 loop bc.....perfect for a hr long lunch break..hint hint...lol
 
bchunter

bchunter

Member
2Trider said:
"Theres nothing normal about where you live.... you fit right in...LOL"
Click to expand...

Oh, how this is so true :dude:

I will take you up on that lunch offer in the spring for sure. That is whenever you can take your lunch break from running the loader - my lunches are flexable.

And good work with sticking to the bike. Just imagining it in my mind, I would have given you a 9.5 for creative style and a 9.8 for difficulty. Reminds me of a time in the Telkwa Pass where I would not let go of my steed and went down with her. Bloody thick willow in with the small ones.

So you going for a ride in the rain today?????
 
2Trider

2Trider

New member
Well got out for a ride today
managed to find some deeper snow in the higher elevations but was still tracking through remarkably well. pics and video later
 
D

Dizo

New member
We've gotten about a foot of snow since the cold snap, but it got warm right afterwards so its real crusty and impossible to ride on now. I've been commuting all year, missed only three days when my clutch cable broke last week, and its been great. We had one week of bellow -10 every day, and one -27 morning (if you include windchill, not counting 90km/h riding speed) that was a real chilly ride to school.

I've had my clutch safety switch freeze open a few times now, so i've removed it and the sidestand switch from the starting loop so i'm not left out in the cold if they freeze up again. Surprisingly fun to ride in the winter with knobby tires. Last year I rode all winter on a Ninja EX250, and this is incredible compared to it. I've never felt that I'm truly pushing my limits, but have taken the back way home once or twice because of my fear of car drivers taking me out - which has almost happened several times now - as they just dont expect to see bikes on the road, so they erase me from their vision.

Coppers wont let me north of Squamish on the highway when its snowing... apparently my tires aren't 'snow tires' as is required here after October. The studs are too expensive for a cheapo like myself.

Glad to see someone else is lovin' the snow!
 
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