Damn I'm stupid.

[Alphamazing]

So my parents are freaking out about the weather and considering lending me the Camry to drive up to see my girlfriend. That means I might have to delay my ride until fairer weather comes about. So, depending on how bad it's raining I might have to postpone. I really hope I get to ride though.

[makenzie71]

giving your description of what the weather may be like I know we'd all prefer you drive.

[badkarma506]

it was 26 degrees and frosty when i came home tonight,  wanna borrow my stich?

[DMac]

After this thread I'd say you have to go now! haha

If you don't go I still have learnt a good amount of ways to keep semi-dry in the rain so it won't goto waste.

[RVertigo]

So my parents are freaking out about the weather ... That means I might have to delay my ride  ...  I really hope I get to ride though.

What... Are you 12?

[makenzie71]

What... Are you 12?

He's likely loved.

[Alphamazing]

So my parents are freaking out about the weather ... That means I might have to delay my ride  ...  I really hope I get to ride though.

What... Are you 12?

They pay for education, housing, food, and stuff like that. I basically told them that I was going no matter the weather though.

[Cal Amari]

Take the car and keep the parental units happy; as long as you don't fall asleep at the wheel, you'll probably be much better off in the long run. I've made long trips (no car in those days) in all types of weather, and there is a MAJOR difference between being COLD and wet, and being WARM and wet; it's called "severe hypothermia"... Save this type of trip for warmer weather if you really feel the need to stress-test yourself. You're facing a long, miserable trip in adverse conditions, and you'll probably be riding sleep-deprived, which just compounds the risk to an unacceptable degree. You're treading dangerously close to the line between managing an acceptable risk, and being foolish. Much of real wisdom requires knowing when NOT to do something, and in not allowing pride to control your actions. You've learned a lot from this thread, and you'll be better prepared when the conditions are not quite as bad as projected.

One February long ago, a group of friends and I agreed to meet in Daytona Beach for Bike Week. I lived in Connecticut back then, and had to leave home in a severe rainstorm; I never even crossed a state line before the rain and cold forced me to stop at a motel for the night. I SHOULD have stayed home one more night and saved the money, which I needed for the trip... I was wearing ALL of my cold-weather gear, including my Widder Lectric Vest and gloves ( http://www.widder.com ), three sweatshirts, thermals, Levi's, and my Hondaline cold weather suit, all covered by my rainsuit, and I STILL froze so badly that I was ready to burn the motorcycle by the side of the road to warm up. That motel probably saved my life that night... learn from my stupidity, and make this trip in the car.

You will have plenty of opportunities to make another trip under adverse conditions, but you'll also be able to acquire better cold weather / rain gear in the meantime. Thank your parents, drive the car, and count your blessings...

[RVertigo]

So my parents are freaking out about the weather ... That means I might have to delay my ride  ...  I really hope I get to ride though.

What... Are you 12?

They pay for education, housing, food, and stuff like that. I basically told them that I was going no matter the weather though.

I was only saying that your parents wishes have no baring on your choice...  You can choose to drive or ride...  But, it's your choice...

That's all.

[Alphamazing]

Yeah, I know, RVert, but what they say has a lot of truth to it. They have the same feelings as Cal Amari does.

I checked the forecast again, and the lows are bumped down into the 40s and 50s, rather than the 50s and 60s. Depending on how it shapes up I don't think I'll be riding this one. I might be driving out a day early instead and just taking the short way; I'll save this trip for warmer weather, or at least less wet weather.

[RVertigo]

Yeah...  I don't think you should ride it either...  But, I'm not your dad.

I rode about an hour in 40°F weather with heavy rain...  I didn't have waterproof gloves and part of my jacket failed.  I was soooooooo damn cold when I got home.  I can't even imagine 8 hours of that...  I'd die.

[xtalman]

If it's at all windy AND rainy, it'll be a miserable trip.  I just did about 200 miles round trip yesterday from Houston to College Station, mostly straight-line driving.  I was being blown all over my lane, and there were times where I couldn't accelerate in top gear.  I have a small Givi A750 windscreen.  I was so tired when I came back I took a long nap.  650 miles like that would be horrible.

[Alphamazing]

Yeah, the weather's worse now. I'm takin' the Camry and leaving tomorrow afternoon instead of Saturday morning. i won't be going through Moscow and Geneva either. I'm going to be taking the I-35 route up there and just spend extra time with her. That sounds good to me, even if I can't ride.

[makenzie71]

Dude you're going to be hit with what we just got...I shaZam! you not it's not something to ride in.

The temperature actually dropped 22* in less than 20 minutes.

[Blingmasta]

Rode home in jeans and and textile jacket with mesh gloves at 22 degrees...your move in the idiot race, badkarmapu.

[Alphamazing]

Dude you're going to be hit with what we just got...I shaZam! you not it's not something to ride in.

The temperature actually dropped 22* in less than 20 minutes.

Seriously...? Crap. I guess I'll see it tomorrow afternoon. Ah well. At least not getting to ride is being made up for by extra time with my girl. Yay girls!

[makenzie71]

It's 15*f right now.  You're not going to get THAT cold, but don't doubt you'll get some freezing weather.  The front'll move in with a lot of wind, too...or it did here.  But we don't have things like trees or hills here.

[manofthefield]

Its about -5F here right now, which means that is the high for today.  Forcast from weather.com for tonight: "Bitterly cold. Low -19F"  This is not counting the wind chill we are getting with the 10-20mph winds. 

Looks like no riding for me either... not that I was planning to (for a month or so) anyway.

[Alphamazing]

I drove to Nacogdoches Friday evening and headed back Sunday afternoon/evening. I then rode back to the dorms from my house (~15 to 20 min) in the snow. I'm glad I drove for this trip. I would have been miserable. I did learn a lot about staying warm and dry on long trips though.

I'll save this trip for the spring/summertime. I'll probably extend it so I can pass through Moscow, Geneva, Paris, Athens, Dublin, and Palestine (which I passed through both ways this time). It'll be like my weekend world tour.

[FearedGS500]

lol yea . its a good thing you did not go . i went to the belton expo center sat. night to watch the mud bog and well when i left it was sleeting . i knew i should have turned around and got my car but nooooo . i went any way . they where saying over the pa that there where  some crashes on 35 .. so  a little bit before it was over i left .. glad i did . traffic on 190 was doing 35-45 i did  35 the whole way home .. had to ride with the visor up cause well .. my visor was coved in ice . as soon as the sleet hit my visor it was suck there  buy the time i got home it was coved in ice . the only thing that was cold though was my lips and my hands . the rest of me was fine