Another nice day for a ride in Iowa

[rjs987]

Still clear roads today. The sun was out. Temps were right at 23F. So I went for a ride. Rode down to the Maffitt Lake reservoir and on a few country roads being certain that they were clear and dry as I went. Rode 39.7 miles this time.
The lake was actually frozen over, but really thin ice over most of it. Just off the far shore could just make out 2 people walking on the ice to where they had ice fishing set up. They were dragging something, maybe a sled with supplies.

[rjs987]

Getting out while I can.
Just an easy ride on country roads and a little bit in town as well. Rode 44.4 miles today. Temp started out at 44F and was up to 47F when I returned home. Lots of melting run-off happening in some places. Not so much on the county highways but in town there was. Found a few city side streets where the plows forgot to go at the last snowfall but even those streets were mostly cleared, but obvious nothing was sprayed or sprinkled to melt anything there. Lots of water on those streets. Did have to weave around some of the remaining ice/snow packs. I normally would have avoided those streets but was on a mission to find some places there.

[rjs987]

Expecting 6" of the white stuff on Friday and lots of ice from the refreeze on Thursday so went out again today while the roads were still clear.
Temps ranged up to 52F today... a heat wave! Rode a few miles for errands first. All together I rode 66 miles today. Picked a road I had not been on since last summer so grabbed a few pics along the way. Usually I prefer to just keep riding and don't want to stop for pictures. Usually the really good road pictures are just when I get to a section where if I were to stop it would ruin the enjoyment of the run through that section. I could run through and turn around and go back for a picture but I prefer to just keep on going. Anyway, here is a photo of where I had my errand at the very end of the ride. 60 miles to get to the store 3 miles from home!
Using my old camera and only one photo is barely within the size limits of this forum (as I mentioned elsewhere I don't like creating multiple copies at different sizes just to post here).

[rjs987]

Rode 33 miles today. Stopped to grab a few tags along the way. Last sunny day for the next week. Warm temps around 57F but I didn't bother to take the handlebar muffs off this time. Definitely did NOT need them but was lazy. Rode the first part of the ride with my summer gloves and no grip heat but that was just tolerable but trending to cool, so put my PolarTex gloves back on. Those were warm in the muffs but I'd rather be a bit warm than cool. Usually the PolarTex gloves are plenty in these temps. Filled the tank at the end of this ride and calculated 52.4 mpg. So as the temps warm up the mpg also goes up.

Here's a pic of a patriotic display found along the way. This is in honor of veterans along a road named Veteran's Parkway.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Expecting 6" of the white stuff on Friday and lots of ice from the refreeze on Thursday so went out again today while the roads were still clear.
Temps ranged up to 52F today... a heat wave! Rode a few miles for errands first. All together I rode 66 miles today. Picked a road I had not been on since last summer so grabbed a few pics along the way. Usually I prefer to just keep riding and don't want to stop for pictures. Usually the really good road pictures are just when I get to a section where if I were to stop it would ruin the enjoyment of the run through that section. I could run through and turn around and go back for a picture but I prefer to just keep on going. Anyway, here is a photo of where I had my errand at the very end of the ride. 60 miles to get to the store 3 miles from home!
Using my old camera and only one photo is barely within the size limits of this forum (as I mentioned elsewhere I don't like creating multiple copies at different sizes just to post here).

It's crazy that even the biggest scooters can't take a helmet under the seat!
My Burgman was the same way.
Stig

and if you're not happy with your pics, try a different photo host

[rjs987]

It's crazy that even the biggest scooters can't take a helmet under the seat!
My Burgman was the same way.
Stig

and if you're not happy with your pics, try a different photo host

I'm actually fine with posting a photo thumbnail that you can click on to see a larger version.


On the AK 550 I CAN fit the helmet in the storage box but I keep too much other stuff in there and have not yet installed the divider that I have from AliExpress to hold smaller stuff at the back of the storage box. I actually prefer to not put my helmet under the seat unless it's raining anyway. There is provision to hang my helmet as shown in that photo. A peg under the seat on the edge for the D ring of the strap or a short loop cable helmet strap. One on each side. On my Burgman 650 there was even more space for two helmets... but again, I always carried too much to fit more than one helmet under the seat and preferred to use a retractable cable lock to hold the helmet top and center on the handlebar cover.

[Neil955i]

Each to his own.  My X-Town comfortably takes a FF Helmet under the seat and so that's where I stash mine....  usually.  Sometimes there will too much junk in there that I forgot to remove though!

[rjs987]

Took a ride across the state to a RTE with the ST-Owners guys at a place called Scooter's near Anamosa, IA.
Rode a total of 333.6 miles. Started out this morning with temps around 20F and it warmed up to around 31F by the time I arrived there. It had warmed up to around 42F by the time I arrived home again. Used the heated grips in the handlebar muffs and they worked great that way. No need for my heated gloves... which I left at home this trip. I'm thinking of selling them... maybe.

I did ride the Interstate for part of the trip and was reminded once again why I usually avoid that super slab when riding the bike anywhere. But the AK 550 had no problem maintaining the speed all the way. I stopped for gas most of the way there and then again on the way back closer to home. Cold temps and faster speeds and headwinds all work together to kill the mpg on any bike and the AK is no exception. Averaged around 45 mpg, partly due to a headwind on the way back. The previous tank was only burned in slightly warmer temps and worked out to 52 mpg but no super slab speeds involved and very little headwinds were encountered for that one.

In spite of receiving more than 1 inch of white stuff on Tuesday and 4 inches of white stuff on Thursday the roads were all very clear the entire way. Even the parking lot at Scooter's was cleared as can be seen in the pic.

[rjs987]

So much for March coming in like a lamb!

It did for a very short time. A few very nice days near 60F. And then the wind blew... hard. A few tornadoes Saturday evening with one being EF4 and a total now of 7 dead and many injured with much property damage and homes or businesses lost. The big one was on the ground for over 160 miles and passed just 10 miles south of me.

Then last night the snow fell. Woke up to 3.5+ inches of heavy white stuff all over. Not really wet but definitely not dry powder. All the schools announced a 2 hour delay. 5 inches at the metro airport about 8 miles away as the crow flies.

Not such a nice day for a ride in Iowa.
Just came in from "riding" my other 2 wheeler to blow off the white stuff from the driveway and sidewalks before my wife took the 4 wheeler out to pack it down. Temps started out near 20F and will get up to the mid 30sF today. Expecting refreeze tonight and then mid 40sF tomorrow. More snow, just as much if not more, coming Wednesday night into Thursday.

This is not entirely unusual to get snow in March. Just doesn't happen every year and was hoping with being a milder winter this season that it would be a milder March. Wrong!

The lamb was devoured by the lion!

Maybe the lamb will have her revenge at the end of the month?

[Neil955i]

So much for March coming in like a lamb!
/quote]

Think you may have that quote arse about face Rob? 

[Stig / Major Tom]

Riding in left-over road salt isn't a concern?....or do you give your scooter a rinse after your ride?
I either wait for a rinsing rain - or wash the scooter after my ride over road salt.
Stig

[rjs987]

Think you may have that quote arse about face Rob? 

I heard it both ways. It was originally told to me when I was very young that if March comes in one way it goes out the other. So either in like a Lamb and out like a Lion OR in like a Lion and out like a Lamb. Experienced it both ways too.

Riding in left-over road salt isn't a concern?....or do you give your scooter a rinse after your ride?
I either wait for a rinsing rain - or wash the scooter after my ride over road salt.
Stig

Not as much as some are. Most of what is used around here is magnesium cloride. Less corrosive than salt brine and works at much much colder temps than salt brine. They sometimes mix it with beet juice to make it stick better in place. But usually I note that most of the stuff they put down gets plowed off by many passes of the plow trucks and then it dries and gets mostly blown off by other traffic before I get out on it. I've been riding like this for the last 18 years now and no issues with excess corrosion of the bits under my bikes.

[rjs987]

So I went for a little ride today. Had a big tornado Saturday. Then 3.5 inches of snow by Monday morning. Colder temps expected the next 4 days with more snow possible on Thursday. So took advantage of the sunshine and close to 40F temps today and rode around just outside of town to grab a few tags and just enjoy riding. I rode 65 miles keeping to a bypass route around north of the metro staying out of traffic... mostly. Also needed to drop off some stuff with my son at his work place and pick up some other stuff from him.

When I stopped at a local Army National Guard base equipment museum a pretty young gal who was parked there also enjoying the sun and the view jumped out of her car and insisted on taking this pic with me in it using my camera. The sun was in position to keep me in shadow.

[Neil955i]

... rode around just outside of town to grab a few tags and just enjoy riding.

I've read this a few times now and this poor Limey doesn't understand.  Can someone explain please?

[rjs987]

I've read this a few times now and this poor Limey doesn't understand.  Can someone explain please?

What's to explain?
In my area of the country, as well as most areas in the USA there are a lot of roads that go around outside the city limits. It's not a continuous route but has some turns to take various roads that can eventually take me all the way around the city if I wanted to. On my last ride I only rode north and then east all the way to the east side of the metro area and then rode back the way I came taking a few different roads that I missed going out. It would be close to 150 miles if I were to ride all the way around the circumference of the metro area. There are some roads that pass through within incorporated city limits but they are usually undeveloped so country roads for all intents and purposes. I pass a lot of farms and a few outlying businesses and residential developments that are set back off the roads I ride. Speeds are normally around 45 mph with some faster and some slower.

Here is a sample of a short route, about 27 miles, that I have taken in the past. The only business/residential that I pass is just the last leg on my way home from the south. And also a close approximation of the route I took yesterday. I did go a few other side paths from this route making it longer than it indicates.