Sunday, November 28, 2010

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010

Snowy Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

I took the Ural out for a short ride on Thanksgiving day before all the eating was scheduled to take place. It was a beautiful day for a ride with the temps reaching a balmy 12F from the overnight 6F.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

The Ural’s fairing is working well this year. Without the sidecar’s windshield, I am much warmer. It was behind the main fairing and blew wind on me from the side.  I haven’t needed my heated coat yet this year on the Ural. I’m also just getting by with my heated grips on low. Very nice.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

I didn’t have much of a plan when I started. I just wanted to find some snow to ride around in to get some more time testing the new K335s. I eventually found some and had fun sliding around. With my drifting fix set for a few minutes, I set about checking on some lakes to see if they were freezing yet.

The park in long lake was virtually deserted with just this CAT and caboose keeping watch. 

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

I parked in the motorcycle parking and walked around for a bit.

Motorcycle Parking Only

My riding gear and helmet do a great job keeping me warm on the bike. They also work great off. I’m sure I looked like an alien walking around with everything on, but I was toasty warm. I had to keep cracking the visor open to take the photos and the wind was quite vicious stinging against my face.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

As you can see, Long Lake isn’t quiet frozen yet. The wind was making small white caped waves too.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

I found a couple small ponds frozen over.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

Lake Johanna wasn’t frozen over yet either.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

I rode on Lake Johanna last year and made this short video.

Lake Josephine has finally frozen over and has a bit of snow on top too. A few days ago, it wasn’t frozen at all.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

I passed this snowman while I was riding around and made a quick u-turn to grab a photo. The kids who made it did a great job. It’s nearly six feet tall and has rakes for arms.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

The snow stuck in the knobbies and made a neat pattern as I pulled into the garage.

Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural Thanksgiving Day Ride 2010 with the Ural

I was reading through some old posts today and realized that last year on this day, November 28, 2009, I bought my Ural! Here’s the post I wrote then.

It’s been a fun year with the Ural. Here’s to the next twelve months of three-wheeled fun!

6 comments:

  1. Here, here! to twelve more months of three-wheeled fun for you!

    I like the bikes in the snowman pictures.

    Not nearly as cold here. When I rode Saturday it was in the low 30F's when I left the house and it reached the high 40's by afternoon. Nice riding weather.

    ~Keith

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  2. Don't rush it!! Make sure that ice is thick!!! But I am looking forward to some nice shots from the lake!

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  3. Keith: Thanks! I liked them too. I cropped it down from the original to make them more prominent. We briefly had 40F yesterday, but now back down to high twenties.

    Dom: Yes, I'm glad I bought them. They work well in the snow, and slide about as much as a Uralshina on the ice.

    Eve: I won't. It'll be another month. They don't even have the first ice race until January.

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  4. Dear Chris:

    You and Dom Chang are two of a kind... Yet I envy the stability you enjoy from the third wheel, and the extended riding season. I looked at the snow in your pictures with abject dismay. I do not want to see any of the white stuff down here until the middle of February (not then either).

    Your machine looks great in the snow.

    Fondest regards,
    Jack • reep • Toad
    Twisted Roads

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  5. Dear Jack: Thanks :) You could add a third wheel to your K75: http://www.dmcsidecars.com/Sidecars/images/Kenna%20with%20BMW%20K75.JPG

    It'd give you more room to put lights. It'd also give you more room for the throngs of women chasing you. ;)

    The extended riding season is awesome. A complete cure for your PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome)

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