I've had an awesome season. 23,000 miles traveled, one trip to Colorado, and more day trips than I can count. With any luck I'll have at least 6 more weeks of riding.

 

If you lived in California or the southern parts of the country, you would have six more month of riding before the next riding season.

Actually, there is a "riding season" in California, and it is about April to October. Those are the months when there is little or no rain, the weather is a bit warmer and you can ride in the Sierra and other mountainous regions of California that are closed by snow and cold weather in the winter. So on Columbus Day weekend, October 8, 9, 10th, I and a whole bunch of other riders do a highly disorganized end of riding season ride from San Francisco to Death Valley and back. The first day is east on 120, over Tioga Pass in Yosemite, and then south on 395 to Bishop, CA. The second day begins south on 395 to Lone Pine where we turn east into the desert and eventually Death Valley. Then that evening we all head for Kernville, CA on 178, Day three is riding across the Central Valley, then north through the coastal mountains, including a stop on legendary Hollister. It will be exactly 1,000 mies for me. That's the ride I've got coming up in about ten days.

 

That sounds awesome. My season tends to be longer than most in these parts, March - November. Too bad it seems to go by in a blink of an eye.

 

No work today, but rain in the morning. I slept until 10am, then got up and did some things around the house. Come noon the roads were dry and the rain was supposed to hold off until around 5pm, so I went riding. Granted it was only in the low 60''s, and cloudy, but it is fall, so....

I made my way to Lena, then took Stagecoach Trail to Elizabeth/Scales Mound Rd....two very nice roads. From E/SM it was East on 20 to Stockton, then South on 78 to Mt. Carroll, to 40 to Sterling. I hopped on Rt 2 North, to Oregon....I did veer off of 2 for a bit, can't remember the road though. Once in Oregon I zigged and zagged my way back to Rochelle. I got a slight mist of rain for the last 20 miles, but it was no biggie. I was home by 5pm, traveled 238 miles, and was off tho the Friday night high school football game by 6. It was raining harder so the wife and I wore our HD rain gear to the game.....it rocked!

 

The wife and I got in a fall ride today, and it felt like fall too. Well, the wife thought it felt like winter....lol. She bundled up, and all was good.

We started with breakfast at a rural fire department. They laid out a pretty good spread too.

We rode a bunch of twisty back roads, with very little traffic. We did see a good number of bikes. Around here everyday could be the last day of the riding season....lol. After breakfast.

She looked so cold. But it wasn't.

Really? I should have gone around the block!

 

Got off work and it was perfect riding weather, so I did. Ready to roll.

Blackhawk Statue, in Oregon IL.

A selfie with the Chief.

Looking down the Rock.

I rode from 5p - 7p, and got in 100 miles, it was a perfect fall evening.

 

And today was even nicer. 80° after work. A ride and dinner, with the wife. The only downside, it gets dark so early. 80° when we left.

60° when we got home.

Better than yesterday.

 

You sure are making the most of your riding season. Do you take it out occasionally in the winter?

 

Last year I rode up until Thanksgiving, it snowed like a day after I stored it. Once the road salt goes down the season is over.

 

In a few minutes, I leave on a three day, 1,000 mile ride to and from Death Valley. This should be my last big ride of the season although we do in California get to ride most of the winter. My route takes me through the Yosemite high country.