Originally Posted by SafetyMan

It was 93° on my way in this afternoon.

But I lived in Northern Michigan for a lot of years... Snow on the ground in October, and snow on the ground in May.

Originally Posted by mikeman54

You must have been in the U.P, down here in se mich usually done around Thanksgiving,or if were lucky maybe 1st Dec. I usually try to get a couple short rides in over the winter months as long as the roads are dry and the driveways not all iced up.No heated gear here.Fall setting in early this year.

Originally Posted by SafetyMan

Snow belt in *******....

Saw snow every year for the 13 I lived there in September, didn't stick. MOST years had ground cover by Halloween... Usually gone by April, but always had snowfall in early May.

The snowmobiling and ice fishing was WAY better there than here in South Texas...

Originally Posted by HARLEY100TH

When I got on my bike to ride to work yesterday, it was 58 degrees. Not bad, but it was a bit chilly when I hit the highway at speeds of 80/85 MPH. But when I woke up this morning, it was a bone-chilling 39 degrees outside, and sadly, at the last minute before hitting the road I opted to jump into my comfy car instead. Now, I'm sitting in my office looking out the window filled with regret, while it warms up into the 50's.

You guys who live in the warmer climates have it made. The riding season here in north-western New Jersey comes and goes so fast, it makes your head spin. 5-months of comfortable riding (if you're lucky) and then 7 long months of wishing you lived somewhere warmer as you see your bike everyday collecting dust in the garage.

Yeah, I could have sucked it up this morning and toughed it out. Yes, i could buy heated hand grips and a heated seat to try to extend the season, but for what purpose? It's not like i am taking a cross-country trip where I would be on the bike all day. If this was the case, then I would invest in these things. But I am only commuting a 1/2-hour to work each way, and then the bike sits outside for 9 -to- 10 hours while I am trapped inside my office. So, it really doesn't make a lot of sense to put myself through the extra discomfort for such a brief period of time.

So it's a sad time for us northerners, as we see our season so quickly come to an end.

Originally Posted by SafetyMan

Snow belt in *******....

Saw snow every year for the 13 I lived there in September, didn't stick. MOST years had ground cover by Halloween... Usually gone by April, but always had snowfall in early May.

The snowmobiling and ice fishing was WAY better there than here in South Texas...