30's and sunny isnt too bad, I'll ride down to the mid teens with heated gear. Its all in how you gear up and you're right, riding in winter even in the blue ridge area is pretty lonely, lol!

 

I salute you! I'll ride cold, just can't take the salty roads here (Rochester NY near Buffalo). A younger me that had no car for 2 years, rode year round and would hit the spray it yourself car wash if it got above freezing to wash salt off. Good gear makes it fine. Frostbit 2 toes on my left foot once in a lake effect snowstorm that dropped 5 inches while I was at work. Had to ride home with foot down about 10 miles. Good times.

 

 

I rode for about an hour in 18 degree weather on New Years day. I normally don't ride when it's that cold, but my neighbor, who also rides, spends the winter in Florida, and via a text message he bet me that I wouldn't ride on January 1. Now he owes me one whole beer. (Sheesh. The things a guy will do for a free beer.) I wore long-johns under bib overalls, 2 pairs of heavy socks, long sleeve T shirt, long sleeve insulated shirt, pair of cold weather Carhartt bibs, and a heavy leather jacket. Full face helmet and a neck scarf and a pair of plain ol' brown jersey gloves under a pair of insulated HD leather winter gloves. Only thing that got cold were my fingers. Everything else was fine.

I avoid riding when the roads are snowy or icy. I've ridden in some light flurries that sneaked up on me, but not in any condition that made the roads slick or icy.

 

 

I got to ride my trade over 100 miles to pick up my Sport Glide, starting at 31F. Next weekend rode again to get heated grips installed. That's three 100 mile trips in sub 35F temperatures, with no heated grips or gear. To say it was cold would be an understatement, but it was fun anyway. That return leg with heated grips was awesome though!

I usually commute no matter the temp as long as the roads are clean, but I only have 10 miles to go, so I never get a chance to experience what cold can do at high speed over a long stretch. That chill is hard to get rid off...

 

 

It wasn't that long ago (< 10 years?) that one winter I rode the bike to work everyday (41 miles one way,) but one Monday when we got 3" of snow. Coldest morning, 14 degrees. Electric gloves, FF helmet, 3 layers upper body, long johns, then jeans, the leg warmers (over my knees,) and then the chaps. It took 10 minutes to get dressed and 10 minutes to get undressed for work. (The afternoons going home was much less effort.
I believe that experience has left me wanting to ride when it's T shirt whether nowadays.....I have other, warmer fun things to drive )

 

25* yesterday, had to go for a few hours.

 

get it in the summer and one item at a time