Trusting the Weather–A Mistake
Apparently it doesn’t matter how long you live in Colorado, you never quite figure out that the weather can change on you in a flash. Here’s an example.
Bill and Dennis and I rode over to John’s, outside of Montrose, for a few days riding in southwest Colorado. The weather was beautiful, but you know, it’s September. That should have been the tip-off. And mind you, Bill has lived here his entire life. I’ve been here more than 30 years.
I was packing and I made the decision that I didn’t need to take my electric vest. What the hey, it’s hot right now! Bill was the same. He just bought a new bike and picked up a new half-helmet at the same time. This bike is his first with a fairing so he figured the fairing the the half-helmet would be all he would need. Yes, his new bagger had plenty of room where he could have just tossed in the full-face helmet, but he didn’t figure there was any need.
The weather was great on the way out and while we were there. Then it was time to head home. We woke up to rain, and unlike so often in Colorado, this was not a rain that was just going to pass over. Weather radar showed storm clouds over half the state, and all of the route to Denver. But hey, we had rain gear, so no problem.
Wrong.
First off, Bill had already figured out that the fairing only does so much to provide protection from the elements. Fortunately for him, John had an old full-face helmet that he no longer used and it fit Bill. That was a godsend.
For me, there was nothing to do but put on layers. Still, we got to Gunnison and the temperature was 40 degrees. We still had to go over Monarch Pass, and that was another 3,600 feet up. And a woman we spoke with who had just come over said it was snowing on top when she was there.
Long story short, it was a cold ride, and it didn’t have to have been. Will I ever learn? If Bill is any example, I guess not. I guess we all keep relearning the same lessons again and again. It just took longer to get home, what with all the stops to get warm. Could’ve been worse.
Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Dual-sporting high in the Rockies
Biker Quote for Today
People who wear full faced helmets with tinted visors are aliens and can’t scare teen aged girls at stop lights.
Tags: Monarch Pass, motorcycle gear
