I’m Fweeezin’!!!!

I used to hear that a lot…. Not anymore, but now it was my turn. My friend let me borrow his Aprilia Mile’ and his wife and I took off riding around the valley. My original write up was going to focus on how I got a bit chilly going up Pipestone pass into Butte….but then things change. They always do.

Sunday was pretty windy out, and it was cool but by no means cold. My Amy had asked me if I was interested in riding, and frankly I needed it. Too much mental stress and turmoil. It would be good to not think about it for a bit. So I met up with her and we went to go get the Aprilia out of storage. Since Robert (Amy’s husband) wasn’t there I scammed his Alpine Star perforated leather jacket, some summer gloves, and a helmet. For those who don’t ride or can’t figure out what perforate means the jacket has HOLES in it. A lot of little ones to let the wind through so you don’t overheat while riding in warm weather.

Since it was just a tad cool I went ahead and put on a long sleeve shirt with a mock-turtleneck to it and a longer pair of socks (the wind blowing up the pants leg can make you cold).

We took off and the “adventure” started. The first thing was that we couldn’t find anyplace to get air in the tires and they definitely needed it. When we did find some air it was one of those stupid machines that you have to keep hitting the start button every 10lbs of air….grrrr……

But that was well and good and we got on the road. I let Amy lead so I could explore some roads I didn’t know and I didn’t have to concentrate as much. The wind was really whipping up in some spots and so we slowed the pace down….a tad.

When we came through one of the canyons it was absolutely spectacular! There were sheer rock walls RIGHT on the road, with a river on the other side looking into canyon walls that were laced with bright green trees. The river brush was a bright golden color and some of the trees lining the river were a nice orange and burnt-red color. It was beautiful. If I had a camera and could have pulled over I would have gotten some pics, but as it was there wasn’t any place to do so.

We made a decision to head over the Pipestone pass into Butte. I’d driven it before, but never ridden it on a bike. It was 30 miles out and we knew it would be cooler but I was pretty sure I wouldn’t freeze to death before we got through it. As we got close and the elevation started to rise it got substantially cooler and the signs warning of ice in the corners were out. Great.
As it turns out there was snow all over the sides of the pass, but the roads were clear and mostly dry so traction was not a problem. We weren’t crazy, but we probably sustained about 90mph through there when semis do about 15~20 and cars usually hang around 60~80. It was a nice clip and I was pretty cold by the time we got to the other side.
We stopped in Butte, had some hot chocolate to warm back up and turned around. Back up through the pass and into the valley the sun was starting to set and you could tell the air was getting cooler. At this point I was just starting to feel a tad uncomfortable but it wasn’t that bad.

Then….it hit us. A wall of freezing cold air. There is no other way to describe it. We were out in the middle of nowhere whipping through another small pass at about 90mph when we found the cold front that was moving in. Now, I’m sure everyone has felt the temperature drop suddenly….over a matter of minutes, etc. But, if you can imagine opening up a door into a big industrial freezer and riding into it at about 90mph that is what it was like. The temps easily dropped 20+ degrees in under 5 seconds. (I found out later it was closer to 30+ degrees). And the wind picked up….

So, I’m on a bike….in summer gear, out in the middle of nowhere, and Frosty the Snowman is having a field day with us on the bikes. Remember the perforated jacket and the little holes? Yeah, well having an 80+mph 30-degree wind blowing on you is not a good thing. We were literally freezing….but there wasn’t anywhere to pull off. We had to at least make it to US287 and I-90 (yeah, for you folks back home….it’s the SAME US287).

We made it, but had to pull of once to warm up hands on the engine blocks of the bike. By the time we got to the gas station we were both shivering pretty good and while I didn’t know it, we both had the same thought – Can I get my legs to work good enough to stand the bike up when I come to a stop. I was already practicing flexing my fingers just to work the clutch and brake levers. We were dangerously cold…..this was not good.

We hang out in the gas station for a bit to warm up and as it turns out my riding partner had now lost her wallet…. Uh oh! Things are just getting better! I bought a pair of glove warmers for her and we climbed back on the bikes. It was so cold out I was literally shivering before getting out of the parking lot. What had turned out to be a really nice ride was now miserable…..but we had to get back.

So off we go….freezing, shivering, and I’m trying to tuck in as best I can behind the windscreen to keep the wind off of me as much as possible. 20 more miles….we can make it. Of course, the cross-winds picked up even further and we were both leaning the bikes at about 5 degree angles just to stay in our own lane. Lane change? No problem just stand the bike up for a split second and it would easily push you over about 10 feet.

But then….we got behind the line and it started to get warmer. Now I am not talking warm as in tropical islands with hot chicks in bikinis warm. Not even butter and toast warm. But warm about how that pizza is when you pull it out of the refrigerator warm. Trust me, it was an improvement. When we finally pulled off the highway I said “I’m either so numb I can’t feel it any more or it actually got warmer.”

But we were off the highway and heading back towards the storage shed. We turn off of a main street onto a side street in an industrial park. Amy is still leading and flips her high-beams on. Wanting to help out I do the same thing. Little did I know that our trip was not over, yet, and the fates decided to blow a fuse on the bike and black out all the lights. So now I can’t see….. it’s pitch black, and I’m on a black motorcycle on an unlit street….. and I’m still freezing. If it had been in traffic, or we’d have been on the highway I would have been done…..but as it was we got the bikes back to the shed.

To top it all off? We couldn’t find the key to lock the shed up when we were trying to leave and spent about 10 minutes looking for it before we finally found it. Some friends of ours were having dinner nearby so we stopped in, made a jack and coke and started to try to warm up. I swear it took me about 2 hours before I finally felt warm again.

Lest you think that this all sucks….. most of it did. But don’t forget that part of riding is the experience. ALL of it. Not just the good. And now I have another experience to add to my canvas…. Would I do it again? Not willingly… but I am happy to have had the experience and a good ride with a friend.

PS – as a quick update, it did snow that night. A little while after we got off the bikes it dumped about 4 inches of snow. The temps kept dropping and when I went home last night it was a whopping 4 degrees outside according to the car. Brrrr….

I’m fweezin’!