What was the worst weather you've been in. - Page 3

The Central Scrutinizer · 03-20-2008, 01:34 PM

Years ago, visiting my Dad in PA. Had to get back to work Monday morning, and there was a snowstorm acomin'. So I went to Kmart and bought a set of thermal underwear and headed home on my '82 GPz1100.

The first 50 miles were twisties, it was snowing but nothing stuck to the asphalt... yet. By the time I got to the interstate it was a blizzard and snow was piling up on the pavement. I got behind a semi and kept the wheels in his fresh tire-tracks for the last 100 miles. By the time I got home, the entire front of the bike and my body had a 1" thick crust of frozen slush built up. My faceshield was frozen shut, and when I unzipped my leathers chunks of ice went flying off.

It was kinda hairy keeping the bike in those ruts, knowing if I drifted 6 inches either way I was going down... with another semi behind me and to the sides. I'm not sure the truck driver even knew I was behind him the whole way. Just lucky I guess.

Gaolee · 03-20-2008, 11:21 PM

I rode home from Portland to Seattle in the aftermath of a blizzard. Beats me how. I also got caught out in rapidly dropping temperatures about ten years ago, and got home just as a blizzard hit. I think it was well below freezing for most of the ride. I wouldn't do either on purpose.

stefrrr · 03-20-2008, 11:38 PM

Just rain, really, but on our last trip we got caught in about one and a half days of rain and our gear didn't hold up. We got a hotel room with a jacuzzi and fireplace and we and the gear were *almost* dry by morning.

robert_s_hunter · 03-20-2008, 11:42 PM

Monsoon-like rainfall, in the mid-30s F.

grumpytoo · 03-21-2008, 10:35 PM

A friend of mine and I were traveling through Mexico in February. We had stopped in Mazatlan to visit some friends, who weren't there - figures, and decided to take highway 40 between Mazatlan and Durango, also known as the Devil's Backbone. It goes from sea level to around 9000 feet or so in not very many miles and is pretty crooked.

So we took off, sunny with some clouds out over the water. Find highway 40, not a trivial task, and head on up. The clouds come in and it starts to rain, and we go up, and it gets colder and continues to rain. This is a 2 lane highway with lots of turns, and trucks, and buses, and RVs so motor cycles really only have half a lane. The sky is gray and it continues to rain and get colder, then the clouds are no longer above us, but right there with us, and it is still raining and cold and foggy and there is still lots of traffic, as we look at the overturned bus we pass. My friend passes an RV, it takes be about 5 more minutes to get by and that is the last I see of my friend.

Finally the top and a bit down hill to Durango, but where is the friend? Stop at the first Gas station and wait a bit. It is still cold and rainy but no fog! We had talked about going further than Durango so I went about 60 klicks further, we are in Mexico, so klicks it is. No go and nothing there except rain. I am at about 7000 feet, sorry no meters, so sue me, and it is still cold and getting colder and darker. Back to Durango and try to find a place for the night. Didn't see anything downtown except expensive hotel, head to where I came into Durango where there were a couple of places. Stop and find a place with an attached garage they look at me a bit oddly but give me a room, enter through the garage. I go in just dripping the garage is nice, the place is cold and the tv has only porn on it. I found out these are the by the hour places, well it had a garage. Change clothes and take a shower and here a motorcycle show up. My friend found the same place, talk about coincidence.

Well that was it cold, wet, dark, lost, can't speak the language, it didn't snow though.

I do want to do that road on a nice day though.

--chris

county · 03-23-2008, 11:41 AM

I've ridden in a lotta weather and the two times that really stick in my mind were in Missouri and Georgia when I ran into heavy fog. Expecially a few years ago in Missouri...that was scarey shit not knowing if I needed to speed up to keep from getting hit or slow down to keep from hitting someone.

Plus, unlike raindrops, which you can see between, with the fog it was constantly wiping the face shield.

g®eg™ · 03-24-2008, 09:02 AM

somebody say fog?

Albula Pass, Switzerland

no guard rails....

a shot in better weather

Albula

General Sir Ron Pig · 03-24-2008, 01:44 PM

Dunno about the worst weather, cause I'm not sure I can remember it all. I do remember my worst ride though. It was only about 350 miles but it was in mid winter. And a bad one at that. About 1982.
Rode from Wales down to Brighton. All was very cold, bit of rain etc, until I got into England.
Then it was freezing fog. All the way, including when it started to snow between Swindon and Reading. At this point, I thought of turning back but it was nearly as far home as to carry on. My gear was various layers of woolen sockers, jumpers, jeans and a leather, with non-waterproof gloves (weren't any then) and an open face. The trip was taking me forever as well, and it had been dark for two hours by the time I arrived.
I ccouldn't get off the bike at the end. I was frozen onto it. I had to fall off, at a stanstill, to prise my fingers away from the bars.

9 hours it took.

county · 03-25-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by General Sir Ron Pig

Dunno about the worst weather, cause and it had been dark for two hours by the time I arrived.
I ccouldn't get off the bike at the end. I was frozen onto it. I had to fall off, at a stanstill, to prise my fingers away from the bars.

9 hours it took.

You know, I've read that you lose a lotta reflex time once you are frozen to the bike.

BigArn · 04-10-2008, 02:08 PM

Wind storm from Bakersfield to Las Vegas. It was with us most of the way, but turn one way or the other and get blown around. We came out of a canyon in to Vegas and got hit so hard by a wind blast, that my bike just drifted 2 lanes over with me and the SO hanging on for dear life. Got off the freeway, found our motel, and it took something like 15 minutes for me to stop shaking.

Same trip going over the Rockies on I-70 in a snow storm. Followed a semi doing 25 until we hit the western side. Stayed in his tire tracks. Had to keep clearing off the faceshield of snow and slush.

dragonryder · 04-10-2008, 05:01 PM

Left home at 5:30 AM on a Monday morning, heading to Fontana Village to meet up with husband and another couple that had left home the Friday after work, I had to work the weekend.
About 30 min north from home it started to drizzle, not bad just enough to make ya miserable. I kept going partly because I thought it looked like it would ease up, and also because on a country road there is no place to pull off the road.
About 30 min later the flood gates opened up, still no place to pull off and after about 5 min, it didn't matter I was soaked anyway so I kept on going. Tried to take the back roads mostly to avoid interstate traffic with the rain.
Well needless to say it rained buckets for the 6 hours it took me to get there and I broke 3 bones in my left foot because a blue hair decided to change lanes right next to me, no where to go so I tried not to grab too much brake but the she hadn't even looked and was about 3 inches from me now grabbed brake, put my foot down to avoid dropping the bike and snap crackle pop. The good news was there was a state trooper right behind me and he saw everything after briefly stopping to check I was ok he nabbed her.
The bad news was I still had about 2 1/2 hours to get to Dahlonaga to meet with friends and eat dinner. There was no use pulling off my boot I knew the foot and possibly the ankle was broken and I didn't want it to swell and not be able to get my boot back on. So on I went. Got to Dahlonaga ate dinner and then rode the rest of the way to Fontana Village, still raining. Rode the next day, but couldn' t get my boot on on Wend so we did the tourist thing and I rode 2 up. Thursday I rode again and did the gap, 28 and cherahola Friday we left to come home went to the ER (where I work) Guess what, Your foot is Broken in 4 places. Took another 2 weeks off work and then back to work with a walking cast in the ICU.
That was the worst ride for me.
Anita

Justin726 · 04-10-2008, 08:34 PM

^^ I think you get the tough rider award. You knew your foot was probably broken (which it was) but yet you kept on riding. That had to be throbing pretty bad after a while.

F4sSprintST · 04-10-2008, 08:34 PM

Snow, rain........

tgermain · 04-10-2008, 08:41 PM

I live in North dakota and its known for its shitty weather. more or less the winters but you get the point.a

dragonryder · 04-10-2008, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin726

^^ I think you get the tough rider award. You knew your foot was probably broken (which it was) but yet you kept on riding. That had to be throbing pretty bad after a while.

Well, I didn't want to wreck the week for everyone else either. Yeah it did hurt, hurt like hell but it could have been much worse and I don't get to ride the twisties too often so ice it, take some pain medication, wrap it up and grunt.
Actually when I was riding it didn't seem to hurt as bad but having to put my foot down or walk was really painful. It was a little difficult to shift sometimes.
Oh well, made it through and had a chance to ride some great roads at a beautiful time of year!
Thanks for the award too!