Winter is.............

[Gixxerdale]

slowly creeping in to Southern California too. The day started out nice and warm, then came the rain and dropped the temperature into the bitter cold, low 60's

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gixxer...ale2/my_photos


But Sunday ride day is looking promising!

[inspiron]

Today it's cosy warm here ... the're predicting that it should get into the upper 40's (F) this afternoon. But, we have a cold-front coming through on the weekend ... we should be getting snow again, with the afternoon high somewhere in the mid 30's.

I dropped off my license plate this morning ... as of today, I don't have to pay any more registration fees, and my insurance costs drop considerably as long as the bike is not registered. In March, I just have to bring a proof of insurance and then I can pick up my plate and start riding again. ... Counting the minutes ...

[GIXXER-Mike]

Hey, Inspiron!

Didn't know you could do that w/the tags. 'Preciate you sharin' that !

[inspiron]

Don't know if that works in the states ... remember, I'm on the other side of the pond in the middle of Europe

[Freakinout]

I only have to pay 40ish in registration a year, and they backlog it, so no reason not to do it in the winter. I also only pay 122/yr for liability insurance.

[inspiron]

As I've posted before ... in Canton Basellandschaft, where I live, the vehicle registration is based upon the weight of the vehicle. My bike weighs 331 KG (they calculate the weight with fluids, then add 75 KG for the rider), so I pay CHF 104.00 per year (about $88 per year) for the registration, and about 10 times that much for full-coverage insurance. By "deregistering" the bike for 3 to 4 months, I'm saving about $80 per month. So, after 4 months, I've saved enough to cover one of my financing payments.

[Louis]

In QC, we pay $320 for registration. It's based on the riding season so no benefits in deregitering during winter.

[LayinLo]

So you add rider weight to the vehicle? Do they do that for 4 wheeld vehicles?

[inspiron]

Yes, I believe so, 75KG for the driver. For a car that weighs 1200 KG, the extra weight for the driver doesn't make that much difference, but for the bike, it increases the weight by 30% ...

[LayinLo]

That's not cool.

[Va bene]

Hey Inspiron, Sorry to hear your bike is up for the winter. I'm afraid my riding days are numbered as well. I'm still hoping for a few more but it is getting a little chilly here too.

So what do you do in the winter? Do you ski or snowboard? I do both. My favorite places are in Colorado and Utah. Vermont can be fun too although there tends to be more ice in the east than out west. I've never skiied your side of the pond but I hear it is awesome.

[inspiron]

Hi Susan,

I used to ski ... I've skied in Mammoth and Lake Tahoe, California; SL City, Utah; Aspen, Colorado; and Sun Valley, Idaho; as well as Feldberg and Herrischried, Germany and Engelberg and Grindelwald, Switzerland. I had an accident several years ago (concussion, dislocated shoulder) and haven't been on skis again since then.

Utah advertises that they have "the greatest snow on earth" - I have to admit, the're right. The snow in the Alps is not as light and dry as it is around SLC. But, skiing here in the Alps is something that I recommend to any hard-core skier who can affort it. The ski areas are so very different, you can hardly compare them.

I haven't tried snowboarding ... it looks like fun, but (or should I say, butt) it can be painful.

Since I am out with my horse almost daily, I can enjoy the winter days without having to drive into the Alps (the closest ski area is a good hour away). And I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend ... in front of the wood-buring stove in my apartment.

[Va bene]

Originally Posted by inspiron

...Since I am out with my horse almost daily, I can enjoy the winter days without having to drive into the Alps (the closest ski area is a good hour away). And I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend ... in front of the wood-buring stove in my apartment.

Sounds nice. We don't have horses but my husband and I like to go for walks in the woods in the snow. It is so pretty and quiet right after a snow.

[inspiron]

On the way to work today, I was thinking that it's a damn shame that my bike has been put down for the winter ... it was a beautiful, sunny morning.

Then I looked down at the outside temperature display in my car ...

29° F

I don't care what kind of gear you have ... unless you've got your underpants wired direct to the battery (or exhaust manifold), you get off the bike with your family jewels frozen solid!

[themeatmanlandry]

Thanks to bonehead #2 (that's the one that hit my truck . . . bonehead #1=the one that dented my truck with the car door . . . sheesh, I'm having to assign numbers to the boneheads? I've gotta' move out of this city ), anyway (I digress) . . .

Anyway, thanks to bonehead #2, I have no transportation except for the bike. I have a class that I HAVE TO MAKE on Friday of this week, so I'll have to ride there . . . post-vasectomy . . . in the cold.

I'm really developing a sour attitude towards life.

(<== That's the ACTUAL face I'm making)

[inspiron]

In your case, I think the cold may actually be an asset ...

[Gixxerdale]

Ride with your fly open! It will help num the pain in cold weather!

[Darxide]

thats how i cool off my herpes.

[Uncle Bob]

Gee Mark, dunno what to make of your situation ?

First insurance , up here when I had to get my car fixed after getting rearended, insurance got me a no charge rental ( insurance usually covers this if your not at fault and for $2 or $3 more a year covers a loaner even if you're at fault ). And BTW they also get you a similar vehicle to replace yours while in repairs so they don't lend you an Echo if you drive a Passat.

Then again how much could it cost to rent a car for a day or two ? Under the circumstances I would spring for the rental.

Anyhoo, hope things work out for you.

[LayinLo]

Originally Posted by Darxide

thats how i cool off my herpes.