Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[Nanuq]

I'm just back from a ride, I was up in Chugach state park and it's zero degrees out. The moon is full and the snow is hard and fast. I was out looking for animals, and I'm sad to say there were no bears or moose. But there was a magnificent big owl sitting in a tree watching me go by.

Winter in Alaska! Love it! Here's my new ride, compared to my old red one.

[Usil]

Disc breaks - nice.

I grew up in Illinois where the winters were bleeding cold and not much intersting going on. It was basically hibernation time while you wait for Spring. Then I moved to Utah and bought a house up against the Wasatch mountains. Lived there for 7 years and I discovered what Winter should be like. Learned to ski and went out every chance I could including night skiing, enjoyed the beauty of the show in the mountains and it was a totally different experience. I actually looked forward to Winter each year.

Looks like your experiance is the latter with lots of activity and lots of fun. Makes me miss it. By the way, I am an Eagle scout (I read where you are a scout in another post) and two other people in my division (total of 3 out of 5 of us) are also Eagle scouts. I am almost 60 now but Scouting has always been one of those things that are at the top of my list of best things I ever did in my life. Still think back of all the great memories and leadership experiences at that age.

Enjoy the coming Winter.

(Question on the bike): The old one has shocks in front and back. The new one has just a front shock and yet it seems to be the more expensive model. Do you miss the back shock?

Usil

Edited November 5, 2006 by Usil

[HighDef]

Nice bike Post some review between the hard tail and full suspension. I have a hard tail Denali pro and find it quite hard on me riding it down hill. It jerk me forward (fast ride) even though how far behind I position myself. I had this bike for three years now, so I am planning to replace it with a full suspension bike.

[Pugwash]

Winter in Alaska! Love it! Here's my new ride, compared to my old red one.

I don't suppose you have a guest room, eh? I think I need to see Alaska.

[KB]

Bob have you ever thought of taking a job as a bike rep?

Ken

[Usil]

The complexities in your descriptions of the bikes goes beyond my expertise and I had no idea there were so many considerations. For me, I rode a bike until I was 21 and it was my main transportation. Nothing fancy like yours. I always lamented I never had a way to keep track of all those miles (it was a long time ago) but I put on a fair set of miles.

- 40? I was in Kalispell, Montana once and as I exited the hotel, it was -51. I had forgotten to 'plug the car in' and you can guess it did not start. Ten feet out the door, I could feel the cold in my cheeks bad. I had never experianced anything like this low temperature. I wonder how long I would last if I did not have the right cloths?

My most daring trip in the winter was to see my girlfriend for the weekend. She lived 90 miles away and all I had was a motorcycle. I left Friday afternoon at 45 degrees. Coming back it was - 15. I can not tell you what it is like going 60 miles an hour in - 15 on a motorcycle. I had prepared for the trip (I thought) by wearing two pairs of pants with newspaper between them, a navy wet suit on the torso, layers of clothing, scarves and gloves. I still froze. I counted off every mile and actually stopped once and hovered around my tail pipe to thaw my hands. I shivered for an hour after I finally returned. Ain't love grand?

Oh, I did do a trip to yellowstone in the winter once. Rented snowmobiles at the park entrance. It was a spectacular day in the park and while it was cold (always below zero) it was beautiful. Do you have snow mobiles too?

Usil

[gran]

Jeg ser at du liker å rir på den nye KONA di Bob

[Pugwash]

I can not tell you what it is like going 60 miles an hour in - 15 on a motorcycle.

I used to commute 25 miles each direction to and from Glasgow on a motorcycle and while it's not as heroic as your single trip, it's something that over a 4 month winter you shockingly get used to.

When people are saying Zero or -15 here, are we talking in Fahrenheit or Celsius?

[Usil]

I was using farenheight.

Right, amazing what we get used too. Don't seem to mind even now. Just part of the experience. If it ever mattered I would have quit a long time ago.

(Sorry Nanuq, to have made this thread start to meander. The Cold weather things I have done seem to pop to the surface when I saw your thread.)

Usil

Edited November 6, 2006 by Usil

[Pugwash]

Sure thing! Bring some camping gear and snowshoes (or you can use mine) and I'll show you the REAL Alaska.

I can't guarantee you won't come out of it unscathed, but I can guarantee you WILL live through it.

You have no idea how tempting this is.