A ride before the heat wave hits...

There's a heat wave comimg. It's here now, really, but it's going to be really hot for the next couple of weeks, with temps into the mid to high 40's expected. I decided to go for a ride this morning before it got hot. I wanted to be on the road by 0730, but muggins me slept in didn't I? Up at 0815, I had to remap the GRiSO and stick the dB killer back in. It didn't want to go back easily, so I had to burnish the end of the killer and the inside of the Termi for a easy fit. That took a bit of time.  I then had to fuel up, so by the time I was on the road it was 0930 and already 30 degrees!

It got a bit cooler in the hills, and the instruments reported 28 degrees, but it felt cooler. I took my usual route over the top where I saw a massive brown snake on the road, at least 6 feet long. A vehicle going up the opposite way had just passed over it without hitting it, and it wasn't happy. It was rearing up ready to strike when I passed it. I didn't hang about. On the way down the mountain I also saw a pair of eagles soaring above a valley, a magnificent sight indeed! Then it was over way too soon and I settled into the pedestrian pootle into Tumut, where it was 33 degrees. Ice cream time!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


Mmmmmm!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]





I topped up the tank and hydrated myself, then went through Tumut and up to Blowering dam.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]





Some lucky ducks were enjoying a day on the lake.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]



Some interesting facts about Lake blowering:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


By now it was 36 degrees. Time to head home for a cold shower and beer! I decided to take the quickest route, because riding in ATGATT at 36 degrees even at 65mph it's bloody hot! By the time I did get home it was 39 degrees and I was sweating horribly! A cold shower followed by some zucchini slice and a cold beer in front of the air conditioner.

I'll be working next weekend, so no riding for at least two weeks. I hope it's cooled down a bit by then.....




  

Nice report Beetle. I never got to Tumut when I was living in Canberra, so I'll have to do something about that I think.
The heat wave is going to hit Geelong tomorrow. 39 Monday, which I have off fortunately, and then 41 on Tuesday. The boss, who is 28, is saying he's not sure how long he'll last on Tuesday. I'm 58, how long am I going to last? At least as long as him, coz I'm tuff? More like coz I'm stupid.
I had my little ride in the "cool" yesterday, along part of the GOR. Couldn't stand all the bloody tourists (terrorists?) going slow, so came home early. Still a ride on the GRiSO is better than most things, eh?

Is it ever quiet on the GOR? Maybe in the wee hours....

I confess, I was one of those slow pokes some years ago in the car with the family, rubbernecking as we went.

Nevertheless, as you say, even a ride down the shops on the GRiSO is better than no ride at all!

Talking with a mate with a Honda CX500 tonight and he's got to go to Melbourne on Wednesday next week after work, so I thought I'd ride up with him and go to the Vic Moto Guzzi club meeting at a pub in East Melbourne. I haven't been before and I thought it might be nice to see a few like minded riders.

A club meeting at a pub? He he, sounds like an exuse just to drink beer and chew the fat.

  

You could be right.

Hi Beetle, yesterday I had a ride to Mandello del Lario with a couple of friends. We have actually temperature between 0 - 9 Celsius. In any case I prefer ride with hot temperatures then cold ones.

Cheers
Bruno

Brrr! I can ride all year round, but I choose not to when it's that cold. Brrr!



  

Well I didn't let the heat wave bother me and went for a ride anyway. Didn't see many bikes out at all which was surprising. Went from Geelong through Bacchus Marsh to Gisborne then Woodend then Castlemaine to Bendigo. Returned through Castlemaine, Daylesford, Ballan and Anakie. Close on 300k and the fuel usage was so much better than New Years Day. I got 7.8 kilometres per litre that day and the guage said I was getting 5.8 today. What a difference no wind makes.
I dropped the poor bloody thing doing a U turn on a steep hill in Bendigo. Another scrape on the black plastic cover on the right hand head and no other damage, except to my pride. (I am now waiting for a scathing comment from Pete). The bike still ran flawlessly on the way home and that included taking it up to 160kph for a short spell. Wonderful bike. Dopey rider.

The plastic covers are cheap as chips. Want me to order one? 

Pete

Yeah, if you wouldn't mind Pete. There is a bit of a scuff mark on the metal as well, but it's only a graze. I felt like a real dick when it happened. Very steep hill doing a uwey and not enough revs. Fell down the face of the hill. Two guys living in the dead end street came and helped me pick it up. Very nice of them.
I did stop twice on the way to Bendigo, once just out of Geelong to check on a Harley rider who'd stopped. His oil filter had broken off and he'd lost just about all his oil when he pulled over. He'd rung his mate to come and pick him up so he was OK. The 2nd guy was just outside Bendigo and I thought his bike had broken down, but he'd lost his mobile out his car window and had come back on the bike with another phone to see if he could find it.
What goes around, comes around.
And I just worked out I did 374 km on this little trip.

I had to ride to pay some bills and get some stuff this afternoon, and at the moment in Geelong it's over 46 Centigrade. It was actually cooler riding with the visor shut than open. All I was getting was hot wind in my eyes. Not looking forward to work if it's like this tomorrow, but at least I get to ride to and from.

guzziman62 wrote:

Hi Beetle, yesterday I had a ride to Mandello del Lario with a couple of friends. We have actually temperature between 0 - 9 Celsius. In any case I prefer ride with hot temperatures then cold ones.

Cheers
Bruno

Bruno is just trying to make us all jealous. It's working too...

Sorry, it wasn't my intention to make you jealous. I went to Mandello for a visit to Agostini, because I wanted to know the price in Italy for a new GRiSO. I'm trying to understand if it is cheaper to buy my GRiSO in Italy or in Switzerland where I live. The difference isn't very big so I will probably buy it from the Guzzi dealer in Lugano. From Mandello we went to Bellagio for a hot chocolate all'italiana. From Bellagio we ride (rode?) back to Como and from Como back to Switzerland.
I was on my Goldwing 1800 with heated seat and grips so the low temperature wasn't a problem. Now it's snowing what means that in the next weeks we can forget riding bikes.   

I simply tease you Bruno, but of course we are also jealous. Just to pop over to Mandello del Lario for a day ride. What a dream!

  It's still hot here in central NSW - but you get a little stir crazy in a small town sometimes. I find the best cure for this is to go for a blatt down the road, and her indoors (Honda VT750) and I (GRiSO magnifico) went for a coffee and feed at the Emmdale roadhouse, a mere 160Km away. 38*C when we left, 42* at Emmdale. We fed and watered ourselves, fueled up our bikes and returned home, hot and bothered but refreshed in a good kind of way. Dodging feral goats and roos on the way back, always keeps you alert.  

Welcome to the ghetto Technico!

wyno wrote:

Well I didn't let the heat wave bother me and went for a ride anyway. Didn't see many bikes out at all which was surprising. Went from Geelong through Bacchus Marsh to Gisborne then Woodend then Castlemaine to Bendigo. Returned through Castlemaine, Daylesford, Ballan and Anakie. Close on 300k and the fuel usage was so much better than New Years Day. I got 7.8 kilometres per litre that day and the guage said I was getting 5.8 today. What a difference no wind makes.
I dropped the poor bloody thing doing a U turn on a steep hill in Bendigo. Another scrape on the black plastic cover on the right hand head and no other damage, except to my pride. (I am now waiting for a scathing comment from Pete). The bike still ran flawlessly on the way home and that included taking it up to 160kph for a short spell. Wonderful bike. Dopey rider.

AH Bendigo my home town.

Went for a spirited 130k trip myself yesterday with a couple of friends, up over Springbrook, Numinbah, Chillingham for a quick coffee, then across to Tyalgum, Murwillumbah, over Tomein and home, bike performed flawlessly.

Technico wrote:

 It's still hot here in central NSW

Hello!

Cobar, eh? Been there a few times.


Welcome.