[tilted horizons] - Motorcycling in March

[Ninjette Newsbot]

In my neck of the woods, March can be tough on the ol' motorcycling psyche. Blacktop roads are potholed and crumbled from freezing, and won't be repaired for months. Clumps of road salt residue and sand dot the roads. On the back roads, gravel and mud, washed out of the gullies by heavy rains and snow melt, have a nasty habit of accumulating on blind corners. Unlike the peak of Summer or dead of Winter, it's difficult to get into a rhythm, either on the road of off. Just gearing up properly can be a tough decision as the weather can vary wildly. I've ridden 5 of the 6 days of March so far, and I've already dealt with temperatures from 22F to 62F, and from snow flurries to rain showers to beautiful dry, sunny conditions. I'm not whining (well, not much) mind you: that which many motorcyclists consider obstacles to riding are seen as challenges to die-hard (or crazy; you choose) year-round riders. Although, while overcoming challenges is satisfying, I'll be a lot happier in about six weeks when the challenges will be more about the broader riding experience and much less about merely surviving the weather and road conditions.


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