It just sounds deadly doesn't it!
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| It doesn't look awful, but visibility was about 1/4 to 1/2 mile |
I was really excited last Sunday. Looking at the weekly forecast on my iPhone App called the "Weatherbug", it looked like I could get a lot of riding in this week. No rain in the forecast and temperatures would be reasonable, at least for February. I knew I had to take the car on Monday for a doctor's appointment, but the possibility of riding 4 days in a row looked good. Real Good!
I rode on Tuesday, a little chilly in the morning, but lovely in the afternoon. A nice and uneventful ride.
You have to understand the workings of parking in my garage at home. If I'm riding the scooter the next day, then Max gets parked behind the "Famous Canadian Subaru", (the one with the heated seats), for a quick getaway the next morning. Otherwise Max gets parked in front of the cars.
So for Wednesday morning, Max was parked behind the Subaru, ready to go when called for duty. Alas, when taking the dog out first thing Wednesday morning to get the newspaper, I opened up the front door to see a pretty thick fog. It was warm out, but foggy. Also not predicted by the "Weatherbug". Now, I've ridden in fog before, but it's not my first choice, (definitely not the wife's first choice) so when it came time to leave for work, I re-arranged the vehicles and took the car.
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| The tallest building in Wichita from a block away, heavily obscured |
Then on Thursday morning the "Weatherbug" predicted fog and rain, and the "Weatherbug" turned out to be 50% correct, there was rain, but no fog. And I've ridden in rain before also, but again, not my first choice, and particularly if it is a cold rain. I hate cold rain! Alas, the car was called into duty again that day, but as I came home Thursday evening, hope was welling up and I paused and re-arranged the garage lineup in order to take Max to work on Friday morning.
All evening long I dreamed about the potential of a glorious Friday morning ride. Well, maybe not all evening long. Okay, maybe I was just momentarily looking forward to it. But, you know what I mean.
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| View from the "Cage" of a "Scooter in the Fog" Is that like the old "Far Side" cartoon "Chickens in the Mist"? |
So Friday morning arrives (a really nice looking day predicted by the "Weatherbug") and I look outside just before venturing outside with the dog, and what do I see?
Fog!
Not only that, but it's pretty cold outside. The weatherman on the television said that streets could be slick because, you guessed it, the Threat of Freezing Fog!
Oh My!
Not, (gulp), Freezing Fog!
Well, as you might imagine, the "Famous Canadian Subaru" (the one with the heated seats) was pressed into service again. But I was so worked up about it that I took a few pictures. Seems as if other riders braved the elements this morning even if I did not. Out of 5 days in the week, at least I got to ride on 1 day. Better than none, and it is February.
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| Oh Well, Time to get to work! |
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Ride On, and Carpe Diem, my friends!
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Jimbo/cpa3485:
ReplyDeleteOh, that famous Cdn Subaru (the one with the heated seats, yes that one), we also have a Cdn Subaru and Yes, the one with the heated seats too, we traded in the Old Cdn Subaru WRX, yes with the heated seats and got the newer one "with the heated seats" and did I say it was Cdn too.
Why don't you get a heated seat for Max ?
We have frost nearly every morning so I can't ride to work either. This morning I was planning but . . . I had to scrap the windows.
We don't get freezing fog that often, but fog settles onto the freezing roads and ices up.
One day is better than none
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Freezing fog, that's sounds like frost getting ready to settle. If you think that's bad, look up ice fog. Downright unhealthy to breathe.
ReplyDeleteBobskoot and RichardM,
ReplyDeleteWe really didn't have the dreaded "freezing fog", at least not that I saw. You see, here in the midwest, where the threat of tornadoes is very real, the weather forecasters are sometimes (usually) overly cautious. If. it's icy roads or severe thunderstorms, they seem to go a little overboard sometimes.
Yesterday was just one of those somewhat foggy days, and they are actually pretty rare. I just got a kick out the term "freezing fog" and its connotations.
Deadly? well not really
I've noticed our media forecasters here seem to have all attended drama school as well. I suppose it has something to do with ratings. Image that. Real freezing fog has enough drama. I'm not sure anyone here would know what it was even though we have it from time to time, but the street temperatures are such it doesn't present much of a problem. I can't say I'd be heart broken to never make the acquaintance of ice fog.
ReplyDeleteIt can be difficult to know whether to ride or not here in the Midwest. The weather is often different than the forecast isn't it?
Another great post.
~Keith
Dear Jimbo:
ReplyDeleteFreezing fog can be very challenging to penetrate even in a car. I lived in Upstate New York for years, and warming spells of 31-32ยบ(F) would often produce fog or mist, especially around the rivers, which would adhere to the road as black ice. I wouldn't fret about passing up a day like that in the saddle. How are you otherwise?
Fondest regards,
Jack Riepe
Twisted Roads