Craziest weather you've ever been through?

[pashnit]

With winter approaching- and with all the rain over the last weekend, got me thinking. What's some of the craziest weather you've ever ridden through, on long trips, or whatever.

Coldest for me was riding through 22 degrees in middle of night in New Mexico in middle of winter. Then falling asleep, moreso from exhaustion (1200 miles non-stop in 22 hours), on a gravel berm on side of road in desert for a couple hours in 32 degree weather sans sleeping bag, getting hypothermic, and stumbling into a restaurant the next morning. Several cups of hot water later, I still couldn't stop shivering uncontrollably.

Wettest was in middle of Alaska- got stuck in a torrential downpour on dirt road on my Venture. Bike started sputtering, and barely stayed running. Maybe there wasn't enough oxygen in the air anymore :laughing

http://www.pashnit.com/5000mile/grand-19.jpg Degrees !! :wow

[highlander]

Unforgetable ride !
6 am in the morning ... only person on the road ... driving thru the GIANT Redwoods in N. Cali ... with a low fog all around .... waiting for T-Rex to stomp on me!!!

[donoman]

It was pouring rain, There was a lot of standing water everywhere, I was doing fine in my Aerostich until I tried accelerating out of a turn... I was in Monterey, it was Turn 3 at Laguna Seca, and I've never slid that long in my life before without crashing...

[morthrane]

Craziest for me is easily the 100 degree weather that left me severely dehydrated, looking at a dead end road, and backtracking 20 miles to the last town. I think I spent about 3 hours in the back of a convenience store doing nothing but drinking water and gatorade :(

The coldest and most demanding ride in terms of weather was a group ride ending at Pismo Beach... tumbleweeds, sidegusts of wind up to 40 or 50mph, rain, and damned oncoming semi windblast, all through a moderately fast sweeping two lane highway :laughing

Wind can be damned scary when its unpredictable :(

[MrCrash]

Originally posted by morthrane
The coldest and most demanding ride in terms of weather was a group ride ending at Pismo Beach... tumbleweeds, sidegusts of wind up to 40 or 50mph, rain, and damned oncoming semi windblast, all through a moderately fast sweeping two lane highway :laughing

I'm surprised you didn't mention the sandstorms, or the VW bug sized tumbleweed that was tumbling towards us :)

[yzsofst]

i rode redwood and pinehurst in a downpour

[racercutie]

Last January we had a cold front - 30 degrees but the wind chill on the freeway caused ice crystals to form on my windshield. Bbrrr.
But a couple of years ago riding up Mt. Hamilton after a snowfall. It was fun riding in the slushy snow up until I crashed and slid on black ice. :cry

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/050/321/732403-ham.jpg

[Bronto]

While it wasn't extreme it was nerve racking. The First day riding for newby rider last spring. It was cloudy mostly. At the furthest point in the ride started to rain. Increasingly hard and winds were gusting strong. First time rider staying off the traffic heavy roads. Out on back roads near Tracy. Marsh Creek, Morgan Terriotry and Tasajara. About Morgan terriotry rain was heavy. On Highland winds strong. Remember at a stop light in Blackhawk. It's a heavy downpour thunderhead. Guy on a Harley pulls up shouting, "What the hell are we doing out here" :D
Likely this winter will be caught is something more worthy :D

[rdcyclist]

Great stories!

Both of mine involve heavy rain. Riding in Japan in 78 on a loaded Honda 750 with my pregnant wife falling asleep on the back in a driving rain. We had sneaked onto the freeway (it is illegal to ride two-up on the freeway in Japan) on a trip from Hiroshima to Tokyo. There is no place to stop, the rain is running across the road in mini-rivers and her helmet is hitting the back of mine whenever she starts to nod off. Everytime we cross one of the rivers of water running across the road (usually in a corner) the bike gives a little (or big) wiggle. Fortunately, we find a bus shelter and she gets her much needed early afternoon nap before falling off the back.

On this past Halloween weekend, a buddy and I were riding back up 101 through Santa Barbara at about 5 in the afternoon in a driving rain. Just as we catch up to a semi truck, it starts to really rain. Now, I was going to pass the truck, but with the increase in rain volume and the spray off the trucks wheels, I couldn't see anything but the side of the truck and the left rear taillight. I decided that I would fade back and wait a bit before attempting to pass. It was probably 2 miles before the rain let up enough to see past the truck. Heaviest rain I've ever ridden in.

[DMc]

The most beautiful and freaky would be the time I was riding through the country
roads of Illinios. It was just dark and a thin layer of fog was in the lows of a valley. The fog came up to my neck. I was going about 50 or so. I could see the reflectors on the side of the road and see the glow of my speedo and instru. It was the closest Ive been to flying. It didnt last long because the fog was only in the lows of the valley. So I kept going back and forth:laughing
The scaryest,
Riding from Buffalo to Chicago along Lake Erie. A storm was coming off the lake and it was a whopper. I thought I could make it through when in a huge lightning bolt stuck about 500 ft in front of me. All I could think about was that sissy bar on the back of my bike. Needless to say I pulled off and cowarded in a cheap ass motel:green

[budman]

Over the hill on 80 heading to the Reno Ralley..beautiful 70 degree weather on the way up from Sac...change to clouds, rain, then full on hail...Lot's of Harleys on the road in there open face helmet putting at 10 miles an hour...me full face tucked in behind a 18 wheeler and manage 40 mph. Best part..cause that sucked..was rolling down the hill to Reno and watching the vapor trails (steam) coming off all of the bikes as we dry out quickly in the 80 degree weather..crazy.

Good stories guys and gals...:cool

:smoking

[DMc]

On Interstate 70 (?) crossing the rocky Mts. It was early June. It was cool but not cold so I was not waring warm gear. I entered the Washington (?) tunnel with a logging truck behind me. Right behind me. It is a very long tunnle, a couple miles I think. After about 10 seconds I was freezing. It must have been 20 degs. in that tunnle. I couldn't slow down to much because the trucks brakes would not last the length of the tunnel. There was no place to pull over. By the time I saw daylight I was doing the funky jerk dance.
I could barly steer the bike. :hand

[Deeter]

Let's see:

Craziest: Riding through a hail-storm in Sturgis, SD. Ended up pulling over, of course, but have to ride through some of it in order to come to a point where we could pull over.

Hottest: 125 degree heat through Needles, CA at the 600 mile mark of what ended up being a 750 mile day. Like I said earlier, heat exhaustion can lead to some interesting hallucinations. :green

Coldest: Heading down to Tehachapi, CA a couple springs ago, got caught in a freak cold-snap. I had to ride through 24 degree temps before I stopped for the night, and I had no electrics, or even actual motorcycle-specific gear. I just had layers.

[rocketbunny]

Hmm, been in some pretty hot weather, some bad downpours, some frozen rides (gogo Widder), and some freaky wind.

Weirdest was tooling along to school and it started to hail. In San Luis Obispo. Very strange to hear the hailstones (tiny) pinging off my helmet. I found an overpass to wait it out.

[morthrane]

Originally posted by Deeter
Hottest: 125 degree heat through Needles, CA at the 600 mile mark of what ended up being a 750 mile day. Like I said earlier, heat exhaustion can lead to some interesting hallucinations. :green

HAHAHAHHAHA :cry :laughing

Oh man... don't I ever know what that feels like. Who needs drugs when you can just dehydrate yourself... :wow :later


Coldest: Heading down to Tehachapi, CA a couple springs ago, got caught in a freak cold-snap. I had to ride through 24 degree temps before I stopped for the night, and I had no electrics, or even actual motorcycle-specific gear. I just had layers.

I think Tehachapi must be eternally cold... I ended up stopping for the night there on my way to Vegas because I was getting very afraid... no feeling in fingers or toes. :teeth

[Silly Sod]

Pash-on-ladee;
I guess moine would be ridin' up to Reno...
In the winter....(There was no reported snow...and I had
to leave at night..to make it there) So...4:30 ah-em in the
morn...snow on the road...(Beat the Chp-stop)....so fook'n
tired...I actually remember closin' my eyes...(for a bruh-eff
nap).... Pulled over in hangtown....had some coffee...and
continued on... I don't think I have ever been so cold...
I also don't think peeps expected a silly sod motorcyclist
on the road.. .I made it there...slept for what seemed like
a week.....pictures of me old GS550ES covered in snow are
simply classic though.....oh--'cept roight after I took those
pix...I had to ride home in it.... Bias-ply tyres...a Suzie...and
me....
Colder than a mo'fo is all I remember....
=Silly Sod

[GAMBLER]

been through rain and cold(sans helmet, one of those guys back then), but this wind storm near tehachapie was brutal. the signs were lit up warning trucks and rv's about it, no warning for bikes. had to take shelter.here (http://http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46853)

[Jerrykap]

Went thru gale force winds and a 3" down pour at the mouth of the Columbia river leaving WA for Astoria, OR. We didn't know if we would make it across the long bridge without getting blown off. Really gnarly.

Here's a shot taken on the light ship at the Maritime Museum in Astoria. You can just make out the bridge in the background. I think our expressions say it all.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid5/pdacaee25378ebf78cf19663acfd6e2ed/fe452f7c.jpg

It rained all the way to Newport. OR where we spent the night in a great motel with a hot tub. The next morning was dry and bright...rode all the way home to Davis in one push, about 650 miles.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid5/p1dbcb8f9a80b384e732c5608e9f46a5b/fe452faa.jpg

But the absolute worst weather I ever rode thru had to be in the spring of `69. Crossing the Alps on my P11 Norton. Snow on the road above my tires. I had to paddle mile after mile. My leathers only added to the cold and wet feeling. Suicide never seemed so appealing. Next day all was right in the world again and I'll never forget those experiences. :cool

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/050/321/735471-p11_small.jpg

[RichardBryant]

December ride from Washington down to the BA. Grant's pass closed due to snow so I headed to the coast and down highway 1. 1200 miles of snow and rain on a H2. Not a fun trip but home for Christmas.

[pashnit]

One of you mentioned wind- which can make for some really hairy riding too.

Headed across western Texas- went through some of the strongest winds I've ever ridden in, yet blue skies, clear weather. Major pucker factor. On freeway at speed in high winds blowing across the wide open expanse of Texas- gust comes out of nowwhere and blows me clean across the whole 2 lanes in a split second. I'm at full lean, like the pendulum of a grandfather clock, yet I'm going straight. That happened several times, and each time just barely stayed on the highway by inches.

Then am overtaking semi, make it up to the front, and the wind coming off the front of the semi is wild, gust hits at same time, and almost blows me clean off the road! Never want to do that again! :wow

[GAMBLER]

dude, I made a long sweeping right hand turn...leaned full left, hairy as hell.

[Tom2]

riding on one of those really windy days and battling the wind only go ride through a mini cyclone... wow

[Deeter]

Ya' see, this is one of the great aspects of sport touring, the bench touring! :laughing

Well, here's my wind story -- it's not really sport touring, per se, since I was on my Road Star when it happened. BUT, when I was living in Missouri, I decided to ride to Sturgis one year with a buddy of mine who also rode a Roadie. The ride was great as we headed north along the Missouri River until we hit over by South Dakota. That's when we cut West to head toward the Black Hills and Sturgis.

I never got a report on the actual wind speeds, but all the way across the state, the winds were blowing constantly, causing me and my 700 lb. hung of Japanese steel to lean hard left just to maintain a straight Westward line on the Interstate. Top that off with constant 105 degree heat, by the time we got to Sturgis proper, the centers of my tires had been flattened in a slant to the left. It was brutal! (But makes for great bench touring fodder ;))

[Beauregard]

Coming home from a date in Oakland at 0145, right as I hit Highway 17 it starts to rain and through the torrent I can see the AMBER ALERT sign flashing "DENSE FOG AHEAD." Sure enough as soon as I hit the summit the fog was so thick I couldn't go more than 15 mph. Being that I was the only one on the road I was for-sure that if I ditched no one would find what's left of me until morning. The fog lasted all the way to Scotts Vally and all I could think was "was this date worth it?" - she was.

[deaconblues]

Originally posted by DMcTriumph
On Interstate 70 (?) crossing the rocky Mts. It was early June. It was cool but not cold so I was not waring warm gear. I entered the Washington (?) tunnel with a logging truck behind me. Right behind me. It is a very long tunnle, a couple miles I think. After about 10 seconds I was freezing. It must have been 20 degs. in that tunnle. I couldn't slow down to much because the trucks brakes would not last the length of the tunnel. There was no place to pull over. By the time I saw daylight I was doing the funky jerk dance.
I could barly steer the bike. :hand

Eisenhower tunnel - and yah, the damn thing is around 9000 feet altitude or better so it's damned cold. Never rode thru it but driven thru countless times (I'm from that part of the country originally).

The bad thing about that tunnel is, it crosses the Continental Divide, so you can be in clear weather on the lee (eastern) side, and a mile or so later, you come out in a snowstorm that is DUMPING on the western side, so you go from dry road to snowpack and ice in the space of a hundred feet. So read the helpful signage in the tunnel - they do want you to not get into a wreck as soon as you come out from Underhill....

As for myself, when we did this little group ride day trip (600 miles or so, reall y not much) up Hwy 4 over the Sierras, we get up clsoe to the summit and we see signs of recent rain all over - puddles and such. We ask around yah, it was raining HARD just a few minutes ago... but we press on anyway. We got into pretty heavy rain a mile later, in the 'one lane' section going over the summit and down the eastern side.

Let me tell you, Hwy 4 coming down to Markleeville is TWISTY. And when it's wet, you REALLY don't want to press your luck. Well, one rider did... seems he's also a dirt rider, and treats lack of traction as an excuse to powerslide his TLR around corners. Ooo-kay. I'm starting to get a bit skittish, but w get down to the bottom, the road dries out a bit, and we had a pretty clear shot to the junction with 89. Ran into a bit of a sprinkle going over Monitor... but stayed clear of the heavy stuff all the way into Walker.

We're eating lunch there at Walker Burger, doing some bench stories, when we hear thunder. Seems we skirted the edge of the storm, and the main portion is bearing right down on us. Lightning, heavy rain, hail... we boogied south on 395 to try and stay ahead of it but the damned storm is headed EAST... and right at the 108 junction it starts raining so quick it looked like a curtain travelling down the road towards us. We all get drenched instantly, I'm following someone in a 4Runner and I can see (through the torrent of rain across my visor) that his tires are making wakes as they plow a half-inch of water off the road. Then our TLR guy goes blitzing by me at 70+... I'm thinking, screw that, I can't even SEE, the only way I can tell asphalt from sagebrush and chapparal is that the blurriness changes colors off to the sides, and those SUV taillights are mighty useful to navigate by... my buddy says he was using MY tail and brake light to tell which way to go, and if I'd have run off the road, he'd have followed me.

About a mile or so later, the rain eased up and the sun started thinking about making an appearance so some of the guys stopped to take pictures.

I pulled over in a turnout a littleways up the road, then I realize, I'm in two inches of soaking wet pea gravel, the grade is easily in the 20% range or better, and I'm on a sportbike. oh hell. Tried to get it rolling, ended up doing a 180 with the back wheel and laying the bike down. oh hell squared, cubed even. Got it up and running (damned flooded carbs!) and we all got rolling up and over to Dardanelles where several cups of coffee all got us semi-warm and cheerful again.

BTW, our TLR rider warns everyone that the type of riding he was doing was definitely the "professional loony on an almost deserted road, don't try this trick at home" variety. Not recommended, even if you're insane AND gifted.

[AndyM]

Went for a ride up Berryessa way on a cloudy day. Made it to Middleton when the sky turned dark and the heavens opened up, quickly found out that Joe Rocket is waterproof for all of about one minute. One hundred miles to home and it poured the whole way, I was leaving a wake on Butts Canyon Rd. The only time it quit raining was when I was crossing the Benicia bridge in heavy traffic, when it freakin hailed. I finally made it home, took hours to stop shivering, sat in the shower under hot water until it ran out then crawled under the electric blanket and still could not get warm. I'm getting cold now just thinking about it. :laughing

[DMc]

Originally posted by deaconblues
Eisenhower tunnel - and yah, the damn thing is around 9000 feet altitude or better so it's damned cold. Never rode thru it but driven thru countless times (I'm from that part of the country originally).

The bad thing about that tunnel is, it crosses the Continental Divide, so you can be in clear weather on the lee (eastern) side, and a mile or so later, you come out in a snowstorm that is DUMPING on the western side, so you go from dry road to snowpack and ice in the space of a hundred feet. So read the helpful signage in the tunnel - they do want you to not get into a wreck as soon as you come out from Underhill....

Thanks Deacon,
It's been awhile since that happened. I at least remembered it was a president:laughing

[ro-monster]

This wasn't really crazy weather, it was normal for Denver, where I lived at the time (1980). But it's probably the dumbest thing I've ever done on a bike.

I rode over to my bf's house in dry clear weather. Next morning I woke up to snow and ice everywhere. They didn't sand or salt the roads in Denver, so they were always covered by a sheet of ice the morning of a snowfall. And I decided to ride home anyhow.

It was 5 miles, ice all the way. Things were fine until I had to make a right turn from a crowned street. I got over toward the curb where the street sloped and my tires zipped out from under me sideways. Oops. Luckily no cars hit me, and I was only going about 15 mph, so there was little damage, although the bike slid for some way.

I was so embarrassed I just picked the bike up, got on, and rode the rest of the way home.

[AndyM]

On a more recent note it was kind of wild being blown around on the San Mateo bridge coming home from the show on Saturday just before the rain hit.

[deaconblues]

Colorado - where if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes, or walk (drive) a mile or two. Where thunderstorms dump all the rain on one side of the valley, and the lightning all strikes the other side. Where you can get one major storm all winter, but then get to watch the snow from it blow back and forth for three more months. Where rainfall fifteen miles away can turn that dry gulch behind your house into your own whitewater rafting park for an hour or so.

you get the idea.

Great riding country though... just dress for anything.

[pashnit]

Ok, this one got me beat by a mile!! Makes a good read!

Text excerted off CycleWorld.com (http://forums.cycleworld.com/wh07masai/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=853609&f=72660552&m=95560417)

"...Around 4, the snow steadily starts to come down harder. I have rode in snow before, but I don’t go looking for it. It’s still very windy and is getting close to dark. The snow is now collecting on the sides of the road so I slow to 70. The traffic is still grooving so I just stick it in the left lane and ride in the car in front of mine right tire line. Finally the snow starts to really come down, it’s definitely time to get a hotel for the night. No way I’m making it to Louisville. I stop at the next exit, it was a reststop. I checked out the TV and sure enough, a huge patch of snow had moved in and it was only getting worse. Current temp, 26. As I stood in the rest stop entrance to warm up, people kept coming in and as soon as they saw me they would smile, “You the guy on that bike?!” One guy offered a vest from his car but I told him I was warm. Another offered me a ride if I needed to leave the bike, uh…no. I was greeted with a lot of “Man your crazy” and “your insane”. Cagers just don’t understand, do they?

I start looking for a hotel and the next exit doesn’t have one but it does have a nasty 4 car wreck. I start lanes splitting and get to the over pass. Four cars have played bumper-car with the rails and each other. These roads are getting bad quick. I cut through the mess and hear a cop yell to another, “Look at this S.O.B.” I’ll take that as a compliment. Right when he says it my back tire breaks loose coming around to my left. A light hand and staying calm is the only thing that saved that one. Every over pass after that has me sliding the rear. I passed about 4 more exits before a hotel, each exit had police and fire truck cleaning up multiple car wrecks on the overpasses. PLEEEASE let there be a hotel at the next exit. Next one, no. Next one, no. Finally after 20 minutes I see “Lincoln Inn”. I don’t care if they have 2-foot rats, get me off this damn interstate!

I thought the interstate was bad! Now I’m in packed, glazed snow. The sign says 2 miles to the Inn. I have to keep my feet down the whole way..."

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/images/threads/000/050/321/766310-grey-busa.jpg

[DMc]

Yep, Got me beat:p

[soniq]

I grew up in the Philippines. I was 15 years old and it was monsoon season. One fine morning it was raining cats and dogs outside, and the humidity indoors was just about 100% and 90 degrees, so I thought now might be a great time to go for a cooling off fun ride.

So I donned my riding gear, t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, fired up the CB125, and took off to cruise around the barrio. After about 15 minutes of being bombarded by raindrops that felt like big ball bearings, not to mention being without eye protection, fun quickly turned to pain. I decided that I'd had enough of this, so I turn around and head back.

I was riding on a road along the river, and what was just a few inches of splash earlier had swelled to over a foot of red-colored muddy floodwater and I found myself axle-deep in it. No problem, I can handle it, just keep the revs up so the water doesn't kill the engine, I though. Pretty soon though the water was half way up my legs and getting deeper.

Just a few blocks from home the engine stalls. Oh great! Water had gotten into the airbox. So as I sat there feeling stupid, I hear the sound of a diesel engine coming up behind me at a high rate of speed. I turn around and see a smoke-belching fully loaded lumber truck. I wasn't worried about the truck...it was what was right behind it...a tsunami wake, and just as the truck passes me I get broadsided by the wave and it knocks me over.

Man I was pissed! All I could do was get up, spit out some of the filthy water I had ingested, give him both middle fingers with full emotion, pick up the bike, and start pushing. Of course I lost my rubber slippers that had floated away, so I had to make it the rest of the way barefoot.

Lesson learned. Wear boots next time :P.

[pashnit]

Originally posted by soniq
So I donned my riding gear, t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops,

http://www.pashnit.com/backgrounds/emoticons/laughing-purple.gif Classic! Cool story! I bet the dude in the truck http://www.pashnit.com/backgrounds/emoticons/guns-brandished.gif
saw you a long way off and was laughing all the way home.

http://www.pashnit.com/backgrounds/emoticons/kill1.gif