Winter Musings

This Wisconsin winter is one that would make even the most diehard "change of seasons" lover think about becoming a snowbird. The winter weather did not start until New Year's Eve when we received about five inches of snow, but that was a harbinger of what we would endure over the next two months. Instead of the old saw about it's not the heat, it's the humidity, this winter it's not the snow, it's the ice. Bags of salt and sand are in short supply in the local hardware and convenience stores. Yesterday there was a 131 car pileup on the local interstate and a 25 year veteran of the sheriff's department said it was worst driving conditions he had ever seen.

It has been a good weather for snow biking, though. The trails at the Brown County Reforestation Camp have gotten better each week and I have enjoyed my rides. As a newbie at this activity, it has taken me a while to figure out just how much air pressure to have in the tires. Right now I am down to five pounds and that seems about right. The park department does a great job of grooming the trails and encouraging riders to run with low air pressure.

Sharing the road with bicycles

The Chicago International Motorcycle Show was held a couple of weekends ago and that is an excellent mid winter bike fix. Some of the manufacturers passed up the show this year and I suppose it is due to a weaker market than they would like. BMW was there, though, and they showed off the latest iteration of the S 1000 RR. The bike has been almost completely redone and the one they brought had all of the high speed M parts installed. The reps on hand had no information on how much it will cost, but it is rumored that it will be in showrooms by September. They were not letting anyone sit on or otherwise caress this beautiful motorcycle.

2020 BMW S 1000 RR

I picked up a few brochures from the vendors at the show and one was from Michelin. Since my 2016 Harley Davidson Lowrider S is shod with Michelin's I thought it would be interesting to read a bit about the rubber I entrust my safety to each time I ride. After looking through the pamphlet my curiosity was piqued and I went out to the garage to inspect my tires. The bike is hooked to a Battery Tender and covered up in a cold garage. I pulled the cover back and knelt down to look at the rear tire. Surprisingly, the tire appeared to be flat. A quick check with a gauge confirmed this and I soon found that I had run over a nail or something that punctured the tire. It must have happened on one of my last rides of the fall before I put it away. My local dealer will pick it up and replace the tire once the driveway is clear of ice.

Which brings me back where I started. March is only a couple of days away and the first day of spring is within sight. Tomorrow I will be back in the woods on my fatbike trying to make the best of another Wisconsin winter.