This is the scene out my front door this morning. It is most unusual because, here on the east coast of Australia, we have been experiencing an extended Summer. Just yesterday the skies were clear and the temperature was a balmy 24 degrees Celsius. Autumn officially began on the 1st of March, almost two MONTHS ago but the Summer conditions have continued until today. As can also be seen from the photo, not only do us humans find ourselves somewhat confused by the conditions but the plants do as well, our beautiful red rose bush continuing to bloom long past the time when it should have been starting to enter its dormant stage.
Of course the implications of the extended Summer for us , as motorcyclists, has been that the beautiful riding weather has enabled us to continue to ride in Summer riding gear and to not have to worry about breaking out the Winter gear, jackets, gloves, etc.
The Internet and the connected world is a constant reminder of the seasonal differences of our planet as my northern hemisphere acquaintances have started posting up pictures of their first rides of the Spring, rejoicing that the long and dreary northern Winter has, at last, come to an end. I confess to feeling rather spoiled when I see this happening as we, “down under” so to speak, do not have a Winter motorcycle hibernation, being able to ride all year round, even in the southern states where it does get pretty cold.
Nor do we have to put up with the appalling road conditions that prevail in the northern hemisphere where salt is added to the roads to melt ice and where the affects of this on motorcycles is unpleasant to say the very least. It is most likely that a 10 year old motorcycle here in Australia will look almost like a new motorcycle whereas a similar model with similar mileage in the UK, for example, will by now be looking very tired indeed regardless of how well its owner has sought to maintain it.
Of course, the more hardy of our northern acquaintances take great pleasure in seeking to ride in the worst of conditions and I dips me lid to them because I lived in Canberra for 20 odd years where the Winter temperatures regularly dip below freeing and I know only too well how hard it is to do this. My good friend, Peter Gardo, who lives in Sweden, has only just brought the CBX550 out of mothballs Sweden having a totally unsuitable climate for anything but Summer and Springtime riding.
So, does it annoy me that Autumn seems, at last, to have arrived? Not at all. Riding gear will be changed but we ride on. There is a Putty Ride planned for next Saturday and, unless it is actually raining (I draw the line at setting out on a ride when the rain is already falling) then we will do the 600km loop and enjoy the crisp, clean air that Autumn brings.
Right on queue my friend Jason Lyons, posted this picture from the top of Barrengarry Mountain this morning.
Of course the long range weather forecasters are saying that we are to look forward to a very warm Winter, but, what do they know? In any event, it won’t matter, for, like the Three Amigos, our motto will continue to be, “Let’s Ride!”