Modern Vespa

It snowed again here in central Pennsylvania. The landscape was beautiful and I could not resist going for a ride. Conditions were passable for the Vespa and I knew the rising temperature would only improve things. Here's a view from part of the ride. There are others on my blog:



What I wanted to share were my thoughts on staying warm. For me, if I'm cold, I won't ride. And because I want to ride so badly, I've continually worked at ways to stay warm. As I get older, now approaching 64, my body doesn't deal well with the cold for more reasons than I want to get into. Suffice it to say I HAD to find ways to stay warm. Even when not riding.

Here's my list of critical staying warm points for the Vespa:

1. Tucano Urbano Termoscud apron. I resisted it for years. I'm an idiot. It dramatically changed the cold factor. I can ride in jeans only down to 30F. Jeans and long underwear to 15F. Don the insulated riding pants below that.

2. Tucano Urbano handlebar mitts. I hate the way they look. They are magic in keeping the cold air off my hands. Even my Gerbing electric gloves don't help a lot once the temperature gets to 25F.

3. Heated grips. More useful than electric gloves when combined with the mitts. I can ride with my summer gloves down to around 15F. To subzero temperatures using the electric gloves inside those mitts. Toasty, toasty warm.

4. ThermaCELL heated inserts for my riding boots. My feet are my weakest link. Struggled for years with this. The inserts (lithium battery powered) can heat my feet for long periods on medium power. While not perfect it's the best i've found.

5. Full face helmet and balaclava. Critical to keeping the cold air away from tender face and neck.

6. Winter riding jacket. Same as helmet. Need to keep the air outside. I layer as needed. At 32F I can ride in a T shirt. I use the jacket up to 75F. I get cold easily.

7. Insulated riding pants. Use these for very cold days.

With all this stuff I can ride comfortably down to around -15F. With so many clear but cold days during the winter I get a lot of riding in. No need to ride in the snow. It seems more and more crazy with each passing year. But I do love to see the landscape:



Be safe. Stay WARM!

Great photos. Enjoy!

Anything below sixty-five is "freezing" here!

Please don't taunt me!

I haven't ridden below 22f primarily because of ice on the road from our house. It is lovely when there is a dry road and snow on the sides. Since we are moving full time to Breckenridge I bought a Thermoscud and new muffs. I look forward to trying it out.

Enjoying your photos.

Steve: I'd been thinking about you the last few weeks, especially with the wild swings in weather (over here, if not anywhere else). Was about to uncover Melody and go out on an errand run (was away from Saturday till late last night, helping Le Wife get set up for her month-long artist's residency in Rochester, NY), but weather has been all over the place today - high winds, sudden downpours, bits of lovely, moody sunshine. The cat is mesmerized by it all. I'm just a tad frustrated.

Given my temperament toward winter riding (mostly-utilitarian), I've arranged my winter-gear setup accordingly, and as of last week, I think I've gotten the last stubborn piece of the puzzle right:

First Impression: Joe Rocket Windchill Gloves

Of course, the day after I picked up the gloves from the shop, it was (however briefly) 72°F. But it looks like at least a few more cold days are ahead. Besides, for some reason these gloves suddenly became rather hard to find, and I was worried I'd never get hold of a pair if I waited any longer.

It has been lousy clammy, rainy, cloudy and cold here though the sun is out at the moment, will have a good ride back home and NYC schools are off so less traffic as well.

Other than the apron your list is pretty much what I go with in the winter. It's enjoyable riding in the cold if you're equipped for it.
Beautiful photo!

I wear possum wool gloves under my motorcycle gloves as possum fur is hollow and insulate well even when wet.

https://www.possumdown.co.nz/pages/our-story





Photos taken on my rides across Arthurs Pass thru the Southern Alps.

I picked up a couple pairs of possum wool gloves. A friend of mine when she heard we were going to New Zealand asked me to bring her back another pair since she'd lost one of the ones she had. She does ghost tours in Victorian attire in Breckenridge and swears the are the warmest gloves she's ever owned. Bonus is they don't look out of place when she's in Victorian dress.

Hmmm...do ye wear em skipe huntin? 😏

Steve: yer a badass!