So Cold

Yes, I understand that I bought my scooter on the verge of Winter. Even my riding lessons had a threat of rain from late Spring. The dealers kept saying how they were low on stock because the Summer rush was over & no-one bought scooters at this time of year.

I should have listened.

There's a perfectly logical explanation for scooter sales going down in Winter. It gets cold.

Once committed to riding in any reasonable (non-rainy) weather, though, I had committed myself to the cold. Everyone knows that the coldest days are generally clear of cloud. The clouds keep the warmth in. Even when it's 'wet', I have enough control over my day to look at a weather radar & say "I'll give it half an hour before I think of leaving", or "I'm going now!"

However, nothing prepares you for that first true brass monkey morning. I wear business attire riding to work - boots up over my ankles with warm socks, a wool coat, my high-vis vest with fleecy lining, leather gloves. You'd think I had it all covered.

This is when you truly discover the limitations of clothing.

Nothing buttons to the throat. Overcoats are really big around the sleeves. Trousers ride up. There is a gap around the visor on my helmet.

It all started with tears. I can cope with a grown man crying - usually in private. The problem is when you don't notice that there's water streaming down your face (because it's getting numb), you arrive at the office & join a bunch of manly workmen on their way to the office renovations on your floor.

After an uneventful ride of no-one really looking at anyone else (because you're all men), you get out of the lift & feel the last streak of tears coming down to your jaw as your face finally thaws out.

But tears are painless. The worst cold I've felt was when, one day, screaming along at 60kph (or more, as it was down a hill), my head started to hurt. It was so cold that my head had gone through numb to the other side, which is all pain.

There was nothing I could do but hold on & think of warmer pleasanter climes.

Roll on Spring - harbinger of Summer. I welcome the thought of your searing heat, your oppressive humidity. I would happily feel manly sweat dripping down through my helmet & filling my armpits.

Maybe not.

Something more temperate. Perhaps I should go for a very long ride & find somewhere more comfortable than Sydney.