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Packing Guide: What to Bring on
Colorado's Rides |
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| Colorado
Weather: |
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A note on weather in the Denver
Metro area. I'm sure you've heard the
phrase "If you don't like the
weather in Colorado, wait 5 minutes".
Well, that's partially true. In the
winter months, say November through
February, Denver is moderately cold,
around 20 degrees Fahrenheit on average,
and most precipitation comes in the form
of snow. Snowfall does not routinely
lay on the ground more than a few days
before a warmer day, say 40 degrees
Fahrenheit, comes around and melts it
away. When commuting during the winter
months in Denver, it is not uncommon to
have a 20 degree morning ride and a 48
degree afternoon ride home. When riding
during these winter months, dress for
your coldest temperatures and be
prepared to remove layers as the sun
warms into the afternoon.
Denver receives its heaviest, wettest
snows in the early and mid spring
months, March through May, but during
this time, also receives days in the
60's and 70's. When taking rides during
the spring months, dress in layers.
Plan for a 35 degree morning with a 60
degree or warmer afternoon ride.
During the summer months, the weather in
Denver becomes quite moderate. The
months of June through August are warm
and dry with most days bringing
sunshine. Morning temperatures begin in
the 60's and will warm through into the
90's by the afternoon. Denver is a
semi-arid climate, meaning it doesn't
receive much rainfall. The typical
pattern during the summer months is to
have a clear, sunny morning with
thunderstorms rolling in by mid
afternoon and heavy but short rainfall
around 3 to 4 pm. Hail, tornados and
severe thunderstorms are common in the
plains east of Denver and this weather
pattern has slowly moved west over the
past several years to encompass the
Metro area.
The last months of the year, September,
October and early November are quite
moderate. The thunderstorms seen during
the summer months are much less frequent
and the temperature settles into the
moderate 70's and 80's in the
afternoon. Overnight and morning
temperatures can get chilly with frost
but will warm up as the sun peaks. |
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| Short & Day
Trips: |
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When taking any trip on a
motorcycle, I choose to pack lightly. It is my opinion that the
extra weight affects the handling and limits the freedom factor of the
ride. I do not like to carry items in my pockets; I would hate to
have my kidneys damaged by a cell phone in my jacket pocket as I fall to
the asphalt and can you imagine the damage a set of keys might inflict
on your legs?
I do recognize, however, that there are a minimum
amount of items that need to come along to ensure that I am prepared for
the hazards of the road. The goal in packing a motorcycle is to
identify the items that are absolutely needed and bring only those
items.
When considering what to bring along on your next trip, consider what is
needed to: Keep the motorcycle moving, keep the rider alert,
protect the rider and patch the rider in the event of an injury. A
more specific way to look at the preceding list is: 1.) Tool
kit and spare parts, 2.) Food, water and hygiene,
3.) Protective gear and clothing, and 4.) first-aid kit and
emergency items.
Most of the trips I've taken on a motorcycle are short, under 250 miles
or so and done in a day. I currently use a Nelson-Rigg tail bag
mounted firmly to my pillion seat, specifically their
CL-75 Mini tail
bag. It's about the size of an insulated lunchbox and holds
somewhere around 10 liters. I use it to carry all those items that
come along with me on a day ride but that I don't want to carry in my
pockets: cell phone, digital camera, wallet, house keys, sunglasses or
tinted visor, rotor lock and maps. Heavier items, like my tool-bag
and first aid kit are mounted securely in the rear under-tail of my
bike. The idea being to keep the heavier weight items toward the
center of the bike |
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I often forgo food/water, clothing and anything more than basic
tools on the short afternoon and day
rides as I’m typically only an hour or
so away from home at any given moment.
That being said, for any ride I always
carry at least the tool kit and
first-aid kit.
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