Rain Season begins - where to ride?

[NoTraffic]

Often we discuss the best roads in the best setting - 70's, light wind, bends in the road, birds chirping. . .

With rain upon us, do any of you fellow 4 season riders have "nice" landmarks to ride to in the rain? I'm thinking tall Redwoods for rain coverage and roads that have little pine needles to avoid disaster.

I usually like to ride around Tomales Bay and Mt. Tam if rain is light. What are your favorite jaunts in the rain (does that exist?) :ride

(P.S. Sitting on your bike in the garage does not count while it's raining)

 

[Tally Whacker]

Honestly, rain doesn't change my routes at all. I'll still hit he same roads as when it's 70 degrees and sunny.



Snow, though, makes some roads less fun than they might otherwise be.

 

[dittoalex]

There's too much traffic in the twisties before dawn because everyone is driving to the same parks that haven't burnt.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

I'm thinking as it gets colder there's the opportunity to hit roads in more arid / desert areas in comfort. I'm definitely toying with the idea of slogging down to the Mohave with my DRZ to go play around for a long weekend.

I prefer not to ride in actual rain if I can avoid it as that just makes clean up take longer. I got a heated vest and installed heated grips for this winter so I will be riding as much as I can which means I'll probably end up getting wet.

 

[dravnx]

Only thing that changes is that I mostly ride alone in the rain. My riding buddies don't do rain.

 

[ST Guy]

"I'm thinking tall Redwoods for rain coverage and roads that have little pine needles to avoid disaster."

Aren't those mutually exclusive?

Just ride your usual locations but slow down and enjoy the ride.

 

[Gary856]

All my favorite routes are more fun in the rain.

Once it gets wet, may as well keeping it wet. I like heavy showers that washes the road and the bike clean periodically, with some less wet time in between. Steady rain is fun for riding, but don't like being soaked (neck, hands, feet) after a while even with rain gear. Don't like wet, muddy roads without the rain - the bike gets dirty without the fun of riding in the rain.

 

[CDONA]

Rain = sloppy mud riding in my world.
I have more time on knobbies/rain than I do street tires/rain.

 

[Butch]

Hollister, Metcalf, Georgetown, Stonyford, etc.

 

[1962siia]

Yup its dirt bike season! Actually it always is but now is when the dust stops and the mudfest starts! Rode Penny Pines with some barfers on Saturday and the conditions were perfect after the rain on Friday.

 

[NoTraffic]

Yup its dirt bike season! Actually it always is but now is when the dust stops and the mudfest starts! Rode Penny Pines with some barfers on Saturday and the conditions were perfect after the rain on Friday.

Do the dirt parks get more popular in the winter? I had a short stint with dual sports and it never crossed my mind to visit them in the winter with all the mud flinging.

 

[1962siia]

Some do for sure. Red sticker season runs Oct-May in many places. Three months ago no one was riding cow or penny pines and now we are seeing a lot more folks riding.

 

[HadesOmega]

No rain riding for me, I've had the most miserable times riding and camping in the rain.

 

[jbawden]

Agree with the others that voted for off road riding in winter, it rules and right now conditions are fantastic. Just spent the weekend at Stonyford and it was hero dirt all weekend. Middle Creek just opened up too.

 

[Eric B]

Going south is usually a good way to experience less rain than we get in the Bay Area.

 

[atoyf]

i don’t discriminate weather, but i do need a more appropriate gear, then my leather suite :laughing:laughing

 

[ratsblast]

Kings mtn over to tunitas is a fun little ride in the rain, just take it easy and don't do nothing crazy. On the BeLast rain riding is kinda fun but I always get soaked then have to dry a mess of stuff out.

 

[ST Guy]

Since this is a rain thread, I'll put out my annual warning.

When the first rains come, it gets extra slick out there because all the oils and dirts are brought out of the asphalt by the rain. But there a catch. It takes a LOT of rain to do that. In the meantime, between rains, the road can appear dry but it's still coated with an extra layer of super slick shit that didn't get washed away and it can definitely mess you up. It takes much longer than you think to bring all the summers oils and dirt to the surface AND wash it all away. Be safe out there!

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Good reminder :ride

Since this is a rain thread, I'll put out my annual warning.

When the first rains come, it gets extra slick out there because all the oils and dirts are brought out of the asphalt by the rain. But there a catch. It takes a LOT of rain to do that. In the meantime, between rains, the road can appear dry but it's still coated with an extra layer of super slick shit that didn't get washed away and it can definitely mess you up. It takes much longer than you think to bring all the summers oils and dirt to the surface AND wash it all away. Be safe out there!

 

[banshee01]

Dual sport and Dirt bike time! I love this time of the year, bring on the rain!!!