Luke and others By bobf (Read 611 times)

[bobf]

My second summer in Arizona. It seems between doctors and heat I don't get to ride much.

At my age I often get problems that the doctors like to fix with 'don't drive' medicines. Most of that ended last summer so I expected to get more riding in over the fall and winter. Well I did, sort of, but we also had things to take away lots of time, like doctor visits with the wife, time spent in Colorado to get the rest of my stuff down here. Since then spending time sorting through the stuff that filled the garage so the items we could no longer use or store went to the charity group.

Now free once again to start riding but have a question. I must have a helmet on while riding. I have a skull bone that was once separate so the surgeon could take out a fist size brain tumor. I don't want to not protect my skull when riding and the helmet on even in the cooler weather my head starts sweating. Now as we are beginning to have 90's in the morning and expecting even higher temps soon, how much riding is done in the summer in Arizona. If I hurry and start early I can get an hour or two for riding but that won't be available either as the heat builds soon.

I saw a bald rider today on a motor cycle. I don't know how those guys get away with that. My skin burns way easy.

I have a JLC full face type helmet. No chin bar. I have all the vents opened. I do keep the full face clear panel down to protect the eyes. And I sweat up a storm.

Any solutions to this heat? I like my A/C home but would also like to do a little something if possible.

Also always wear a long sleeve shirt and wear gloves. I have never gone down yet. But I am a sissy when thinking of road rash on my body.
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[wolfhound]

BobF you are not being a sissy, you are being a smart rider. I wear a half helmet, any thing else knocks off my cochlear implant, a summer weight
padded jacket, canvas work pants, gloves, and ankle height brogans with steel toes. In the winter I switch to leather jacket and keep the rest of the outfit. If I take a spill I will do my best to not be that interesting greasy spot on the highway. it gets pretty hot here in NGA, not as much as in AZ but we
see a lot of the HD boys riding pretty much naked. They don't take spills very well. Oddly enough we see the crotch rocket kids always dressed correctly. PS: I also wear a highway workers safety vest.

[justbuggin2]

i suggest getting some gel packs that you can put in the frig that will fit inside your helmet it will help keep your whole body cool as most of the heat you body get rid of is through the head

[richardthescooter3]

Bob, hope you find away to stay cool, they should invent an air condition helmet lol ;D

[fflintstone]

Hi bobf,I use my full helmet in cool weather and a half helmet in hot weather and we do have some hot weather here in NW Tenn ...one thing that helps is a cloth skull cap allows air to circulate between the padding and head...that and 60 MPH keeps me fairly cool on a 105 degree day..good luck and good riding..fflintstone

[Luke]

uhm,,, ahem!! cough cough, ...move over guys,if you'll excuse me, i need a heart to heart talk with bob here.....as an Arizonan, bobf and i breath the same air and pretty much eat the same food (buritto).LOL!!..

first of, on saturdays i start my scootering as early as 4:45shh am, when the sun starts to peep., i ride in about 3-4hrs,until probably 8-9 when the sun begins to be punishing. ...i don't wear helmet at this time of the year( i knaw i'm lunatic) but i think for me it's fine cuz there's not much cars around as early as 5-8am in yuma. plus my max town speed is 35shh...
if your'e not really comfy of not wearing a helmet at all, and wearing close type helmet makes you really hot inside, i mean you won't die in a crash but in hyperthermia, it's much worse.,
there are some bicycle helmets that are thick and has big holes(breather in it),it can protect your skull and it's well vented., or half helmet isnt bad...
i always bring small re-usable water spray containers, and bottled water., make sure that you wear THIN, WHITE cotton long sleeve shirt, the Hanes brand is the best.. rule of thumb: NEVER NEVER wear dark colored shirt in Arizona during summer(and i mean from june to august),or you'll end up in the emergency room. ;-X
i always ride my bike to work, and as soon as i arrive at work in the morning i put my 3/4 helmet inside the ref, in the afternoon,it retains the coldness until i reach home..12miles.
2 things i really bring when i ride , sunblock and super dark sunglasses.

hey bob, you need to join the Amerivespa june 27 - 30 in San diego if you can. it's Fun,,,can't wait.

[bobf]

OK, thanks Luke. Never thought of using those ventilated bike helmets. Something to think about. We have been to Yuma several times, had friends that live east of the down town area. A place of wide lots and room for the folks to park their trailers and trucks. The one we visited the guy had converted the building in the middle of the lot into an A/C cooled living quarter. I am not sure what they were supposed to be, I assumed they were meant for storage for when they were up north for the summers.

Well, anyway, I will not be going to San Diego on my scoot. In about two weeks I turn 80. I will just be glad I can get some time in locally before I loose all riding privileges. I have had my scoot for three years now and only a little over 100 miles. My first year was in Colorado. It arrived in February and it had some problems. So I did my tear down and began to work on the gas leak. Turned out to be the sender unit. Someone had poured molten sulfur over the unit where it sticks out of the tank. Took a long time to find that but I tried cleaning it and wiping the thing with a heavy coat of rubber type of sealer. Two years and still holding.

I did a lot of other things too, new steal air valves on front and rear tires. Fixed the seat latches. Tried to align the headlights, they were crossed, barely enough screw adjustment to get them pointed straight ahead. Lot of other tinkering with nuisances. I have had the plastics off and on several times now. Sometimes wish the scoots were left pretty much bare as they were in the 1950's. Then you could take out half a dozen screws and the entire seat and covers came off. Easy to work on then.

Well, thanks for the offer to visit San Diego. I really liked that place when I lived there briefly while looking for a job. That was back in 1962, I think. I may try your early start occasionally just to keep my two wheel expertise current. But even then, in July or August, the temps may be 115 or 120 by day and all the way down to 98 by morning. But then September will come back with some cooling temps again.
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[Luke]

really you've been to Yuma???, well the next time you visit i insist that you contact me please and we will have a ride around,or i'll pick you up, i will treat you to some famous buffet in town., there's a new buffet called Lin's. nice place, good food...
you know Yuma is such a small city, i think i am the only one riding a scooter here. sux lol....
i'll be flying to NY this saturday to visit and spend time with my 83yo Dad, will be back on the 23rd.
next time you come here just give me a hauler and will make something happen.

[bobf]

Last time in Yuma we stayed in the Super 8, near the down town district I think. From there we did ramble around in Yuma and even drove south on those numbered streets through some big farms. I believe that would be southwest of Yuma. We also went north and into California(?) to a casino. It was interesting but we did not find a property that we really liked. That was some years back, probably 5 or 6 years ago. Not sure if we will travel any more. We seem to always be in some sort of medical situation any more. Best if you don't ever get older.

Have a nice trip. I don't need to fly to NY to find a 83 year old person. My wife lives with me and she is 83.
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