Here are some crafty ways we in the north endure:
Making plans to escape:
There are numerous motorcycle rallies throughout the year: from Daytona Bike Week to Laconia, from Laughlin River Run to Sturgis, and all the small town rallies in-between. Our own local bike rally, the Thousand Islands River Run takes place in Alexandria Bay, NY every June.
Windows into other worlds:
Even though we're surrounded by snow covered hills, we still have ways to ride - it's just through others in print or on the screen. Reading books like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, your H.O.G. Magazine, The Harley-Davidson Reader allows us to escape through our mind's eye.
Or there's television series, documentaries and movies that provide a nice break. I recommend Harley and the Davidsons, 21 Days Under the Sun and The World's Fastest Indian. If we can't ride, then at least we can watch other people riding.
Riding ATVs and snowmobiles - for some of us just the fact that we are outside and moving is enough to help us get through. At FX Caprara Harley-Davidson always has events throughout the winter as well.
Adding that special something:
Now is the time of year most of us have our bikes up on a lift adding new exhaust, a sissy bar backrest, doing an engine upgrade, adding extra speakers to our sound system so we're ready to spring from winter's lock down.
Saving some dough:
Hotels, dinners, gas, gear and the like - bikers tend to save some extra money now to help offset the expenses later. Having a friend cut our hair or just cutting it ourselves, grabbing a free cup of coffee at the dealership rather than at the dinner or coffee shop, taking on a side job or two -all ways we keep our expenses light so we can live large in the Riding Season.
Do you have a way to get through winter? Let me know in the comments below!
