Weather where you are?

I guess we all in Oz have horror memories of crazy hot rides. Usually, we stop for fuel every 200 km, but when it's very hot, that's too far to avoid dehydrating. It only took me 30 years to invest in mesh riding gear. It's a huge help.
 
When I went out yesterday evening for the impromptu VMCC road run from Peel to the Creg-ny-Bar Hotel on my ShouldabeenaJota, (in my leathers) the temp was still allegedly 29C, which is very hot for the IOM - but in reality probably a few degrees cooler than that. The only solution was to rid fast to stop me and the bike overheating. 😁
Then this morning I was outside in the sun, it’s still fairly hot and muggy, doing a bit of wall building in the garden and the post lady rocked up with some mail. She remarked, I don’t know how you’re coping without the benefit of air conditioning like I have in my van. My take was, we’re having a few days of ‘hot’ weather, some people have to work outside in heat like this, or worse, all year round. What are we complaining about....
 
Standing out for long periods on acreas of concrete, in direct sunshine, and the daily temperatures ever increasing and hitting 38C in the shade wasn't much fun this week ( I know, as mere bagatelle, as far as our southern hemisphere cousins are concerned). At least it was mainly a dry heat. I was sent home from work early on Thursday, as it was hitting 40c in the hanger, but with the temperature hitting 38c in my workshop, I wasn't too inclined to bake myself any further! It's been much cooler today, with a much reduced 25c here in Dorset, and even cooler tomorrow so I can get some bike work progressed; I've still got my Guzzi T3 sitting on the bench after it's top end refurbishment, which hopefully I'll finish tomorrow. I've also got a suspension upgrade to do on my Thruxton 900 on Monday; I've purchased some YSS upgrades 3-way adjustable rear shocks with custom springs, and a front fork springs/preload/valve kit, as the factory springs and shocks are pants, and it's either replace them, or buy a later 1200 Thruxton with all the Ohlins kit. The RGA Sprint awaits electrics, but that looks like the end of the year before I get that sorted.
 
6 days with 33-38 deg. cel. in the shadow. 47 in the Sund. No clouds, no rain. Phew. Then one hour ago, it suddenly clouded and thunder and rain came for an hour - just stopped. So a chance to maybe ride my Laverda tomorrow ;)
Cheers,
Jacques
 
350km Vic Lav Club ride yesterday - much of it in fog at 6 degrees, max 10 when you could actually see. Was still a great day out. Preferable to 40 deg riding IMO.
 
Full summer in Vancouver. 25c right at the pacific, 5 miles inland its 30-35. 140 fires in British Columbia, 40 out of control. Fresh fire 4 miles from house 4 hrs ago, out of control, and yes, another “human caused fire”. Air is considered poor where I am, yet 5 miles to the coast it’s clear. 15 miles inland of me, considered very dangerous. 160 miles east and north 100 s of houses and farms lost in our wine district, the northern stretch of the Sonoran Desert reaching from Mexico. Not a good time out here in the “Northwest”. Neighbouring Washington State potentially worse, city of Spokane is on fire right now.
 
Full summer in Vancouver. 25c right at the pacific, 5 miles inland its 30-35. 140 fires in British Columbia, 40 out of control. Fresh fire 4 miles from house 4 hrs ago, out of control, and yes, another “human caused fire”. Air is considered poor where I am, yet 5 miles to the coast it’s clear. 15 miles inland of me, considered very dangerous. 160 miles east and north 100 s of houses and farms lost in our wine district, the northern stretch of the Sonoran Desert reaching from Mexico. Not a good time out here in the “Northwest”. Neighbouring Washington State potentially worse, city of Spokane is on fire right now.

Bugger, where’s Helicopter Jim when needed ☹️

Dry as chips in places here, unusually so, few fires around but nothing serious.
 
Yeah, we miss Jom for more reasons than his motorcycle passion. 100% he would be flying water helicopters here right now.

Things have gotten even worse this last weekend. And number of human caused fires including video proof of arson by a known prolific criminal, has forced evacuation of entire population of the city and region of Summerland, with 100’s of ranches burned, and death reported this morning. People are now living in their cars with their pets, and those with horses and cows have opened the gates to let them fend for themselves, many missing grazing animals. Many other smaller communities have been flattened. Human arson should be prosecuted as murder IMO.
 
Full summer in Vancouver. 25c right at the pacific, 5 miles inland its 30-35. 140 fires in British Columbia, 40 out of control. Fresh fire 4 miles from house 4 hrs ago, out of control, and yes, another “human caused fire”. Air is considered poor where I am, yet 5 miles to the coast it’s clear. 15 miles inland of me, considered very dangerous. 160 miles east and north 100 s of houses and farms lost in our wine district, the northern stretch of the Sonoran Desert reaching from Mexico. Not a good time out here in the “Northwest”. Neighbouring Washington State potentially worse, city of Spokane is on fire right now.
600+ homes burned and gone in one day in Spokane, Washington. The fire was started by a criminal from Arizona who got early release for a manslaughter conviction; he has now been linked to several other fires from Arizona through California, Oregon, and Washington. Hang em high. The Sonoran Desert most definitely does not extend north to BC; the other BC (Baja), yes.
 
Yeah, we miss Jom for more reasons than his motorcycle passion. 100% he would be flying water helicopters here right now.

Things have gotten even worse this last weekend. And number of human caused fires including video proof of arson by a known prolific criminal, has forced evacuation of entire population of the city and region of Summerland, with 100’s of ranches burned, and death reported this morning. People are now living in their cars with their pets, and those with horses and cows have opened the gates to let them fend for themselves, many missing grazing animals. Many other smaller communities have been flattened. Human arson should be prosecuted as murder IMO.
I was just out in Pentiction on business the last week of July and was up in the hills around Summerland sending pics back to the better half of homes that were for sale. Son of a bitch.

My brother in law flies a Herc for Coulson, splits his time between Austrailia, Arizona, and California. I don't think that Coulson does much work in BC, not sure why. He used to be Chief Pilot for Air Spray out of Edmonton/Red Deer and I know that they used to do drops in the Rockies.

Here's some of his handywork in one of AirSpray's Electra's from a few years back.
View attachment IMG_5885.mov
 
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600+ homes burned and gone in one day in Spokane, Washington. The fire was started by a criminal from Arizona who got early release for a manslaughter conviction; he has now been linked to several other fires from Arizona through California, Oregon, and Washington. Hang em high. The Sonoran Desert most definitely does not extend north to BC; the other BC (Baja), yes.
You are correct that the Sonoran desert does not reach into B.C., but it has the classic signs approaching desert geography, with different cactus, rattle snakes, arid spider species, very low humidity.
 
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