I joined a local "MeetUp group" as most of my riding buddies have either passed or don't get out much anymore. It's about 60 members strong and led by a Fellow with a BMW GS1200. He's a pleasure to ride with as he has rock solid lines and doesn't run off and hide from the "old guy" on the "little bike".
We started with just 4 members signed up for the ride and as the temps fell the day before so did the attendee's. By that night i was the only one still signed up to go. Whether brave or stupid I planned on being there. The night before I checked the temp at Onyx summit at 11PM and it was 6 degrees. The smart money is on stupid.............
The planned ride would take us from Murrieta Ca.(elevation 1100) to Idyllwild CA (elevation 6000) Then back down the other side to the valley and back up in the mountains to Big Bear, Ca (elevation 7200) and to get to Big Bear you cross Onyx Summit at 8400 ft.. Temps were predicted to be 35 degrees at the higher elevations.
I was doing fine until my heated gloves gave out at the 3/4 way mark, 5000 ft on the way up to Big Bear. I had to call it quits at that point. temps were going to drop to 20 degrees at the summit and unfaired my hands were not going to make it so I packed it in. All in all it was a fun day. The R65 ran like a champ and never missed a beat in the 150-200 miles it went..
Pictures are at the coffee stop in Idyllwild. The pick up is show the snow dusting that it got the night before. The others are at a scenic spot in the foothills on the way up to Big bear
