I decided a few days ago that it was time to put my bike up for the winter. When I lived in the Lower Mainland I kept my bike insured for riding year-round: I was usually able to fit in ride or two even in the winter months. Here in the Kootenays, however, winter is ‘real’, and by sometime in October it seems like a good time to let my bike insurance lapse.

I took one last short ride and then completed my somewhat lackadaisical winterization steps.

A ride up to the Arrow Lake dam

I chose one of my local rides to end the riding season: go up past Robson to Syringa Park, turn around and come home. The route takes about an hour and has some really nice scenery along the Columbia river and Arrow Lakes. The road also has a few nice twisty spots and generally speaking very little traffic.

This time I decided I’d take a break and get a better look at the dam itself. There is a turn off to a side road with a sign indicating it is for ‘fishing’ right next to the dam that I’ve been curious about. I got a few pictures of my bike, then walked down the riverside road to get a few pictures of the dam from water-level.

I could have ridden my bike down the little road but I’m a cautious sort: I had no idea at the time what the end of the road might be like, so I left my bike at the top and walked it. As it happens, the ‘ramp’ down the riverbank is paved to the end, with a gravel turn-around area that would have been fine for my bike. Caution has saved me from some unpleasant riding situations in the past, though: and besides, I need the exercise.

Winterizing my bike

I gave my bike a bit of a ‘dry’ wash before taking it out. I have these spray cleaners I use that are a little faster and easier than a full bucket-and-hose wash, and I was feeling a bit lazy. So I at least got the worst of the bugs and such off the finish before putting her up.

And when I finished the ride I filled the gas tank completely full. When I got home I put a couple of ounces of fuel stabilizer in, put the bike up on my bike lift, and plugged in the trickle charger. As I say, not exactly a thorough winterization, but it has worked pretty well for me and my bike for the last decade. Every spring she starts up and runs on the first try without much fuss or bother.

I always feel a bit sad at this time of year. I really do like the fall and the spring in the Castlegar area as they are proper ‘seasons’, but I still feel some sort of sense of ‘loss’ as summer ends and the cold months begin. My bike doesn’t get as much riding as it did a few years back, but it is still a big part of my summer months. Putting the Road Glide up for the winter feels like a sort of ending, I guess.