Mr Knight - I am envious that you have been riding. I picked up the new 520EXC about four weeks ago and it turned cold the next AM and started snowing & snowing and... well you get the picture.
Normally in Southern Alberta (where huskyboy is too) we get Chinooks which are like the Santa Anas and the Sciroco (sp?) winds. Chinook is native for 'snow eater' and when the winds kick in, the temperature can rise 40-50f in an hour & - BAM - snow gone. Chinooks don't seem to mind if the snow is yellow either. Equal Opportunity Snow Eater.
I'm not sure if it is the El Nino or what but we have had a mild winter until I bought the new bike. The arctic air dropped in, just like an unwanted guest, and then decided to stay too long, like a unwanted drunken guest.
Usually there is riding in the south eastern part of Alberta. The area is a northern desert with cactus and rattlesnakes. Riding can be had anywhere there is south facing slopes - these are free of snow and the ground is not frozen. Just recently the snow has decended along with the temperatures and we haven't got a break from it.
So to make a short story long, we are looking for a place to happen - preferably within a 4-6 hr drive. One of my employees got so desperate he drove about 9 hrs towards the west coast, rode a race and then came back all in a day and a half. The race was a mud-fest and, being his 1st race *and* 1st ride of the year, Mr Gung Ho was so tired and beaten up he couldn't work on Monday. That is an acceptable excuse for not showing up in our Company. (Mr Gung Ho is Brent with the WR250F you met riding with us in Crack Canyon last May).
As you can tell we have riding on the brain right now and need a fix real quick. The 520 has 2.9 km on it. It's just not right! Why do bad things happen to good people?
Kwi, the 'ready for a road trip' guy