My tip for the hot temps in down under land

That's like Austria looks like currently.
Views from the highest restaurant of the alps (3440 m) to the mountain scenery of the "Ötztaler Alps"

That's what would help you to cool down immediately!

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The highest peak in the background is mount "Wildspitze" the highest mountain in North-Tyrol (3774 m).

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What a scenery:

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At my house in Imst, I have three glacier areas half an hour riding away.
And glacier in Tyrol means, skiing all over the year (yes, even in Summer).

One day with the GRiSO another day carving or deep powder snow!

Beautiful views! Thanks for sharing Ralf. It has been a snowy winter in the local mountains of Southern California too. Here is a recent shot near Big Bear, just a 3 hour drive from Los Angeles. You can ski and surf in the same day!

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Sigh, when looking at the pics I think my first ride this year with my beloved GRiSO is far, far away *grzgrmbl

Promising what you show us from S-California.

It never rains in southern California...
Negative climate warming also there?

Looks, that your lady and the ice-bear loves it!

After Christmas I have spend holidays with my family in Seattle area and we have been to Snoqualmie pass. It was interesting for to watch Americans on skies.

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When visiting Moto International in Seattle the guys there told me about beautiful bike routes near LA.
But what about your speed limits? It's like like snail's pace compared to us!

2highlander wrote:

Sigh, when looking at the pics I think my first ride this year with my beloved GRiSO is far, far away *grzgrmbl

Maybe this helps to feel better again.
Picture from Hahntennjoch in late spring:

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Yeah! This is where we will meet for xtended tours!

We are lucky to be getting all the rain/snow that was promised last winter by "El Nino" weather pattern. After several years of drought, it is a relief, though I fear only temporary. The overall trend of the last several years is hotter and drier.  Oddly enough, the year after "El Nino" is supposed to be drier than normal. The weather patterns have gone topsy-turvy. Mother Nature is getting irritated with us...

We do have some spectacular roads and countryside scenery here, mountains, coast, desert, and the beauty of year-round riding. The mountain and canyon roads being the best for spirited riding, it's easy to avoid the police there, once you learn their hiding spots. On the best of the curvy roads, the speed limit is dictated only by your skill and stickiness of your tires.

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Early December ride
Was 43 deg C for the first half of the ride till I got to Coffs where I met with a brief shower and a giant Banana

It seems this enlarged artificial produce is a worldwide trend. In the US, we've just installed a big bloviating yam in our capital. Wanna trade?

We have also the big prawn (shrimp), potato, Sheep, guitar and a whole host of others around the country. We blame Texas...

Sharky's Gift Shop, Ocean Shores, Washington. "It's Safe to Shop Here!"

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We have a giant Artichoke in Castroville (Artichoke capital of the world)

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Yesterday I rode to work. No big deal.

When I left the building it was officially 41.9C. Got on my bike and the dash said 54C. Proceeded to ride home with the riding temperature, as reported on the dash, at 44C. After 40 km, it dropped to 40. Then it started to go up again.

It wasn't until I dropped over the escarpment towards my place that it dropped to below 40C. Quite a balmy 35C - pure bliss. Beer was good and cold and near evaporated from the bottle.

Going to happen again today, too.

50C - unbelievabel for our side of the planet!

However, my next recommendation from me to you in down under:

Excellent cold beer tested during a bike tour over Pass Faschina In Vorarlberg in the far west of Austria.


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The only Guzzi I Know, able to run with different fuels on both cylinders!

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That is a very cool beer tap, Ralf. What are all the slips of paper stuck in between the fins? It would look a lot nicer without that, I think.

I agree to you!
Seem, that he misuses the fins for putting his notices in.

By the way: Guzzi with the shortest exhaust pipes, I have ever seen.
No catalyst, no lambda probe, no secondary air injection, no silencer.

Meaning: pure Guzzi bear!

Will visit him again during summertime with the GRiSO to discuss some MY 18 improvements:

1. Redesign enabling good vibrations to it
2. Original Guzzi sound from the speakers instead of Tyrolen yodelers
3. New map from beetle to improve the short pipe matching
4. Transient improvements to improve rush hour
5. More spark advance (2 deg. before knocking) to improve power on one side and reduce exhaust temperatue (= bear temp) by 5 degrees.

Guys see you for a cold bear on Faschina-pass this year!

Ralf,

Your English is fantastic, way better than my German. Once my wife (who is German) and I were visiting friends in Braunschweig and during dinner one evening the daughter, Lisa (11 years old at the time) got up to put on a sweater. I asked her, "Bist Du kalt?" and the entire family practically fell to the floor laughing! "What did I say?!", I asked, and Lisa said, in English, "You asked me if I'm DEAD! You should have said, Ist Dir kalt?".  Oh boy, I was so embarrassed, but this level of language was something I failed to learn in school. As a result, being so self-conscious, I decided to keep my mouth shut.

I admire anyone who can speak more than one language, most of us struggle with our own native tongue, so I just want to help you out with one minor little detail:

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Prost!  

Pete

Hi Pete,

thank's for your compliment to me.
In Austria on high school English is a must to do.

However, I am working in a company, designing and manufacturing high-power output combustion engines for 2/3/4 wheeled leisure vehicles. The company is BRP-ROTAX. My function there is manager for advanced engineering. As ROTAX is part of BRP, located in Valcourt, CDN, english is part of my daily business.

PS: Lisa's comment to was correct. The right question would be: Ist Dir kalt? or Hast Du kalt?
However, I would say your wording "Bist Du kalt?" is quite good. Everybody would anderstand what you mean. AND: German grammar is not easy and quite complicated.

A German metaphor for "to kill somebody" would be "jemanden kaltmachen".
Therefor Lisa's comment.

Next option for hot days:

Swimming in bear in browery Starkenberger close to my house in Tyrol.
Location: Midage robber-night castle from anno domini 1240.

Cold bear is excellent for superheated Australiens and by the way good for your skin!

Prost gsuffa!

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Motivated for next holidays in Tyrol?


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PS: by drilling a very long hole diagonal via the earth center you will have a good chance to meet the basin.
Again: Prost gsuffa!