(06-28-2024, 10:40 AM)GirishH Wrote: How spooky was this "full" moon ride, Jesper?..:-)
Wow, you made me have to think about it because I know it had been awhile. Even though I was doing regular night commutes (6 miles) after leaving the hospital at 1 AM with lights it has been some time since I did a true "night" ride with or without moonlight.
I remember that ride quite well because even with the moon I was riding on a shaded trail. It was scary in more ways than one. First, there are a lot more animals out and about and deer will come out of nowhere and much too late for you to avoid them if there are in front of you. Opossums, racoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, armadillas; you name it, are all potential hazards. I just ride fearless because there is no use worrying about unseen dangers. If you are concerned then do not do it. Riding without bike lights and essentially no ambient lighting is absolutey insane, but exciting too. I ride much faster with the adrenaline fully kicked in. That night I nearly rode off the trail a couple times as I only had a few short areas off open moonlight to clearly see the path. There were some hash marks marking the center but they were way too far apart and not that bright to provide an accurate means of guidance. It truly was not a full moon either, but a gibbous moon either waning or waxing.
I would commute to work at around 2 AM for a 40 mile ride but even without the moon I could use night vision (my eyes are light sensitve with 20/15 vision) with my headlights off and only turning them on for oncoming traffic in order to preserve my night vision. Those rides are not that scary (or as fun), but still a bit more exciting since you kind of lose your reference in time and space (no shadow, no visual references) just follow the slightly illuminated pavement.
I assume you had some mountain rides at night in the snow. Those are wild when you have a full blanket of snow and moonlight illumnating a glowing terrain. Probably the only thing close to it is moonlight on the beach sand with waves breaking having a phosphorescent glow.
On my longest tour as a young punk I had no lights or reflectors on my bike and like yourself I would ride until reaching the next town which usually meant riding for 150 miles or more in a day and being in the saddle for 12 or more hours. Longest ride was about a metric triple century doing about 30% at night. Nuts when I think about it now, but I could fly on my bike once I dropped the rack bag and backpack to do some exploring the next day in the cities and surrounding areas once daylight started to kick in. I'd be roadkill if I tried to do that type of night riding now with the increase of traffic and speeds that drivers do.
One major problem with night riding is police. I guess they think anyone riding fast on a bike at night is a criminal as I have been followed by police, stopped, and questioned about who I was (needed my ID, no license back then; I was cycling 100% of the time), and where I was going. They kindly escorted me out of town like Rambo in First Blood. "Don't come back now, ya hear!". Another time I was flying home on a very cold night at about 30mph (only a 5 mile ride) with my hoodie over my face. I guess I looked suspicious because I was pulled over at gun point and arrested for armed robbery of a McDonalds a mile from my house. I got tossed into the cruiser and they drove me through the McD's drive through for identification by the clerk. I was active military at the time and they were somewhat embarrassed to find that out after the store clerk "exonerated" me of the burglery. Such is my life! Lesson: ride slow at night, be lit up, do not wear a hoodie; and oh yes, NEVER GIVE AN UNKNOWN CAR CLOSELY TAILING YOU THE FINGER 'CAUSE IT MIGHT BE THE COPS!
You want more "fun" bike stories; I got them.