Let’s go to the cloud

Deer, Dodge or Shadow?

Going to the clouds is a great idea if you're playing with your Dell early in the morning -- as long as no one sees you -- but it's tough on motorcycles.

All of the the defense mechanism a rider deploys to avoid being Bambi bait or a hood ornament involve being able to see and recognize hazards before they attack.

When the world is shrouded in the mist that must of have led pre-scientific man to believe in creation through amorphous blobs, one can understand why so many bizarre rituals and beliefs were created.

Hey, the Big Bang theory came from some scientist driving in a fog and smacking into a wall and going 'wow, there's an idea!'

Obviously, there are ideas for riders. First, if you have the urge to take the Camry, go ahead. There are lot of things protecting you in your cage when you can't see anyone else, let alone expect them to see you. No shame to ride the cage today.

On the other hand, you can transverse fog and do it as safely as possible by following a few simple rules:

Watch for wet spots on hills, valleys

Expect everything: You can't see squat. God only knows what's going to run out in front of you, so back off, use your brake lights a lot when cars are coming up on you and wear reflective gear if you got it.

Anticipate the worst: Dress for the fall. Wear padded gear and a good helmet and gloves.

Assume everything: Some would tell you to assume nothing, but go ahead and assume it all. Fog can make the road damp, wet and slick. It can make  a dip in the road impossible to see through. It will make idiots in cars stop because they can' t see anything, never thinking that if they can't see, neither can the driver behind them.

SEE: Search, evaluate and execute. You need to actually look for issues when it's this foggy because the issues are there. Look for wet spots and places where the temperature could drop enough to make condensation on manhole covers slickery. Manhole covers and painted stop strips or double-yellows are not your friends when it's moist and cloudy.

When you evaluate, assume the wet spots are tricky, the impossible vision spots are filled with deer and trucks and little kids (hit the kids, they don't hurt as much when you fall on them...just kidding, sheesh) and prepare to stop.

Execution is going to be difficult. Wet roads and hard brakes make for interesting flight patterns. Keep the bike upright, slow by pulling in the clutch and don't over accelerate, especially in turns.

There's a lot of folks what's blown leaves in the road for the city to pick up, so be watchful of those.

Take it easy. Play it safe. You'll get there.