The Price of Rushing: A Winter Riding Story & Four Years of YouTube Friendship

You know those moments when you do something that isn’t exactly catastrophically stupid, but just stupid enough to make you shake your head at yourself? Yeah, we’ve all been there, and today I’m sharing one of those perfect examples of how rushing can lead to some chilly consequences on two wheels.

The Setup: A “Perfect” Winter Riding Day

Picture this: It’s an unseasonably warm winter day, hitting almost 60 degrees. Sounds perfect for riding, right? Well, that’s what I thought too. My wife had just returned from a funeral service, and I had plans to meet up with my good friend and fellow YouTuber, Goofy Bastard, for a ride. In my haste to not keep him waiting (and let’s be honest, to maximize my riding time), I made what I like to call a “rookie veteran” mistake.

The Mistake: When Haste Makes Cold

There I was, rushing around like a headless chicken, throwing on my riding gear. Jacket? Check. Helmet? Check. Gloves? Check. What I didn’t check was the fact that I was wearing spring gloves (you know, the ones with those fancy little vent holes) and just a t-shirt under my riding jacket. Sure, the jacket had a liner, but it was one of those vest-style ones that leaves your arms about as protected from the cold as a screen door in a submarine.

Twelve minutes into the ride, reality hit harder than a June bug at highway speeds – I had messed up. The “unseasonably warm” day wasn’t quite so warm at 60 mph, and those ventilated gloves were doing an exceptional job of letting me know about it.

Four Years of YouTube Friendship: A Walk Down Memory Lane

But here’s where the story takes a warmer turn (pun absolutely intended). This ride wasn’t just any regular meetup – it was actually at the same Wawa where, four years ago, I first met Goofy Bastard in person. That first meeting, by the way, led to one of the most entertaining conversations with my wife:

“So, you’re meeting some random person from the internet?” “Yep!” “And what’s his name?” “Well… he goes by Goofy Bastard…” “Are you taking your gun? Because this sounds sketchy.”

Four years later, that “sketchy” meetup has turned into countless rides, non-stop laughs over the comms, and some of the best motorcycle memories you could ask for. Though we only managed to ride together four times this year (which seems criminally low), each ride has been an absolute blast.

The Gas Station Chronicles: Adventures in Helmet Communication

The day wrapped up with an amusing encounter at a gas station, where I had my usual “helmet and earplugs” communication challenge. You know the one – where you’re trying to be friendly but can only hear about 50% of what the other person is saying, so you end up doing that awkward smile-and-nod routine. To the guy who handed me his business card (Norm from Skippack Motorcycles): I’m sorry if I came across as unfriendly! It’s not you, it’s the earplugs, I promise!

Life Lessons from the Road

So what’s the moral of this story? Maybe it’s “don’t rush your gear choices.” Maybe it’s “the best friendships can start with sketchy-sounding internet meetups.” Or maybe it’s just that motorcycling, like life, is full of these little moments that make for great stories later – even if you’re a bit cold while making them.

Watch the Full Story

Want to see how this all played out? Hit play on the video below. And if you’ve ever found yourself making similar “not quite catastrophic but definitely regrettable” decisions on your bike, drop a comment below. Misery loves company, and I could use some solidarity while my arms thaw out!