Winter may be harsh, depending on where you call home. When penning this column, parts of the Midwest and Northeast are gripped by an incredibly frosty wave of storms dumping loads of snow on the ground. That can hamper two-wheeled activities, unless you’re one of those brave souls who have become one with your Aerostich suit and wouldn’t dream of climbing inside a blasted cage. Perhaps more heroic are those taking to trails when freezing temperatures are on the forecast more often than not.
Our typically sunny Southern California region is receiving a heavenly tinkle. According to those in the know, it will be a little more frequent this season due to El Niño—at least until March. The overriding factor here is that those who happen to ride for pleasure will be cooped up, left staring longingly at their motorcycles and wishing that they’d invested in other hobbies. Naturally, this would finally give us time to take on the various household maintenance chores piled up in a corner, but where is the fun when we have streaming television? Ah, the perks of modern living.
The Southern regions of the United States, specifically Southern California, enjoy a more extended riding season than Fargo, North Dakota. But it’s a reality we can all lament at some point. I’ve always been fascinated with riding in the rain, seeing as it’s somewhat of a novelty for this SoCal-born-and-bred individual.
Whenever there was a notable storm, we neighborhood kids would dig out crusty old yellow rain slickers, spray on a fresh coat of Scotchgard, and pedal around our local trails, slipping in the mud with reckless abandon. The lips of our anthill-sized jumps would need mending after the fact, but in the moment, it was about enjoying the day.
A bit of that spark still exists, as long as proper rain gear is involved and I’m prepared to take some weather on the chin—recently, I splashed through some puddles while flogging the 2024 Triumph Scrambler 1200 X and 1200 XE (watch for complete tests shortly). In the meantime, we can enjoy some coinciding escapades that aren’t entirely relevant for a standard review.
When I imagine the desert, I usually picture the same environment that Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner would inhabit—vast plains, perhaps some rolling hills, and a landscape arid enough to make you cough just by looking at it.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a location fitting the description and, fittingly enough, it is where Triumph planned to scramble. I say fitting, as the Scrambler category has firm roots in Southern California. Trends ebb and flow, and after a long absence, the genre enjoyed a resurgence, starting with the Steve McQueen-informed 2006 Triumph Scrambler 900. Why not? They’re just kinda cool.
One thing I generally don’t think of when I hear the word desert is rain. Nor do I consider rain that’s turning to wafting sleet while on the Montezuma Grade, one of the best stretches of highway we have in the nation. The desert, to me and the emojis on my phone, is a dry place with sun and little vegetation.
Instead, we were treated to an actual scrambler experience. If that doesn’t entirely connect, imagine what a “true ADV” experience would look like and make the appropriate mental substitution. That means ascending into borderline freezing temperatures in the morning, accompanied by some stormy conditions, which naturally led to a roadside huddle that saw us retreating to the safety of the desert floor.
They say there is a price to everything, and many of us paid for it with fashionable motorcycle gear that does not stand up to Old Man Winter’s ice whip. We did look rather cool while shivering furiously, though. Luckily, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is surrounded by mountain chains that help isolate it from Mother Nature’s worst.
However, we proudly persevered for a short period to collect precious digital content. Them’s the breaks sometimes—and with a full day of riding scheduled for the following day, along with clear weather, this wasn’t an issue. For me, it was a rare occasion to throw on the slicker stuffed in the back of my closet and splash in puddles.
Sometimes, we won’t have perfect conditions, and things can be politely described as less than ideal. It all tends to work out if you’ve got a few good people around to keep some momentum behind your spirit. So, grab your raincoat and have some fun—you’ll have another story to tell.
