My new lucky gloves

These gloves were actually a mistake. Last year during a football Friday I needed gloves to shoot highlights for the freezing cold temps we were experiencing. My former co-worker, Malcom Maddox, swore on the skin tight thin Under Armour gloves. They are very thin and allow you to really feel what you are doing with all the buttons on the video cameras and still keep your hands warmer than bare skin. I was working a double and couldn't stop by Dick's Sporting Goods to pick up a pair. Luckily another co-worker Jon Scott said he was going to get gloves as well. He said he could pick me up a pair of gloves, however he was not there when I was getting the sermon from Malcom about how great these thin gloves were and how they should have already been a necessity for my normal gear when shooting video in the cold. Jon came back from the store and said the gloves were $35. I thought I was getting raked over the coals because online I saw the gloves I wanted for $20. (Still pricey) When he pulled them out of the shopping bag I saw that they were not what I was hoping for. Reluctantly, I paid him the $35 because I was banking on wearing the gloves he picked up for me. The gloves were very warm, but I had a hard time using them with all the small buttons, switches, and controls on the camera. I still managed but eventually got the gloves I originally wanted. Well, I have kept both pairs of gloves and they have really been handy in cold situations...until yesterday.

I checked on my truck in the body shop and they said it was being painted and I would be able to pick it up tomorrow, Friday. I was stuck to commuting on my moped for the day yesterday and with my winter project plans starting next week for the mopeds I wanted to soak in as many miles as possible, despite a high of 41 and winds 20-30 mph. Dawn and her cousin's were getting together at Sammy's El Pueblo Restuarant for lunch in Springboro. I LOVE their burgers...amazing. Anyway, Dawn called and told me they were meeting for lunch and they wanted to know if I wanted to come too. I couldn't say no so I rode the ten chilly miles to the restaurant. I always wear a backpack with essential tools in case I break down so I can attempt to fix my moped on the side of the road. I happened to have my gloves in another pocket. When I got to Sammy's I took off my backpack to get my lock and secure the bike to the tree. I noticed I left a pocket open and sure enough...the gloves were gone. (I used a warmer pair for the chilly ride) I was pretty bummed for lunch. I made sure on my way home I took the exact same route and my eyes were scanning machines. I scanned the roads left and right constantly looking for my gloves. I got about a mile from home and I was losing hope. THEN, I found one of the gloves in someone's driveway so I circled around and picked it up, WOOHOO! I continued my trip home and couldn't find the other glove. I was freezing and took a little break to warm up. After a few minutes of thinking, I wanted to check again. I got back on the moped and took the same route again. I wore the one glove I found for good luck and hoped that the one glove would call out to the other. As I was riding, about a block from where I found the first glove, I noticed something dark in the shade of a house that was close to the road...yup...there it was. I was stoked. I have plenty of gloves and really didn't NEED them, but it was quite a blissful moment when I put the second glove on and they were once again reunited. I knighted them my new favorite lucky gloves.

Well I wore the gloves on my chilly ride into work today. I could have used a second set because the 30+ mph wind from riding was cutting through the fabric on the gloves. I did wear two pairs of socks under my dress shoes so my ankles were toasty. Wind chills, for everyone sane and not riding a moped in the cold weather, are around 15-20 degrees. Plenty of sunshine will warm us up into the upper 40's and still looking at 50's for the weekend. Saturday will be warmer and windy, but dry...not the same for Sunday. Rain will return for Sunday through Tuesday. It will not be a complete wash-out, scattered showers instead. Heading into Thanksgiving we will see temperatures in the 40's but plenty of sunshine. I have been keeping an eye on the long term forecast. It looks like we may have a few cold snaps and a few flurries/light snow showers in the coming weeks. If things remain the same as what the models are showing...no measurable snow for a little while. I will keep an eye on things because that first snow always catches people off-guard on how to drive. You may think I am wrong, but mark my word...that first inch of snow there will be accidents all over the place. We get so used to dry pavement that a little bit of ice or snow seems to be do-able and people over do it. Anyway, enjoy your weekend and if you are heading to Columbus for the Penn State-Ohio State football game, you may see me. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael