Originally Posted by
ThermionicScott
This is a particularly dangerous time of year, because the snow melts (or it rains) and can freeze into icy patches overnight. I put up with studs for a while after we start getting above-freezing daytime temperatures just to make sure I'm not unpleasantly surprised out on the road.
Of course you do what you feel that you need to do. However, relative to what you can encounter in winter, short flat patches characteristic for temperatures going up and down late and at at times early in the season are a minor issue. You can get through such patches through inertia. Obviously you should not sleep under conditions of such type and particularly pay attention if you need to turn. Rough situation is when deformed ice builds up and you can only get through with studs or by walking and that is usually deeper into the season. Whether or not you have studs you need to strategize and as you gain skill you find fewer and fewer situations where studs make much difference.