Biking Bison

Ok, so I really did it today. Today I rode to work in about 3 inches of snow, and I loved every bit of it. The trip is about 2.2 miles in length, but in the swirling snow and 25 degree with a 12 degree wind chill, it feels much worse. I have really tried to make the point that if I really want to call myself a cyclist, I need to be willing to ride in any climate, no matter what.

So, to get geared up, I asked for a snowboarding helmet for Christmas, so that I would have the proper headgear for the brutal weather we occasionally get around here. My 1st few rides to work were last week, which ended up being a balmy 55 degrees and sunny. This was very uncharacteristic of our area, so I couldn't be too surprised when the weather turned sour.

Last week, it became apparent that the wind really chills on my face, even though I was suited up with layers of warm clothing everywhere else. So today I headed out with full ski goggles, thermal underwear, socks, ankle boots (clipless pedals are great, but icy conditions require an even faster dimount, and they arent warm enough) an gloves. I have a new backpack for my laptop, and other office stuff, which is nice, because the weight of it also functions as a layer of warmth on my back. I was toasty warm... for a while.

Another nice thing about riding in a northern climate is that the roads have a shoulder on them. In the south, I got used to riding on just a few inches of "shoulder" while cars went whizzing by. Here, because of snow removal, the roads boat of 4-6 ft paved shoulders that have plenty of room for any cyclist to enjoy. About 1.5 miles into the ride, the side of the road got slushy. This is worse than snow, and is caused from the salt they spread on the road to make driving conditions safer for the motorists.

I guess I crossed over onto a street that had been more heavily salted by the city, and it became slushy and rapidly nasty. Within minutes I could taste road salt all over my face, my chest was covered in mud splatter, and my butt was soaking wet from the rear tire throwing muddy ice all over my backside. Nearly 6 hrs later, my underwear is still a little soggy, and my boota are moist, and my pants are cached in mud. A few adjustment need to be made.

My buddy at work, Darrick, commented on my appearance when I walked in, and I told him that this was still in the "trial and error" phase. He suggested that perhaps I was just in an "error" phase. 1st things 1st, I need a mudflap.

Thankfully, my friend Will saw my twitter post on face book and offered me the following solution. Looks like a good option to me! I'll have to check it out another day. Today I am going to get picked up from work rather than make the sloppy return trip!