Tuesday, December 20, 2016

3F and Preferring to Be in Control

Loving the cold, crisp bike rides home on peaceful lanes.

I ride for transportation only, in the winter. Unlike last year's distinct lack of snowfall where it was easy to dip my toes into winter biking and avoid slippery surfaces, this December feels more like a normal Vermont winter with regular snow fall and so far, 4-6" of accumulation. If I'm to bike at all, I pay careful attention to the forecast, in-house weather station, and as last confirmation - peeks outside our window - before I decide whether to ride, drive the car, or take a bus 5 miles to my workplace. I can think of 3 times this month when my pannier was packed and just before I headed out the door a squall deposited enough snow to cover the ground.

I love the snow. I love to cross-country ski, which I've been able to do once already this season. But I also love to ride, and after having a taste of winter riding last year, I want to commute more when dry pathways prevail. The alternative is walking 30 minutes to catch a bus that takes another 20-25 minutes to drop me near my office. Driving our one available car takes 20-25 minutes, but I must share the vehicle with my husband (plus I feel guilty for using our vehicle when he is a regular bus rider). Riding my bike takes 25-30 minutes, plus I allow an extra 5-10 minutes to negotiate any dangerous areas.

I thought I would embrace bus travel. After all, part of working closer to home meant I could leave the car behind and take alternative transportation. But, after several bus trips and driving as many days this month, I've come to realize how much I dislike both modes of transportation for the busy region I navigate, especially the journey home which necessitates enduring stop and go traffic for a mile without an easy way to avoid the messy corridor. In my previous job, without a bus route, the decision was made for me, I had to drive during the darker months from November to March on rural roads, whether I liked it or not.

Now, with transportation choices (and I'm happy to finally have them!) I'd still rather ride my bike because I am in control: I'm free to ride on quiet residential streets, little used paths, through city parks and in open fields - away from noisy automobiles. And, I love riding in the dark with snow as my guide, edging the paved trail. I do have to be careful though and make responsible, safe transportation choices because I have a tendency to avoid car and bus travel even when it may be too slippery to safely ride a bike.

So, as we slide by the winter solstice and days become longer, and my personal bike barometer (temperatures 0F and above, 90% dry paths) allows me to bike commute, you can bet I'll be outside bedecked in balaclava and down parka, expanding my winter horizons.

9 comments:

  1. We've had a couple of negative Fahrenheit days over the last couple of weeks. One of them happened just after a healthy deposit of snow. We decided to try to ride bikes to the gym, and I quickly realized I've been spoiled by a long and fairly warm autumn and wasn't prepared for just how cold it truly was! It wasn't too bad, except for my fingers. I made the mistake of wearing two layers of gloves, but they were both a material that gets wet easily, so once they were damp, my fingers were completely numb and hurting. I know better, but for some reason, I thought I could get away with it. :)

    One of the fun things about riding in or after snowfall is that people tend to look at us like we're completely nuts (or they think we have no choice but to ride). I don't know why that encourages me to do it more often, but for some reason it does.

    Glad to see you continuing to ride!

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    1. Wind-proof mittens are key to keeping warm. My motivation stems from wanting to still ride...and somehow little by little, it's working. I nearly went bonkers last week when I couldn't ride for 10 days.

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    2. Oh and by the way, my cable lock is almost useless below 20F. I wrestle with it to uncoil it enough to lock my bike. What a pain!

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  2. 0F? You Ma'm are a bike commuting Bad-A$$

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  3. I had to check and see what 3F was in Celsius. -16! Unbelievable! I am so impressed! I don't think I'd ever keep my fingers warm in that temperature, even though I've just invested in good gloves. But like you I want to keep up the cycling in the winter, and so far am doing better than in previous years.

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    1. Good for you Lizzie. I guess we are all in unique climates and commute situations. And to put it all in perspective, Doug from Four Season Cycling is more cold tolerant than I am!
      https://fourseasoncycling.wordpress.com/

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  4. I'm so impressed by those of you who live in cold climates who ride through the winter. Everyone in Memphis is impressed if I ride in 20-degrees F. That's downright balmy for you!

    In a comment above you mentioned wind-proof mittens. Any recommendations? Keeping my hands warm is the one thing I haven't worked out yet.

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    1. My mittens aren't anything fancy, just some Thinsulate lined variety with a nylon outer layer. I found them in a bargain bin for $5.00. You could also use overmitts over your own mittens to provide wind protection. There are simple overmitts (if you are handy you can sew a pair) or fancy ones. Here's a sampling on Amazon:
      https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dsporting&field-keywords=overmitts

      Be aware that it's harder to shift with mittens, but I think warm hands are worth a little inconvenience if I can ride my bike in colder temperatures.

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    2. Thanks for the link. I have a twist shifter on the Omafiets, so that's pretty easy no matter what is on my hands. The Bianchi has STIs, but honestly, I'd rather pedal harder and give up shifting to an easier gear than have cold hands!

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