The other night I rode across town to meet with a friend who is helping me with some digital wizardry. I am hoping to have a website up and running before the snow thaws this spring. When I left home, I headed out into a mild evening with the temperature around 30 degrees or just less. However, some light snow was picking up and the temperature was falling. The roads have been a bit trecherous as the infrastructure in many parts of town did not fare well coming out of our record snowfall & deeply cold winter of '07/'08. we have had considerable snow fall so far this season. Recently the temps. have been a bit higher than average and some rain and a recent ice storm had left the roads well burnished, and now all these trappings and pitfalls being covered by lovely white snow, here is what I learned:
- Falling happens often in these conditions.
- Goggles are only effective when you are traveling over 10 miles an hour, otherwise..steam bath for your eyeballs.
- studs may really be a good idea.
- it is possible to fall stylistically if not gracefully.
- drivers do not expect you to be out there, no matter how many bells are ringing or lights are blinking.
- best of all....when the roads are empty and everyone is home for the night in front of the tv; syncopated by your cadence, the sound of the snow under the tires is transcendental...
It's always nice to meet fellow Wisconsinites strange and persistent enough to cycle through the winter, tumbles and all. It is truly wonderous to be out there when even the coddled motorists are unwilling to venture... even if that means occasionally taking the bike for a walk.
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