Today we got a respite from the coldest weather we've had in about three years. Still, by the standards of some parts of the world, 3F (-16C), is fairly balmy. Transplants from the bitter steppes of the Upper Midwest and expats from places like Novosibrisk (Doesn't it just sound bone-chilling?) laugh when they see the fuss New Yorkers make about such temperatures and a few inches of snow.
I find it pretty funny when people ask me whether I "still ride" in the cold. They never ask the same of people who go out for walks or go outdoors for just about any other activity besides swimming. Really, the cold doesn't bother me much, though I admit that when it conspires with wind and wetness, I might decide to stay home and cook up a pot of tomato sauce--of which I'll freeze most.
The thing that made today a relatively unpleasant day to ride (I did only a few miles.) was the intermittent rain and the slush that had become of the snow that fell the other night. I know, I have two bikes with fenders, those bikes and I can stay relatively clean and dry. But such conditions are still not a whole lot of fun for riding.
I wonder whether people who live in really cold climates feel the same way: undeterred by cold itself, but daunted by some of the things that accompany it. When it's cold, you can just add more layers of clothing. Your body warms up almost as soon as you start pedaling. (At least, mine does.) But when there's ice, slush and other stuff, it's--for me, anyway--a bit more challenging.
I find it pretty funny when people ask me whether I "still ride" in the cold. They never ask the same of people who go out for walks or go outdoors for just about any other activity besides swimming. Really, the cold doesn't bother me much, though I admit that when it conspires with wind and wetness, I might decide to stay home and cook up a pot of tomato sauce--of which I'll freeze most.
The thing that made today a relatively unpleasant day to ride (I did only a few miles.) was the intermittent rain and the slush that had become of the snow that fell the other night. I know, I have two bikes with fenders, those bikes and I can stay relatively clean and dry. But such conditions are still not a whole lot of fun for riding.
I wonder whether people who live in really cold climates feel the same way: undeterred by cold itself, but daunted by some of the things that accompany it. When it's cold, you can just add more layers of clothing. Your body warms up almost as soon as you start pedaling. (At least, mine does.) But when there's ice, slush and other stuff, it's--for me, anyway--a bit more challenging.
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| From Fader |
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