06 February 2014

Where Are The Bikes In Sochi?

This year's Winter Olympics are scheduled to begin tomorrow in Sochi.

While I love both speed and figure skating and some of the other sports, I have never understood why there isn't a cycling event in the Winter Games.

After all, countless cyclists ride in snow and over ice, down mountains and across ponds.  Some even do those things on purpose.

I admit that, at various times in my life, I was one of them--especially when I had a mountain bike.  I suppose I could put some knobby tires on an old bike and make myself a faux cyclo-cross machine, which could work well in wintry conditions.

If I were to do something like that now, it would take me a long time to be as accomplished a rider on snow and ice as these folks in Poland seem to be:






Both photos are from Icebike.

05 February 2014

Moonscape?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to cycle on the moon?

Hmm...I guess it would be easier to climb, given that I'd weigh much less but have the same musculature I have on Earth.  Hydration might be a bit of a problem, though.  And I wonder whether I'd need new lights.

This is probably as close as most people will ever come to pedaling across the lunar surface:


From HubPages
 

04 February 2014

On Ice

I didn't ride my bike to work today. In fact, I'm not riding at all.

Blasphemy, you say.

Well, I took one look out my window and saw ice everywhere. Not just patches; I think the sidewalk in front of my place was the beginning of the Great Queens Glacier. At least the light was interesting: