Winter Cycling - -27C Today And It Was A Beautiful Day For A Ride!

Seeing today was the weekend, it allowed me to go out and enjoy some winter sunshine. It's dark when I ride to work, and it's dark when I leave from work. After shoveling the snow, I thought it would be nice to take a short ride.

Being that it was colder (-27C) it was much nicer to ride in that all the soft slush we had at -17C. These are the conditions I would rather have for the riding surface is much more consistent. It's even easier to ride in the un-ploughed sections for the the tires do not sink in.

It sure was liberating to ride in daylight, no pack and not having to work :) The Ride was not as stressful for some reason, and the control I felt on the road today was fantastic. I wish my commute rides felt like today!

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/733/winride1yr6.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/8505/winride2it5.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/259/winride6fv2.jpg

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/1349/winride5qn7.jpg

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/6776/winride4cw2.jpg

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/6571/winride3ak0.jpg

I was hoping to go for a same type of ride today, but it's snowing again...


I will have to ride later on to my daughter's school.

It is warmer today at -16C

Great pictures ViperZ.

Your roads look like the ones around my neighborhood but you seem to have more snow plowed onto the side of the roads. Its -2C in Calgary today and I will go for a rare daylight ride this afternoon.

Cheers!

T.J.

Thanks TJ :)

I was surprized how much they have ploughed down Eastlake. That is my street I commute down daily so it ws nice to see. Other streets hare really deep washboards of ice and snow, but even when cold, very ridable, not like the other day when it was -10C or so.

Enjoy your ride today! :beer:

If I get out I'll add some more pictures.

I was able to go and play in the snow today. I headed down to Diefenbaker Park and then on to the South Saskatchewan River. There were times while riding to the park where the wind was howling at me and forward progression was pretty slow. Still it was a nice day with all the drifting and blowing snow about. Temperature was about -15C

There was some pretty deep snow around the river trails that I ride, however seldom did I have to get off the bike and walk. Some sections almost endo'ed me as the front tire sunk in deeper than I though it was. I got on to the frozen river and was able to ride quite some distance on the smooth surface of ice and snow. I knew I had to be careful as the South Saskatchewan river is not totally frozen hard yet. It is a very fast flowing river with strong under currents.

I was able to follow the river to nearly the down town core, until I decided it was time to head back home, not that I wanted to, but because of prior commitments. I was out about 2.5 hours, distance would be about 7-10 km.

Defeinbaker Park
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/5766/defride1lc1.jpg

Drifts
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/6859/defride2qs2.jpg

Trail to the South Saskatchewan River
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/4977/defride3sb7.jpg

Persepective shot. Canadian National Grand Trunk Bridge and Queen Elizabeth Power Station in background
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/4392/defride4uk5.jpg

Rocky Mountain Wedge Snow Angel :)
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6477/defride5vf3.jpg

On the River
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/1677/defride6og7.jpg

On the River
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/3431/defride7rf5.jpg

Open Water :eek:
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/2869/defride8ud5.jpg

I skidded to a stop just for this picture
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/1787/defride9zn7.jpg

The tracks I left behind
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/9759/defride10dz2.jpg

The Tracks to be made towards downtown
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/81/defride11ot7.jpg

These are my Merrel Path Finders -15C Rating, I picked them up just for light winder duties and riding. They work great!
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/469/defride12fh1.jpg


Tribute to 2manybikes
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/8203/defride13hw5.jpg

I like the snow angel bicycle. I think that needs to be manditory for all winter riding photo threads.
Thanks for some great photos from Coldada.:D

Does the river ever freeze enough to be safe to ride on?

I've learned more about Saskatoon from your posts/pictures than ever. Fab pictures again ViperZ.

I like the snow angel bicycle. I think that needs to be manditory for all winter riding photo threads.
Thanks for some great photos from Coldada.:D

Does the river ever freeze enough to be safe to ride on?

Thanks, the river does freeze over hard enough to be on it, but the west side always remains open. It's actually a very dangerous river to be on in the winter for it is fast flowing and has lots of strong undertow currents. The River has claimed it fair share of lives :( It's not recommended to be on it at all.



I've learned more about Saskatoon from your posts/pictures than ever. Fab pictures again ViperZ.

Thanks TJ, if you're ever in the area, make sure you stop by :beer:

That goes for anybody visiting too :)

I think your (probably numb and/or frozen) fingers must have slipped...

IS THAT REALLY MINUS 27 DEGREES CELSIUS? :eek:


Wow! Or rather Ow! And you went out in that... for fun?! :eek: :eek:

I think your (probably numb and/or frozen) fingers must have slipped...

IS THAT REALLY MINUS 27 DEGREES CELSIUS? :eek:


Wow! Or rather Ow! And you went out in that... for fun?! :eek: :eek:

The pictures at the top were -27C, the second set of pictures was -15C :)

Living in Saskatchewan, you either lock yourself up during the winter, or you go out and embrace it... I choose to embrace it and have as much fun as I can. I have snowmobiled in -45C, add the windchill of traveling at 30mph, and you are well below -80C :lol:

Thats life here, I suppose that could be one of the reasons we are called "Crazy Canucks" (though I think that's more from our Down Hill Ski Racing team which included Ken Reid, and Steve Podborski :lol: )

It's official. You guys are nuts. That gives a whole new meaning to
the word dedication.

It's official. You guys are nuts. That gives a whole new meaning to
the word dedication.

Thanks :beer: We Canadians take that as a complement :D

Not so much dedication, rather just trying to stay active doing something we love :)

+1 on colder being nicer - I think my rides last week in CGY were nicer when it was -15 to -24C. Today it was +2 and I had to avoid all the side streets - they were like riding in deep sand.

Beautiful Pix Viper.

very beautiful and inspiring pictures Viper. inspiring...

Thanks Folks :beer:


rajman, what freaks me out is when you hit a small pacth of clumped snow or chocolate mousse, your front tire sinks in and is redirected form the forces. A person has to be quick and attentive with the hands and feet :eek:

...you hit a small pacth of clumped snow or chocolate mousse, your front tire sinks in... :eek:

In canada, that'd be CHOCOLATE MOOSE. or just MOOSE POOH. Surely?

I'm sitting here in Southern California where we are in a heatwave of high/low temperature of 105F/74F and you jokers dig out those pictures you took last winter. Is this April Fool's Day in Canada? You shouldn't have referred to the sun as "winter sun" and you would have fooled some people who don't know the location of Canada. Thanks anyhow, they are beautiful pictures and I enjoyed them while sitting in this pool of sweat.