As most of you know, up here at the 52° Latitude, during the winter months, our sun rises at about 9:00 AM and sets at 5:00 PM. This means when I commute it's dark when I leave to work, and it's dark when I leave for home. Our winters can feel pretty long when you barely see any day light, and darkness is all your use to seeing.
Today was a good day because not only did the Groundhog not see his shadow (early spring http://www.htguide.com/forum/images/smilies/dancebanana.gif ), The days are definitely getting longer.
These are 2 pictures I took on the Broadway Bridge today during my commute to work and to home. The first one was at 8:02 AM, and the second one is at 5:12 PM. Temperature was about -22C both ways.
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1552/southsaskvp5.jpg
The Moon
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/7714/southsask2qw6.jpg
The Sun
In mid December it would be even darker on the way to work, and just as dark on the way home, so the pictures would almost look the same :lol:
Now I love Winter biking and all, but hopefully spring will be soon!
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.
I admire all you guys up there, dealing with those really long winters. All that dark would make me wanna put a gun to my head or something. Hope the rest of the winter goes by fast for ya.
And great pics (as usual) :)
Machka
First, I refer to a great site called timeanddate to see what time it is around the world, and also to determine when the sun will come up and go down (good to know for many of my rides). The site will tell you the duration of daylight every day, and how much more daylight we are receiving each day than the day before. It's an interesting site.
http://www.timeanddate.com/
Where I live now, I'm getting about 9 hours and 15 minutes of daylight.
Our shortest days are about 7 hours and 40 minutes, and our longest days (in June) are about 16 hours and 40 minutes.
So while we are shrouded in darkness for a little while here in the winter, we get more sun than our southerly neighbors during the summer. :)
Second, I always have to laugh about that gopher and shadow thing. If the gopher sees his shadow, we get an early spring. If the gopher doesn't see his shadow, that means there are 6 more weeks of winter. Well around here, if winter lasted only 6 more weeks, I'd be thrilled!! 6 weeks would be a very early spring!! That would put it early March!
ViperZ
I admire all you guys up there, dealing with those really long winters. All that dark would make me wanna put a gun to my head or something. Hope the rest of the winter goes by fast for ya.
And great pics (as usual) :)
Thanks RottenB :beer:
After many years of it, you become conditioned :lol: The converse of it is we do get a lot of day light in the summer where sunrise and sunset is ~ 4:46am & 9:14pm
First, I refer to a great site called timeanddate to see what time it is around the world, and also to determine when the sun will come up and go down (good to know for many of my rides). The site will tell you the duration of daylight every day, and how much more daylight we are receiving each day than the day before. It's an interesting site.
http://www.timeanddate.com/
Where I live now, I'm getting about 9 hours and 15 minutes of daylight.
Our shortest days are about 7 hours and 40 minutes, and our longest days (in June) are about 16 hours and 40 minutes.
So while we are shrouded in darkness for a little while here in the winter, we get more sun than our southerly neighbors during the summer. :)
Second, I always have to laugh about that gopher and shadow thing. If the gopher sees his shadow, we get an early spring. If the gopher doesn't see his shadow, that means there are 6 more weeks of winter. Well around here, if winter lasted only 6 more weeks, I'd be thrilled!! 6 weeks would be a very early spring!! That would put it early March!
That's a nice site Machka, Thanks! I usually just refer to my weather station for the sunrise and sunset times as well as what my riding conditions will be. Actually I always check it before I leave the house in general.
http://www.sasktelwebsite.net/fung1/temp.jpg
Sunrise & sunset on this date (1/29/2004) was 8:54am & 5:44pm.
That is funny on on the Ground Hog... The 6 weeks probably takes into account that winter would last till mid March before it even started to feel like spring. I'm hoping by March, Spring is in full swing and all the snow is gone, however I don't think that is likely.....
It is just a old tale anyway. If it was overcast, that could change the results as well, so basically it's a flawed tale from the get go.... ;)
ViperZ
Today I'm giving the bike a mid winter overhaul.
Man winters sure can be hard on a bike. It's too bad my real winter beater is one step closer to the dump :(
Rotten Bastard
It's too bad my real winter beater is one step closer to the dump :(
You mean your Wedge?
Can I have it? ;)
Machka
That is funny on on the Ground Hog... The 6 weeks probably takes into account that winter would last till mid March before it even started to feel like spring. I'm hoping by March, Spring is in full swing and all the snow is gone, however I don't think that is likely.....
It is just a old tale anyway. If it was overcast, that could change the results as well, so basically it's a flawed tale from the get go.... ;)
It's a tale that is based on conditions in Pennsylvania where the whole ground hog thing started. Perhaps if winter lasted 6 more weeks in Pennsylvania that would be a very long winter, and perhaps an "early spring" means it will come in 2-4 weeks instead.
I think they should have updated it for Canada to say that if the ground hog sees his shadow, there will be 10 more weeks of winter, but if the ground hog does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring (i.e. in 6-8 more weeks).
Each year I hope that spring will be in full force in March, and most years I'm disappointed.
ViperZ
You mean your Wedge?
Can I have it? ;)
:lol: My GT Kkarakoram :)
I think the prospect of an early spring always sounds better than 6 or more weeks of winter, regardless if we had to endure 6 weeks at a minimum to hit spring :)
However 10 Weeks would be more realistic.
ViperZ
That Spring may have gotten further away with the fresh dump of snow we are getting right now :(
Here are some pictures I just took. It's snowing very strong and should continue through the night.
You got the thead title wrong. It should be "Boo-hoo, the days are getting longer!" There is just something so nice and peaceful about my dark commutes. I love 'em... Much better than Toronto's grey mornings...
Rotten Bastard
That Spring may have gotten further away with the fresh dump of snow we are getting right now :(
Looks like winter launched another counterattack. :(
ViperZ
You got the thead title wrong. It should be "Boo-hoo, the days are getting longer!" There is just something so nice and peaceful about my dark commutes. I love 'em... Much better than Toronto's grey mornings...
I know what you are saying, and can sympathize with it as well. It is a special feeling to be riding alone in the dark, on snow and ice, during a time when most everyone looks at you as if you're crazy. However I do look forward to riding my road bike again for the long weekend club rides, and exploring the dirt trails on MTB.
The early morning commutes when the sun is shining and you are in shorts and a tee shirt are pretty amazing too, only thing is those days do have their minuses like giving me a feeling like I don't want to go to work and would rather keep riding and enjoy the day outside :lol:
Looks like winter launched another counterattack. :(
You have that right RottenB :lol: I may have spoke too soon :o
ViperZ
-32C today (-25.5F). It was a beautiful day for a ride. Frost had built up on my pack just from the ride.
The pictures are not as picturesque, however I was late for work so I just snapped a few quick ones.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/8914/32cride1za1.jpg
I rode down the other side of the bridge than I typically ride down, just for a different perspective.
The pictures are not as picturesque, however I was late for work so I just snapped a few quick ones.
Pretty good pics, nevertheless, Viperz.
Hey, I finally got a mtn bike, a Rocky Mountain Fusion. I managed to get through a couple miles of unplowed streets today with about 3-4 inches of snow on them. What a pain in the haggis! I don't know how you manage it. I guess I'm gonna have to build up my stamina.
BTW do you use studded tires?
ViperZ
Pretty good pics, nevertheless, Viperz.
Hey, I finally got a mtn bike, a Rocky Mountain Fusion. I managed to get through a couple miles of unplowed streets today with about 3-4 inches of snow on them. What a pain in the haggis! I don't know how you manage it. I guess I'm gonna have to build up my stamina.
BTW do you use studded tires?
Thanks Rotten :)
A Rocky Fusion is a solid bike! Congrats :beer:
The un-plowed streets are tough and takes a lot of attentiveness to maintain control. I like when the streets have packed down to be hard packed snow and ice. It still takes a lot of effort to ride, but at least you are fighting one less battle.
The upside is it should make spring and summer riding on a road bike that much easier :D
Yes use a Continental 240 Spike Claw tire, they work very well and the rubber it's self has a nice grip on ice. The tread is a nice open block that does not clog with snow, and the studs are carbide tipped, thus stay very sharp.
Cool shots Viper! These picture threads of yours are always worth a look.
Denny
ViperZ
Cool shots Viper! These picture threads of yours are always worth a look.
Denny
Thanks for the good words Denny :beer:
ViperZ
-11C today, what an about face in temp.
I love how the hard pack snow sounds under my tires at this temperature... It's like a hollow compression sound of the studs and tires on the snow, that reminds me of walking to the skating rink in my skates as a young tad :)
Cromulent
-11C today, what an about face in temp.
-11C? That's balmy. I'm surprised you aren't in shorts and a jersey. :D
Awesome photos, as always.
ViperZ
-11C? That's balmy. I'm surprised you aren't in shorts and a jersey. :D
Awesome photos, as always.
Thanks Cromulent. You are right, I knew I should have packed along my MTB shorts :lol:
So the temperature when I left work was -3C, what a huge swing from yesterday :eek:
As I was getting on to the Broadway bridge, I noticed another club rider that is my bestest road riding buddy Hans! It sure was nice to see him and catch up. We rode my distance home, and I sure wanted to keep going if it weren't for other commitments. It made me realize how much I miss riding with my club on our 100km weekend rides together. I'm so looking forward to it now!
Notice how light it's getting even from a week ago, this picture is 10 minutes later than the second picture at top.
Crap, today after a long stressful day of work, I came out to flat rear tire :( What a drag!
I haven't fixed it yet, but will get to it soon to see what caused it.
WARNING: Never laugh at or tempt fate... I had stated this in another thread a day before:
I hate to say it as well, however in all my years of MTB riding, I have never flatted or pinched flatted either. However I'm sure I just jinxed myself by expressing that :D
Contex in Thread Here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=270306)