The beauty of winter rides
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The beauty of winter rides
Many posts have been written about the special challenges of riding through a northern climate winter. Today I experienced the other side of the coin, the unique pleasures of it.
When I set off, there was a glittering layer of frost on everything - the road, the path... car windows (keep scraping suckers ). Everywhere my headlight shone, it was as if millions of tiny diamonds were scattered in front of me. Couldn't have seen that in the car.
Coming home, the low sun put a wash of golden light on the snow and the bare poplar trees along the path.
It made the hassles of packing clothes and dressing up to the eyeballs (in summer I often just ride in my office clothes) seem worth it.
When I set off, there was a glittering layer of frost on everything - the road, the path... car windows (keep scraping suckers ). Everywhere my headlight shone, it was as if millions of tiny diamonds were scattered in front of me. Couldn't have seen that in the car.
Coming home, the low sun put a wash of golden light on the snow and the bare poplar trees along the path.
It made the hassles of packing clothes and dressing up to the eyeballs (in summer I often just ride in my office clothes) seem worth it.
#2
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We have had two days of heavy fog with temps hovering around freezing and zero wind. Everything is covered in a thick layer of frost and with the slate gray skies and dry roads its almost surreal as visibility is only 1/4 mile or so at times due to the fog. Pavement has been slick in the morning but damp to dry by afternoon. Unless the wind comes up overnight, I'm taking my camera with me tomorrow for some pictures of our altered landscape.
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Me too.
Also agree with the enjoyment of winter riding. I also take low traffic roads, or a bike path if the commute has to be in rush hour. I used to start work at 5 in the morning and would only see about 2 vehicles moving on my way in.
Even on a very cold dark busier morning, another bicyclist pulled up beside me at a red light and said "I'm still glad I'm out here, and not in one of those cars." There was something funny about it and I enjoyed it.
Also agree with the enjoyment of winter riding. I also take low traffic roads, or a bike path if the commute has to be in rush hour. I used to start work at 5 in the morning and would only see about 2 vehicles moving on my way in.
Even on a very cold dark busier morning, another bicyclist pulled up beside me at a red light and said "I'm still glad I'm out here, and not in one of those cars." There was something funny about it and I enjoyed it.
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When it comes to riding in the Winter. Some people just don't know what they're missing.
#6
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Rhondabike: Funny you post this up. I've posted on my blog in the past couple of weeks about this very subject a couple of times. This has been my first winter commuting and I've enjoyed it a great deal. It's been much more fun and rewarding than I ever dreamed it could have been. Admittedly we've had a mild winter by all accounts but that is not to say there hasn't been challenges of cold temps or high winds. All in all though I've got to count my first year of winter commuting a raging success.
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