My clock didn't quite get cleaned...just roughed up a bit.

I was car free in Michigan for a bit...in my late teens and early 20s. Moved away, spent a decade in places with warmer winters and/or the kind of snow that melts.

Moving back to the Upper Midwest, I thought I knew what I was doing. I built up a fixed gear with knobby tires, unpacked my cycling (ski) goggles, and hit up Farm & Fleet for long underwear and gear.

The cold was fine - it was the snow and ice that set me back. I still managed to get everywhere I needed to go, by bike, but my choice of equipment meant that I had to stick to less-than-ideal major streets and keep exploring to a minimum. Fortunately, I didn't get hurt, and fortunately, I now have a really good excuse to get another bike before next winter