It was so sunny today, I had to break out the sunglasses!



On the other hand, 20F is a new low for me for a commute. I did a mountain bike race a couple of years ago that was a couple of degrees colder. I was much better dressed for today's commute and it was actually really pleasant. It's not often you get to ride your bike on a sunny day in January in the PNW!

I don't own a balaclava and I've found that my beard just doesn't provide adequate warmth at temps this low. What I do have is a Half Buff that I got at the 2015 Ride Around Clark County. It's been sitting in my glove and hat pile for the last year and a half during which time I never quite understood its purpose. I've been wearing it this week to keep my neck warm and today I resorted to pulling it up over my nose. This particular Buff is designed for UV protection, not warmth, but I've been shocked at how much warmth, or at least wind protection, it provides at these temperatures. Add to that a knit cap and thermal head band and I was a happy biker!