I left the house a few minutes early this morning, figuring that the half mile section of gravel path, by the Delaware and Raritan Canal, would be impassible under Tuesday's icy snow. But the roads are clear enough, and I made good time, avoiding the foot wide patch of black ice along the edge. Got to the station, where I found the whole station, some 30 acres of car parking, sidewalks, train platform, etc, had been neatly plowed and shoveled. All except...
the bike lockers. Why would anyone shovel out the bike lockers?
There was a guy warming up one of the large yellow earth moving machines they use for pushing around the mountains of snow on the parking lot; and I asked him if he had a snow shovel. No, he said, they lock all that stuff up at night. So I got out the biggest tool in the repair kit on my bike, and started chopping. Pain in the neck. One of the other commuters, waiting on the platform, came over to help, which I appreciated; but there really wasn't room enough for two people to work.
I didn't miss my train, but it was close.