Consecutive bicycle work commute number 1542:
Today's commute was a challenge. To put it another way, it "drew water into the mouth by a partial vacuum created via the lips and tongue." Halfway to work I was seriously questioning why I do this, and the feasibility of purchasing a vehicle for me to drive to work. There was no enjoyment in the ride. I'm already over winter commuting and it's only November. Hopefully my attitude about riding in the winter will improve before too long.
One of the problems was the weather. The predicted weather was 27°F with a light cross wind and sunny skies. The actual weather was dark, 19°F with a fierce headwind (5° wind chill) and snow falling. There was about 1/4" of snow on the ground (on top of the 1/4" we received yesterday) so once again I took a winter bike. At some point during the night some freezing rain fell, creating a layer of ice beneath the snow and in the areas where the pavement was exposed, so it was good to have my studded tires.
It took me right at an hour to ride the 8 miles to the office.
A few weeks ago I tried out the neoprene socks my wife had given me months ago. I gave them their second commute today. This time I wore regular socks underneath them, which helped with the sweat absorption. They were drenched by the time I got to work, which meant my feet were warm enough to sweat. Unfortunately, I have come to realize that the neoprene socks are just too small to be comfortable. With them on I am unable to wiggle my toes, and halfway to work they were painful to the point of distraction. I have new sympathy to those young Chinese girls subjected to foot binding. I have wide size 13 feet shaped like a duck's foot, so it's difficult for me to find footwear large enough to fit correctly. These neoprene socks were the largest size they made, but just too tight for my feet. I'll have to find someone with smaller feet to give them to.
It's interesting how much of me was freezing cold from the wind, yet parts of me were dripping with sweat. I already mentioned my feet. I also had sweat dripping off my brow on the inside of my goggles.
When I arrived at the office, a co-worker who commutes via bicycle (when it's above 20°F and no snow on the ground) was also arriving. However, he was in his car. He snapped a photo of me:
