I am indeed impressed with all the photos you folks have posted of your icy/muddy/difficult roads! I have ridden at high altitudes before (Agua Negra in south america, about 15,400 feet, as well as northern pakistan but I have never had a prolonged ride in cold conditions like some of you have!

That being said...the most dangerous cycling condition is wind driven wet snow. When it is simply snowing, your outside gear should be cold enough for the flakes to just bounce off of you, no harm no foul. But if the flakes are wet, they will stick, and when they melt they will absorb a lot of heat because of the "phase change." Specifically the latent heat of fusion is 80 calories per gram...which adds up in a snowstorm. Brr!

I had a survival discussion one time with a USMC SERE guy, who trained navy seals. I had to stop in order to whiz while I was making a tough climb in wet snowy conditions, and I must have whizzed out half a quart of urine at 98.6 degrees. That is a LOT of heat! Plus the heat i lost stopping my climb and exposing my lavaliere to the cold conditions! The fellow mentioned that is a major problem for soldiers in bitter cold conditions, since they must stay hydrated AND keep their body functions functional, as well. I wish all of you a very nice hot bowl of chicken soup!