Converted the bike over to winter mode last night. Installed the studded snow tires [Nikoian 700/35s] and put the panniers on. Needless to say, with the treaded studs and the weight on the bike, it felt pretty sluggish. Had to lower one more gear across the board on the uphills. Oh well, when the touring tires go back on in the spring it will feel like a rocket

The ride this am was a chilly 24f when I left the house. Wearing a jacket is much more efficient without having to use a backpack. Need to sort out glasses and goggles. It seems the biggest issue when it's cold out relates to fogging of the glasses. Maybe one of those neoprene balaclavas might work out. The windproof one I'm using [perfromance] seems to direct breath to under the glasses.

Someday, I will hit the prefect setup... it seems like a never ending quest though.