the morning ride was really nice. all the snow has been flattened down - uh, flat - by cars, and it never got above freezing all night, so it was just really smooth and steady. hardly any ruts anywhere, but i kept my speed down a bit anyway just in case. the only thing that worried me was gravity, specially once i discovered my brakes need replacing again and i was doing parts of the ride by braking with one foot trailed on the ground. i skipped the last few really steep blocks i usually use heading down to the bridge because of it, and went across to where there was a sidewalk instead, and less of a slope.

rode all the way over the bridge - yay. it was rough and chunky in spots, but so much better than last month. that's probably partly me being much stronger after a month of the studded tires, but it was also just easier snow to deal with. i took buses most of the way home though, because of the brakes. i REALLY need to pick up new pads. that was the only thing wrong with the morning ride.

the guy on the other side of my desk asks every day if i rode, but he just laughs at everything i say after that. i think it's just because he doesn't know what else to do, so i don't take it personally. there's an edge of the hysterical-giggle in it. i do try sometimes to convince people that i'm so cautious and stodgy in weather like this that there's absolutely nothing exciting about me riding, but it doesn't seem to sink in somehow. his elbow is getting better, i'm glad to say.