I'm posting for the first time in a very long time on this thread, as I commuted in the snow today for the first time. When I got up at 5:00 AM to do some work, there was just a bit of snow dusting the ground in in Beaverton/Hillsboro area. By the time I left at 7:00 AM, I was having second thoughts, as the snow was by then about 1.5 inches. But I tested my Rans Stratus long wheel base recumbant, and found that I had traction, and that the snow did not present slipping problems (less than ice that I was on last week). So I decided to try it.

I went out and got on the bike path near my home, which at that point is a wooden walkway. I managed it fine, if a bit slower than normal. I then got out to the road (173rd, for those who know Beaverton), turned up the onto the sidewalk, and couldn't see where the concrete was and the dirt was. So I got onto the concrete, and started up on the sidewalk. The road had a number of cars stalled as they could not negotiate a short, but fairly steep, hill. I was able to simply pedal right up it. I went by bike path and sidewalk to a shopping center, went through their parking lot, and to Starbucks for a breakfast. My church group usually meets there on Tuesday mornings, but no one else showed up. So I finished breakfast, and started out again for work.

I went slowly down Evergreen Parkway, which has a wide bike path on it. The cars were all driving very slowly and carefully here. But at one point, I got my front wheel into a wheel tread from a car, and that did throw me to the ground; but on the LWB recumbant, it's about like sliding into second base, with no damage except to ego. I got up, and decided to proceed up a secondary road nearby, which I did after I got out my Leatherman Tool and got the snow out of my pedals and shoes (clip-on pedals don't work too well in snow). I stayed on the secondary road until it got to another parking lot, then switched again to the sidewalk, staying off the roadway with car drivers who were very unsure of themselves. I had no further problems, and got to work at about the same time I would have on a normal day.

What I'm impressed with is how stable the LWB recumbant bicycle is in these slippery conditions. It seems more reliable than a car, especially when there are a lot of people out there without a clue as to how to drive in snow.

John