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-   -   When Polar Vortexes are awesome... (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/981438-when-polar-vortexes-awesome.html)

tjspiel 11-13-14 08:58 AM

When Polar Vortexes are awesome...
 
At 2:00 am this morning, I left the office. Temp was in the 20s and it was snowing lightly. The city was about as quiet as it ever gets. The trails were mostly hardpack which is really nice to ride on. Even the streets around my house were either covered in hardpack or a relatively uniform layer of ice. Better still was the fact that I had the roads virtually to myself.

One cool thing about winter is that even though the days are short, it's never really dark when there's snow on the ground. There's always a glow...

And I had a tailwind.

revcp 11-13-14 09:13 AM

Nice.

RidingMatthew 11-13-14 10:23 AM

thanks for the reminders of the positives of Polar Vortexes.

ride safe.

headloss 11-13-14 11:01 AM

I came in here to give you a hard time and say that Polar Vortexes are NEVER awesome... but you actually make some good points.

TransitBiker 11-13-14 11:43 AM

Winter isn't for another 6 weeks!

That said, I'm looking forward to this cold season (regardless of actual season)!! :)

- Andy

tjspiel 11-13-14 11:55 AM


Originally Posted by TransitBiker (Post 17303494)
Winter isn't for another 6 weeks!

That said, I'm looking forward to this cold season (regardless of actual season)!! :)

- Andy

I'd much rather have it start 6 weeks early than end 6 weeks late. Hopefully it won't do both.

Fishmonger 11-13-14 11:57 AM

Ah! The soft crunching of snow under your tires, and the rest of the sleeping world muffled by the snowfall around you. Peace and happiness!

tjspiel 11-13-14 12:01 PM


Originally Posted by Fishmonger (Post 17303550)
Ah! The soft crunching of snow under your tires, and the rest of the sleeping world muffled by the snowfall around you. Peace and happiness!

Winter commuting can be very challenging at times, but those wee hour commutes back home with a light snowfall and moderate temps are gems.

I mostly keep regular hours at work but I have a somewhat flexible schedule and in exchange for that flexibility, sometimes I'll stay late to try to get a ton of work done while the office is quiet.

TransitBiker 11-13-14 12:42 PM

I prefer light snowfall, 15 degrees, calm wind. I don't exactly have winter tires... I went from stock cruiser "brick road" tread to serfas inverted tread, to directional large tread, to the relatively all season/hybrid terrain tread the freedom cruz (f) and kenda kwik trax (r). I'm somewhat confident that I can get more rides on snowy days with these new tires vs any of the old ones.

- Andy

noglider 11-13-14 05:01 PM

Vortexes? Vortices?

dramiscram 11-13-14 05:13 PM

No snow yet up here!

CrankyOne 11-13-14 05:30 PM

You certainly get the positive attitude of the day award. It is amazing how much better you can see with fresh snow on the ground. Fun post.

BobbyG 11-13-14 05:38 PM

:thumb:

wolfchild 11-13-14 05:55 PM


Originally Posted by tjspiel (Post 17302845)
At 2:00 am this morning, I left the office. Temp was in the 20s and it was snowing lightly. The city was about as quiet as it ever gets. The trails were mostly hardpack which is really nice to ride on. Even the streets around my house were either covered in hardpack or a relatively uniform layer of ice. Better still was the fact that I had the roads virtually to myself.

One cool thing about winter is that even though the days are short, it's never really dark when there's snow on the ground. There's always a glow...

And I had a tailwind.

That nice... Some days I leave home at 5:00 in the morning and have similar experience as you had at 2:00AM.

joeyduck 11-13-14 06:11 PM

That is certainly awesome. That scene is a reason winter is my favorite season.

My favorite sound is snow falling in the woods.

One of my favorite smells is when it is about to snow.

I now live in an area where it involves a long drive to experience it. Sad face.

megalowmatt 11-14-14 02:32 AM

I'd like to try that once.

dscheidt 11-14-14 07:51 AM


Originally Posted by tjspiel (Post 17302845)

And I had a tailwind.

Now I know your lying....

RidingMatthew 11-14-14 08:06 AM


Originally Posted by dscheidt (Post 17306245)
Now I know your lying....

haha funny stuff

tarwheel 11-14-14 08:22 AM

A polar vortex in NC means we get cold rain rather than cool rain.

Marcus_Ti 11-14-14 08:27 AM

So it is -17C outside...and just opening the damn door it is cold out. I think that is almost the temperature where the Lions win the superbowl


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