At the beginning of 2007 one of my two goals was to ride to Irma's at least once every month of the year, eat pie, drink coffee and flirt with the waitress. What I need a ruling on is todays ride. When I left the house this morning the temps were in the upper 20's and it was snowing lightly. In the spirit of adventure I didn't let this stop me. In a clear case of gross stupidity, I didn't turn back after I wiped out on the snow and ice while making a turn some 9 miles out. Nor did I stop when I had problems going uphill because my back wheel kept slipping on the snow. I thought about it around mile 17 because the bike was having problems tracking in the deeping snow(note to self-road tires do not work well on snow and ice), however decided not as I had only 3 more miles to go at least only 3 miles to Irma's. At this point I was avoiding thoughts of the ride home. I made it to Irma's somewhat safely and went inside where I basked in the glow of warmth, apple pie, coffeee and the admiring comments on the state of my sanity from the other denizens therein. As the glow started to fade, I started to think about the 20 miles back to Monroe and home. Suddenly I began to feel a bit less adventuresome and a lot less manly. I couldn't call Skipper, who being somewhat more intelligent than I, had stayed at his home where it was warm, dry and where his wife was undoubtedly baking some elderberry pie. The roads truly were treacherous by now and I figured it was unsafe and unfair to call for his help. It was at this point that a good samaritan spoke up and noted that while he admired my courage and fortitude he did have a truck and a need to go to Monroe and would my bike and I be interested in a ride? Well, what with discretion being the better part of valor, I allowed as how my bike, being somewhat less hardy than I, would probably appreciate that offer ever so much. Well this meant, of course, that I also had to accept a ride as I wasn't going to hike 20 miles in my biking shoes, not that I couldn't mind you, I just wouldn't. So here I sit wondering if this ride counted toward my goal as I rode only 1/2 of the usual mileage. Does doing battle with the elements account for the difference in mileage or am I forced to go purchase studded tires or hope for a heatwave, however unlikely in sw wi in dec.?

Doesn't count. Good story, though!

If you have stated your goal to us properly, it was "to ride TO Irma's" once a month. You did that. The only problem I see is that you have a friend named "Skipper".

You get a V for valiant effort, but, you'll have to make the ride before the end of the month to meet your goal. Hope for warmer weather!

Just get the studded tires, you know you want them.

I agree. You get bonus points if you were able to persuade the truck driver to pay for your pie.

You rode to Irma's this month, didn't you? So for me it counts. And, by the way, the effort you had to produce with a wheel slipping on snow and the overall coldness was probably higher than the full roundtrip on a clear and warm summer day.

I can make a ruling after getting an answer to this one question; did you flirt with the waitress?

And to think I was proud of myself for coming in with a rosy glow this morning from riding early in the mid 40's. Yours was a "chilling" experience well told...I smiled all through it. Hope you bought that samaritan a piece of pie "on account" for the next time he stops in at Irma's.

That was a good story and it made me feel glad that I'm down here now. I see that white stuff and I start to shake just looking at it.

You are a braver man than I, rck. I took a look at the snow and the weather map, and immediately canceled my riding plans. Didn't see a single person out on a bike in my drive to New Glarus and back.

BTW, where is "Irma's?" Is that the restaurant over in Argyle?

I've live in Florida these many years but your post reminded me that as a youth/child in Massachusetts, I had a re-occurring fantasy about somehow making studded tires for my bicycle. The idea of riding in the snow was too enticing (not to mention "enicing!") for words. I never did it. If studded tires exist, and if they work, then for heaven's sake buy a set. What could possibly be more fun?!

There are several studded bike tire options:

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/searc...lts.asp?cat=su

https://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/TR1103

https://www.modernbike.com/itemgroup....175098&TID=367

Yeah, what could you have been thinking to have befriended someone called "Skipper"?

Given the conditions, I'd say it counts. You know as well as I do that when I do my December Irma's Pie Ride you will be right there with me. A slip and fall today would probably have screwed up my back even more than it already is. I have to tell you though, I enjoyed reading your story inspite of having heard it in our phone conversation earlier today.

The only useful thought that came to mind was:

"Send picture of waitress".

I mean, it could not possibly have been the pie or coffee.....

SB

When I rode in Michigan, I stopped when conditions got like that. I found that generally unless snow was coming down right then, the roads tended to be clear albeit salt encrusted. I never did use studded tires but I did wipe out a few times on ice so maybe they would have been a good thing.

We northerners are a hardy lot. Intelligence, however, is still debated hotly (and the "hotly" part often refers to hot brandy).

Seconded. You da Man!

If there is an asterisk in the book then you can clear it.

Get someone to drive you and the bike there.......eat more pie.....flirt.....and ride home.

geesh how hard can it be.....pie, waitress, ride......pie, waitress, ride?

The only part of your sanity I question is the road tires!! Knobbies or studs, next months ride will be more of the same and you know you don't want to miss the pie or the waitress

Yeah, and bonus points will be awarded if the waitress misses you. You get double points if she's hot.

I'm afraid I'm struggling with this one.

Of course, the ruling will be that 'yes, you are nuts', but I can't work out whether it's because you attempted said trip, because you didn't have the right tyres, because you WILL do it next month (or we'll be merciless), or because you failed to flirt with the waitress.

Richard
incidentally, it's 25 outside as I type this, 25C and rising

Doesn't count. You must get studded tires, then go back for more pie.

BluesDawg beat me to it! Come clean. Did you or did you not flirt with the waitress, or were you off your game due the conditions in the frozen north?

Absolutely it counts. Now tell us more about the waitress......