I put my bike away a couple weeks before Christmas in order to spend a maximum amount of time at home enjoying visiting with our three daughters who were in town for the holidays. Well, since that day we've collected quite a blanket of snow and I've experienced several vehicle to vehicle near misses out on the roads.

We just put the last two girls on the train out of town. The house is quiet and peaceful once again (finally). I expect my old codgerly routine to fall back into place within the next few days, but something's missing.

I don't want to take my bike out, not just yet anyway. After seeing the mayhem out on the roads I want no part of it. I've completely lost my nerve. It's gone!

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds for a bit yesterday, the temp. actually got up into the low 20's and the road salt is doing a fine job yet I drove to work this morning as the weather dude is calling for a trace of snow this afternoon! Can you imagine an upstater being nervous over a Trace of Snow?!?!

So at least for the near future, Old Cranky is going to have to make do with the Airdyne down in the basement and I'll be driving my Lil' Pickup truck back and forth to work.

This makes me feel so old.

Take some deep breaths and repeat after me, "This too shall pass." Hang in there, Cranky. You'll get it worked out.

After my oldest son was t-boned by a pickup truck, it took him several months to get back on the road with a bike. He's now riding again (even during the winter months), and he's appropriately more cautious that he was before. I think it's important to ride with confidence and just a bit of heightened awareness. I distinguish heightened awarness from fear. In that, fear can paralyze us, diminish who we are as a person, and send us in a downward spiral.

I've read some academic literature indicating that as people age many become more fearful of physical injury than the data would suggest is appropriate. That is, we're no more likely to be hit by a car, assaulted by an individual, etc. than others. Yet the fear level seems to rise. This makes some sense in that we know it takes us longer to heal or recover from an injury than when we were younger. Yet, I would argue that our judgement is better, we are more viligant, and are more appropriately cautious.... all good things. So, as I said, this too shall pass.

Dont say your nerve has gone. Say you refuse to subject your bike to the ravages of the salt.

Well hop on your bike and go looking for it.

Better to experience vehicle-to-vehicle near-misses in a pickup than on a bike, I say. That's not old; that's how you get to be old.

The problem is not one of nerve or years but rather of season and geography. It's just time to bring the Airdyne upstairs into whatever sunshine the clouds allow.

+1

I've gone through periods like that. Eventually the urge returns. You'll take your bike out and remember why you love riding.

Chicken!!!!!!

The MTB got an airing yesterday so find some offroad to fall onto. Far softer than asphalt.

You had this same issue last winter.

Why not just plan on taking January and February off? If it's part of your plan, then you can't beat yourself up over it.

Well now

It's the middle of winter here. I'm wearing ski socks and a sweat shirt over my merino base layer, 'cos its chilly at 23 C

And I'm still not allowed to ride or walk after my bike tumble.

So, I have 2 spare bedrooms, a Santana Visa tandem, a truly delightful Specialized 1989 lugged steel Sirrus Triple (Wow, my favourite for 20 years), a Trek 7.5 FX and a Rocky Mountain Solo 50 ST steel and carbon Ultegra road bike (that you can't ride or else we'd fall out) and a truly zippy Xootr Swift folder

Why not come, stay, visit, ride?

I'll ask you to shovel all the snow that you meet

Flights are cheap since some wally tried to ignite his underpants

The only "age" factor is that we become better risk mitigators with age. Go ride when it makes sense.