I didn't have much expectation for today's ride. We've had something like 40-45 cm of snow in the last five days and, as of this morning, the city hadn't cleared the streets. Parked cars were locked in drifts that almost-melted and then re-froze like iron. The streets themselves were choked to less than a lane, with a ridge of hardened slush down the middle.

At wake-up, it was -5C outside, with a 40 km/h westerly wind gusting to 50 km/h. This was not a promising day, and if I'd had any sense, I would have blown off the ride and the day. But I hadn't ridden since Monday, and I was getting antsy. I'd been to a spinning class which, though strenuous, just wasn't the same thing. I figured I could get the bike out and do some repeat climbs for 45 minutes on one of the steeper hills. If nothing else, I'd get the ride fever out of my system for a while and I'd be able to pat myself on the back for being the hardcore of hardcore.

I put on two jerseys [one polypropylene], two pairs of tights [one polypropylene], to pairs of wool dress socks [ideal for this time of year], my cold weather jacket, balaclava, super-insulated gloves, shoes, booties and helmet. I wore sunglasses because the sun was starting to come out. I hopped on my cyclocross bike, bashed through a couple of snowdrifts and headed out.

On the warmup leg, a guy passed me on a burgundy 4x4, slowed down, dropped his auto-window and gave me the thumbs-up with a big grin. He envied me. Maybe this ride would exceed expectations.

I did my discipline climbs -- a short one up Claremont to warm up and then the traditional charge up Mount Pleasant. This is where I test myself. The average grade must be around 15%, and there are stretches that must exceed 20%. It's about 1,800m long, and a truly hard grind. I didn't expect anything except to push my AT a bit. I did. I also beat my personal best time.

This ride was turning out okay!

After a recovery lap on Summit Circle, I dropped down Trafalgar Hill, crossed over Cote des Neiges [aptly named today], and climbed Remembrance Road to the top part of Mount Royal. Mount Royal is our big city park. It's a truly expansive place, designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead in 1876. Many people believe it was his best work.

These are some pictures:





The view of the city is phenomenal and, with the sun at its highest point, and the temperature above freezing, it was an amazing place. The old caleche road was hardpacked snow -- ideal for my 30mm knobbies -- and the trees cut the wind down to almost nothing. I shared the mountain with cross country skiiers, nature-walkers and a handful of other cyclists. It was a magnificent place to be on a magnificent day. Utter magic.

After a few loops of the upper caleche road, I headed back, I helped a woman whose car had stalled at the merge of Remembrance and Cote des Neiges, climbed Trafalgar heights and headed to my own neighbourhood just in time to see the snow clearing equipment sweep my street clean.

My 45 minutes had become 90 minutes, and my ride had exceeded all expectations.

Those 2 pictures on top make me feel weird, especially the middle one......it makes me think that I could go out and ride the trails and get muddy.....but I cant!!! because we still have tons of snow!

nice pics, glad the ride turned out good

it must be fun to ride narrow trails like that between the trees, here in vegas it's treeless desert as far as the eye can see. kinda miss seeing the greenery but oh well

Fist of all, I should point out that those are promo pix from the Montreal tourist site and that the Mountain is covered with snow. There is very little deciduous folliuage, so the trails aren't all that narrow right now and, aside from a dart off to one of the lookouts, I kept to the caleche road -- that wide dirt road in the top picture [imagine it covered with snow]. On the other hand, the bottom picture is pretty much what I saw today. I actually went along that trail [it's behind the main lookout] on the hardpack snow. Total blast.

I'm curious what tires are you using on your bike, and do they eat up the snow pretty well?

I have a Michelin Sprint semi-slick on the front and a Michelin Mud knobby on the rear -- both 30c. For next winter, though, I think I'll go with 35c knobbies -- probably Kenda Kross -- for the snow. The tires I have now are a little squidgy on descents.