Ice biking

So I rode home in an ice storm last night, and when I arrived, there was so much snow and slush and road grit in my drivetrain that I thought, "I have to take pictures!"

Of course, by the time I'd de-Gore Texed myself sufficiently to pad over to where the camera was, half the gunk had melted off the bike. So just mentally double what you see here, and please, be impressed.

There was nearly an inch of untreated, unplowed snow on the bridge. I cycled up it, and down it, reminding myself of the strategies I use when driving a car in snow. They apply quite similarly, except that for "use your gears to slow you down," you substitute "use your legs to slow you down."

I would not have wanted to be on a freewheel that night. It'd be skid city.

Also, I heard later that the ice storm that started to kick up about 20 minutes from my house eventually laid down some serious black ice. And that would have been a problem for me, controlled-skid neophyte that I am.

Anyway, it was quite an interesting experience to ride in unplowed snow. Not as difficult as I would have expected, but the slushy bits were more difficult than I would have expected. Turns out you don't want to ride in the tire tracks of other cyclists; you're better off choosing the pristine snowfall - it gives you a bit of traction.

I got more yarn for gifts today - family gifts. From here until deadline time it's all about the family gifts (and has been, for a while now).