Tonight was a truly awesome ride. We are in the middle of what seems to be a week long winter storm. What is reported to be at least 20 inches of the fluffy white powder has blanketed the city. Transportation has ground to a halt. But for some some of us, little has changed. It only takes me an extra 10 minutes to get to work compared to my summer bike commute. I passed rows of cars idling cars this morning, all going nowhere, fast. Total productivity bomb.

Going to work was tougher than usual with all of the mashed potato like snow on the main roads. I’m riding the Raleigh Sprite 27″ touring bike to work right now and have retired the Simpson’s Sears road bike.  Despite the headwind, there were some nice points to the ride, such as riding the Norwood bridge over the Red River. I could feel the sun’s rays still warm despite the frigid temperatures.

The ride home was another story however. After midnight, the streets were clear of cars. Only a few cautious or daring individuals and of course the hand full of jacked up 4×4’s tooling about.

3 foot drifts were plowed through with ease as the snow had only barely settled into white dunes. My bike literally exploding through the alien yet all to familiar landscape. Only days ago the brown barren surroundings were poised, frozen, just waiting for winter to happen. Over night it’s like all of the bike routes and paths have been made over for my enjoyment or suffering…?

50km per hour  tail winds rocketed me through the back roads. Well what you could see of them anyway. Just two narrow black strips on either side of the street. The black patch was the route to stick to. Like a piece of single track written in black and white. One wrong move and you would bail into the unknown white drifts or ditches.

Riding at this speed, at night, through the white landscape is truly a unique experience.  Truly not the safest activity mind you, not unlike like downhill skiing,  as you dress similarly, however not like snowmobiling where you here nothing but the engine. Winter bike riding or commuting is nearly silent except for the wind and the bite of your tires in the snow and ice.

If you can do it during the winter, disbelievers will have no excuse for not getting on a bike this coming summer. I didn’t spot any other cyclist today, but lately there have been quite a few Winnipeger’s taking to this two wheeled winter entertainment.  There isn’t a mountain around for 1000 km, what else are you gonna do?

Halos

This May, Winnipeg has been experiencing a heat wave. Temperatures in the high twenties every day. It’s like summer with out the mosquitoes. I remember snow falling on many May Long weekend camping trips growing up. But not this year. It’s been great bike riding weather since early April and the cycling peoples of Winnipeg are definitely taking advantage of it.

There’s nothing like the cool breeze on your back in sweltering hot weather, the kind you don’t get wearing a back pack or messenger bag. For the commuters out there, I cannot more highly recommend the use of panniers on really hot days. No constriction on your upper body, or sweaty back, just the cool breeze… and a weighty reminder to take it easy.

The UV Index was also very high today at a 6.0, so I wore an ultra thin full sleeve jersey. The long sleeves may be the slightest bit warmer, but far less so than the constant burning of a glowing sunburn while typing away in your cubicle.  I can still feel the sun beating down on my neck as I write this. I need to get more full collared jerseys.

There’s a crazy amount of bikes zipping around this year compared to last. Cyclists on the street, some on the sidewalks, lot’s of kids on dirt jumpers. This must be the latest fad.  Dirt jumpers are like a BMX’s on steroids with a totally slammed seat, fat tires and fat shocks. I don’t know how they pedal around a flat prairie city like that? No less with a Slurpee in one hand!

I’m just happy to see people discovering what cycling means to them, and how the bicycle plays into the way they live. Whether it’s for practical reasons, entertainment, transportation, fitness or competition, you’re spinning those cranks with purpose. You might be a cyclist or just a guy who rides a bike to the beer vendor, but there’s certainly a reason for everyone to love riding a bicycle. What’s yours?