F*cking Cold!
Keeping to the 2-days-a-week bicycle commute that takes me a shade under 40 miles, round trip.
40 miles isn't a whole lot, but when you have to get up early (to prep, eat, dress) ride 1.5 hours uphill to work, stay on your feet all day long, then ride the 20 miles back home... you get the idea.
I'm not much of a roadie, and try to avoid riding in group rides only because they feel alien to me after spending so much time playing in the woods with my long-time riding buddies. Spending so much time on road (2 hours each way, door-to-door) alone is starting to grow on me though.
In my last 2 commutes I've run into two of my customers riding their bikes to work, and for some really dorky reason, I totally get off on that. "*I built that commuter bike he's riding to work today," I thought, as we smiled and exchanged enthusiastic passing greetings. You spend so much time seeing these people in a familiar context, under the same roof, with the same bikes and new anecdotes. To see them on the road is something special. For that alone, the introvert that I am, has started to shout hellos to commuters that I recognize.
"Recognize" is to be used loosly; this time of year leaves little skin exposed, so you rely on other attributes. Be it their horrificly orange jackets (guilty as charged) or the familiar bike beneath them, in 3 weeks I've started to see The Regulars each ride.
I've become such a weather-whore. I am constantly checking so that I may prepare the correct gear for my ride. Too much, and the ride up some of these hills becomes a brutal test of wills as I drag all the gear uphill without the aid of the MTB gears I'm so used to spinning through. Too much and you sweat like a hog in July, stewing in your own humid vapors, only to freeze on the downhills as the vapor condenses on the inside of your clothing. Too little, and you freeze.
This morning they called for 34 degrees with a 20 mph headwind. Great! Cold, windy, and uphill to work. Super. Taking ther ferry across the Hudson to NYC seemed much warmer than that, and after riding north on the Hudson River pathway for only 5 minutes, I stripped down and removed my thin wool base-layer. Much better! I even took off my neoprene booties which I've grown to love.
The weather played a cruel joke on me today though, with the temperature dropping rapidly after 4 PM and the winds picked up. I thought it would be great to coast home with the aid of a tailwind but that wind made it so hard to stay warm as it whipped up from the west, blowing over the choppy, white-capped Hudson. By the time I made it to the ferry terminal i was shivering and worried: 8 minutes to the next ferry and no shelter, and the temps were still dropping. I curled into a ball and hid behind a sign, much to the amusement of some former frat-boy who probably gets off on watching dudes strut around in spandex.
Obviously, I didn't die. I made it home, and have learned a valuable lesson: bring an emergency extra layer.
Today I had on:
Mountain Hardware Wicked-T
it's great all 4 seasons as a wicking layer.
Craft Wool Base Layer
The best 3 season piece I own. Great on its own for cooler days, it never smells bad like synthetics, layers extremely well due to its thin contruction and high breathability.
Nike Sphere Hooded Thermal Jersey
moderately warm, it is incredibly soft and the hood is a great feature. I wear this as a sweatshirt when lounging around. It's that comfortable.
Louis Garneau bright orange windproof jacket
Sorry, no pics... it is a 3 year old model that I bought new off the rack at work since nobody wanted it.
As far as legs go, I've never had cold legs. I wear Biemme Rap Knickers with windproof knee panels and on colder days I throw on a pair of leg warmers from Descente.
If the weather is nice enough to ride next week, I'll drag a digicam along to capture some of the sights along the way. I cannot wait until I can do the ride in casual warm-weather clothing and holla at all the smokin girlies along the way.
40 miles isn't a whole lot, but when you have to get up early (to prep, eat, dress) ride 1.5 hours uphill to work, stay on your feet all day long, then ride the 20 miles back home... you get the idea.
I'm not much of a roadie, and try to avoid riding in group rides only because they feel alien to me after spending so much time playing in the woods with my long-time riding buddies. Spending so much time on road (2 hours each way, door-to-door) alone is starting to grow on me though.
In my last 2 commutes I've run into two of my customers riding their bikes to work, and for some really dorky reason, I totally get off on that. "*I built that commuter bike he's riding to work today," I thought, as we smiled and exchanged enthusiastic passing greetings. You spend so much time seeing these people in a familiar context, under the same roof, with the same bikes and new anecdotes. To see them on the road is something special. For that alone, the introvert that I am, has started to shout hellos to commuters that I recognize.
"Recognize" is to be used loosly; this time of year leaves little skin exposed, so you rely on other attributes. Be it their horrificly orange jackets (guilty as charged) or the familiar bike beneath them, in 3 weeks I've started to see The Regulars each ride.
I've become such a weather-whore. I am constantly checking so that I may prepare the correct gear for my ride. Too much, and the ride up some of these hills becomes a brutal test of wills as I drag all the gear uphill without the aid of the MTB gears I'm so used to spinning through. Too much and you sweat like a hog in July, stewing in your own humid vapors, only to freeze on the downhills as the vapor condenses on the inside of your clothing. Too little, and you freeze.
This morning they called for 34 degrees with a 20 mph headwind. Great! Cold, windy, and uphill to work. Super. Taking ther ferry across the Hudson to NYC seemed much warmer than that, and after riding north on the Hudson River pathway for only 5 minutes, I stripped down and removed my thin wool base-layer. Much better! I even took off my neoprene booties which I've grown to love.
The weather played a cruel joke on me today though, with the temperature dropping rapidly after 4 PM and the winds picked up. I thought it would be great to coast home with the aid of a tailwind but that wind made it so hard to stay warm as it whipped up from the west, blowing over the choppy, white-capped Hudson. By the time I made it to the ferry terminal i was shivering and worried: 8 minutes to the next ferry and no shelter, and the temps were still dropping. I curled into a ball and hid behind a sign, much to the amusement of some former frat-boy who probably gets off on watching dudes strut around in spandex.
Obviously, I didn't die. I made it home, and have learned a valuable lesson: bring an emergency extra layer.
Today I had on:
Mountain Hardware Wicked-T
it's great all 4 seasons as a wicking layer.
Craft Wool Base Layer
The best 3 season piece I own. Great on its own for cooler days, it never smells bad like synthetics, layers extremely well due to its thin contruction and high breathability.
Nike Sphere Hooded Thermal Jersey
moderately warm, it is incredibly soft and the hood is a great feature. I wear this as a sweatshirt when lounging around. It's that comfortable.
Louis Garneau bright orange windproof jacket
Sorry, no pics... it is a 3 year old model that I bought new off the rack at work since nobody wanted it.
As far as legs go, I've never had cold legs. I wear Biemme Rap Knickers with windproof knee panels and on colder days I throw on a pair of leg warmers from Descente.
If the weather is nice enough to ride next week, I'll drag a digicam along to capture some of the sights along the way. I cannot wait until I can do the ride in casual warm-weather clothing and holla at all the smokin girlies along the way.
posted by BubbRubb at
1/06/2006 08:32:00 PM
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