BIKE: Mike
TIME THERE: 35 min.
TIME BACK: 34 min.
WEATHER: overcast, -20C, 9km/hr wind there; overcast, -19C (-26 with wind chill), 11km/hr wind back.
WHAT I WORE: boots, wool ski socks over business socks, cotton long johns, fleece pants, turtleneck, fleece mid-layer jacket, waterproof shell, lobster gloves, balaclava, ski goggles (goggles, waterproof shell, and wool ski socks in panniers on the way home)
NOTES:
Expecting it to be -28C this morning, as was predicted by The Weather Network last night, I dressed for a very cold ride. It turned out that it wasn't quite that cold, but it was still pretty frigid. My ski goggles fogged up and then froze by the end of the ride, greatly restricting my field of vision by the time I got onto campus. The condensation inside my nose seemed to freeze, leaving me completely unable to breathe through my nose at all until I got indoors and it thawed out (seriously, is that normal??). It was an acceptable ride, though I find I just don't really like winter biking. Oh, how I miss biking in the fall. It was so simple then! No need for multiple layers of ever more restricting clothes, no need for goggles, no negotiating over treacherous snow and ice, riding on the road without fear of hitting ice and falling just in time to get run over by a car, being perfectly able to breathe properly. Sigh!
When I got home today, I dropped the bike off at the house as usual and hopped into the car to pick up my daughter from daycare. When I started the car, I immediately noticed the interior getting choked up with smoke. I looked around myself in a panic, terrified that somehow exhaust was leaking into the car. Then I realized - it wasn't exhaust. It was the steam rising from my body. Within seconds of getting into the car, my body steam had begun quickly filling the the enclosed space and condensing on the inside of the windows. "Huh," I thought to myself, "I guess that's better than exhaust!" So I turned on the heaters full-blast and went on my merry way. Well, as merry as it can be taking my daughter for booster shots, picking up kitty food with a toddler who just wants to run around the store, getting home for a late dinner, putting my daughter to bed, then putting out the garbage and recycling and paying/filing bills. SIGH!! It feels like the day that will never end.
At least it's over soon. :)
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