Winter returns
The past week or ten days or so have been wonderful, weatherwise for R-Town in January. We’ve had sun on several days, highs above freezing on most of them, and other than a dusting last Tuesday morning, no snow.
Riding the studs on the Portland this year hasn’t been quite the effort as other years. Thinking about it, it’s a little easier every year as I become a stronger cyclist. But that doesn’t mean I don’t long for days with the road tires.
Unlike other years where I swapped wheelsets on the Portland, having only one dynamo hub means I don’t have that option this year. At least not if I need to ride home after dark. It does mean that Yellow Bike moves to the top of the list in winter when I want to ride without studs in the daylight hours.
So Yellow Bike got quite a few miles recently. We commuted to work on each of the past two Saturdays, and got in a pure pleasure ride last week Sunday. It rained yesterday.
Last Saturday we took the direct route to work, the rode home detouring southeast of the city through the hills of horse country. While there was evidence of other bikes around, we encountered only one cyclist, a greybeard named Ken, who was airing-out his Cannondale. We rode together for a few miles, talking before heading our separate ways.
Turns out, Ken is a fair-weather commuter, cycling to the U of R along the Canalway.
Last Sunday, Yellow Bike and I took a lap around Irondequoit Bay, taking advantage of both the weather and that the swing bridge over the outlet is swung shut in the winter allowing vehicular traffic to cross. Again, there was evidence of bikes, but we ran into only one other rider, Tom, a retiree from Ontario, NY, who was getting the wheels wet on his Ridley.
I was wearing my Club Hypoxia jersey, which has mountains on it, and this got conversation turned towards climbing. Tom does hillclimb racing with his summer bike, a Parlee. His third bike is a Titus. Old guys get all the good stuff.
During the week the Portland was back in service for commuting duty. I forgot exactly how bright the Schmidt Edelux headlight is on dry roads. Jeepers, that thing is bright. And along with the DiNottes, we really light up the road.
Yellow Bike gets fenders for the winter too!
The Portland with its studded snow tires and winter fenders.
One thing I’ve slacked off on this winter was chain cleaning and lube. After its bath and polish session, I threw the chain-checker on the Portland before relubing. Uh, oh. The 0.75% side fit through easily, everywhere I tested. Fortunately the 1% side didn’t, so it’s not quite chain replacement time. I’ve gotten only 600 miles or so on this chain, or about a third of normal wear. Cleaning and lubing do make a difference, I guess.
This past Saturday, after a full week of thaw, I took a chance and got up early to take Yellow Bike on the Long loop to work. Around half of the 20-mile ride is on the bike paths, which aren’t plowed in the winter. There was really only one spot where I nearly got off and walked. For the most part, the bike paths were clear with spots of leftover snow and ice only in the occasional shady spot. And even those had paths worn through from foot and bike traffic.
The porta-potties are gone for the winter, but that doesn’t change my needs. I pulled over at one point where I can usually get a minute’s privacy. Not so. Runners were everywhere. One even told me I was brave for being out in the cold. (It was 18°F at the start of my ride.) No braver than she, I explained. After all, she was dressed similarly. I was able to stop and pee at my second choice.
The day seems to go so much better after a 20-mile ride into the rising sun. Saturday was just wonderful at work. It was also the debut of one of my new t-shirts.
I wore the Global Cooling t-shirt last week. It was quite the conversation starter. Easily a dozen patrons said they liked it, one asked where she could get her own.
The afternoon warmed up nicely—again for January in Rochester. Full sun, upper 30s and nearly no wind is as good as it gets. So Yellow Bike and I took the long loop home too. Along the way we encoutered Emily, a fair-weather bike commuter, out for her first ride of the year. She ordinarily commutes on the Canalway to MCH. On Saturday, she wasn’t quite so committed as I, and she turned back just after Clover Street, saying she’d ride the roads instead.
Further along a group of four cyclists were stopped discussing whether or not to proceed through the underpass at Kendrick Rd. One woman went through while the others stood around thinking. I said hi, and went through. The first woman stopped a hundred years past the underpass, looking for her friends. Instead, there was me.
“What did they do,” I asked her, “send you through first to see if it was safe?” She laughed. I stopped and shouted back, “Hey everybody, she lived! Come on through!” Now she just roared. It was great fun.
Yesterday, though, I was kinda glad it was raining. I don’t get many miles in during the winter, and I really felt that 40 miles in a day the next morning. Today I had to catch up on chores, seeing as how I washed bikes last week instead of cleaning the apartment. Besides, it was raining, then the winds came through before the cold front. It’s supposed to snow tonight.
So it’s back to winter, but I’m very grateful for the past two weekends. And I’m already looking forward to the February thaw.
