brutal but beautiful

[dave66]

ahhh, late fall in ottawa.................
wind and snow in the moring followed by freezing rain for the commute home - can it get any better? well for starters my bike was frozen solid [couldn't even turn the wheels - brake pads frozen to hte wheels]. once i had chipped off the rig it was 2 k in the rain to the bike trails. the first couple of k are paved and were covered in a layer of ice - time to work on the bike handling - but once i got to the gravel trail it was fairly good riding.
here was where the beautiful part kicked in - trail all to myself, riding at close to average speed while watching the cars crawl in gridlock [trail crosses major arterial roads in certain places]. As i rolled thru one suburban area, the power went out leaving a few klicks of my ride in total darkness - well except my headlight.

Maybe biking home in freezing rain is not 'smart' but it was fun none the less.
Anybody else out there get a sick twisted pleasure from riding in crap weather or am I just in need of counselling?
/Dave

[hairygrump]

I'm not qualified to tell you whether you need counselling or not, but I can tell you you're not alone.

Today's the first day all week that it hasn't been raining on my way in to work. Of course, today's the first day this week that I have the flu too, so that pretty much sucks ass no matter what the weather. I thought my nose was going to break off it hurt so bad between the wind and the damage I did blowing it (my nose) last night.

[kennbenny667]

I can't say that I particularly enjoy riding the storm out, but it is a nice change of pace every once in a while. If I'm actually riding trails, I like a good ride in the rain every once in a great while. It feels good to get the bike and the rider muddy!

[mudfly]

I either do my work at home or I'm on the road with it. When at home I have a 12 mile loop that I ride early in the morning, when the snow comes I ride my rollers. when on the road I keep a MTB in my van, I can usually find an hour or so to check out some trails or bikepaths.

I rode my 12 this morning it is about 50 deg with rain and expected to get colder but dryer over the next few days. Good part is I will have the bike trail to myself and a few other die hards

[DirtRagArt]

So I thought about waiting it out this morning, but it turns out I waited it in...blankets of rain formed out of what started as drizzle. Picture me at 10am with front and rear blinky lights on.... And it was all good fun sloshing up Saxonburg, knowing there's a place to dry my clothes after a few more miles.

[Clark Kent]

Its ( inclement weather ridn') what seperates the riders from the weekenders...Besides, if you didnt ride in this state ( MN ) when it was freezin cold and wet, you would barely be able to ride at all! Myself, I'm way to addicted to stay off the saddle durring the winter. Couldnt imagine the Hwy 62 every day durring the winter ( and my girlfriend lives with me and works at the same station, so there is a car goin out there every day...)...YIKES!!! Its been 10 years of haulin my ass from mpls to eden prairie, winter and summer.... Cars are the ultimate SUCK. Keeps ya tough too!



BTW...the chik and car things sucks in one way. It kind of negates my part in the "one less car on the road shtik" seein as a roller box is going back and forth whether I'm in it or not!:rolleyes: