Why should a little snow stop me from bike commuting? Everyone
loves biking in the snow, right? Proponents say it’s effortless and so much fun,
so I give it a try.
The Dream
On a
cold, crisp morning I put on a fuzzy hat and warm gloves, the perfect cozy gear
for my ride.
A few inches of fluffy snow line the bike lane, but I
plow through them with grace and agility. Gentle whorls of snow pirouette from
the sky and a few land lightly on my cheeks like a tender kiss from Ullar.
I make it to the bike path and share it with other biking
enthusiasts. Friends say hi, strangers give a nod, and I wave back in
solidarity with my two-wheeled brothers and sisters. In the horizon, a stunning
sunrise turns the sky a wild red, orange, and yellow mix. The peace and
stillness of early morning is magical.
As I pedal along in the great outdoors I feel invigorated. I
stare in disbelief at the people stuck in their cars burning fossil fuel, and I’m pleased with my non-existent carbon footprint. I
don’t understand why anyone would want to travel any way other than on a bike.
I make it to the hippest coffee shop in Bozeman where a
friend is saving our favorite window seat. I savor a cappuccino and good
conversation while my friend and I plan where to ride our bikes to next. Life
is good.
The Reality
I jam
my thinnest hat underneath my helmet which digs into my forehead. My ski
gloves make me feel like Gumby, and I’m not sure I can work the breaks with them
on my hands. After a few pedal strokes my hands and ears are frozen.
Sloppy, crunchy snow from shoveled driveways sits in
intermittent piles in the bike lane. There’s room, sort of, but I’m conscious
of the cars zooming by so I ride defensively.
Snow falls, and a slight breeze sends it directly into my
face. Dust size particles of ice find their way between my eyelashes and sting
my eyeballs. My bike begins making a clanking sound, but it’s impossible to
find the piece of ice jammed somewhere.
On the bike path, I have more room to ride but footprints
from walkers have left icy ruts. Someone calls out my name but between the hat my
helmet has pushed into my eyes and my laser-focus on the rutted surface, I’m
too afraid to look up so I don’t see who it is. And I also don’t notice the walker
who jumps out of the way to avoid being hit. I have become “that person” who
teeters along, insisting on riding a bike in the snow. I feel like a smug asshole.
I finally make it to my destination. Once inside my fingers
and ears scream as the blood comes back to them. My splotchy, red face stings,
and my helmet has left a dent in my forehead. I am not jubilant. All I want
is to curl up on a couch, drink coffee, and enjoy the stillness and peace of
morning. But I’m at my job, and there’s work to be done. Time to chill will not be. I swear off bike
commuting until spring.
~
~
What a great read! I was ready to give winter riding another shot while reading about The Dream, then laughing out loud at The Reality. I gave up winter bike riding the first day I ever tried it after slipping onto the icy pavement on Church Avenue. (Long before fat bikes and bike tire chains, for sure.) I am amazed when I see people riding confidently on slippery streets. Maybe that's the secret - knowing you're not going to fall instead of expecting that you will.
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking out my blog Elin. I'm glad you like the post.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that no matter how wide the street (Even newer Bozeman streets with bike lanes) when there's snow on the ground there's less room for bikes. Winter biking enthusiasts insist there's room to bike regardless of snow. I'm not a believer. People are pretty checked out when they drive in the best of conditions and riding closer to cars in the snow is not a place I care to be.
Fun to read about this, Ann! And I can relate to the "reality" portion that you described... Many, many years ago, my tires have slipped on icy pavement, and I've fallen in not-so-fun moments a few times. And this was before cell phones and dashboard touchscreens became so prevalent, which has only led to an army of distracted drivers! :)
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