Until this fall, I have identified myself as a warm-weather biker. Or even a fair-weather biker. In the past, once that autumnal chill seeped into the air, I put away my bike for the season and resigned myself to having a longer commute time. I do like walking to work--don't get me wrong. But it can be difficult to make that shift from an 8-minute biking commute to a 22-minute walking commute. I lose either 14 minutes of mellow morning time or 14 minutes of work. On the flip side, I have an extra 14 minutes to ponder my life and my day and the world between home and work, and that's not such a bad thing.
This year, however, has been different. The second week of October got cold and chilly and rainy, and I figured that was my sign to put the bike away and bring out the walking shoes. The trouble was, October is my absolute busiest month at MNHC. Two to six volunteers needed every day for our 4th grade field trips and auction auction auction (as my friend Ann said today, preparing for our auction is like preparing for a wedding . . . times two. It is an Event). So I couldn't really afford to take 28 minutes out of my day to walk. Therefore, in the third week of October, I got out my thick gloves, fleece headband, and scarf, and started biking again.
And it's been great. I love it! I bundle up warmly, hop on my bike, and whoosh! Off I go beneath the golden leaves of the trees, zooming down the streets of Missoula with the crisp morning air reddening my cheeks. What I have realized, in the past 3 weeks, is that I am a one-weather-phenomenon-at-a-time biker. I can handle cold. I can handle rain. But I don't do well with both of them together. Perhaps one of these years I'll get fenders on my bike--that may just be the trick for cold-and-wet-weather biking. Once the streets get snowy/icy/slushy, I'm done. It'll be back to walking.
But in the meantime, while the weather is crisp and clear and dry, the temps can get as frosty as they like--I'll still be riding my bike.
This year, however, has been different. The second week of October got cold and chilly and rainy, and I figured that was my sign to put the bike away and bring out the walking shoes. The trouble was, October is my absolute busiest month at MNHC. Two to six volunteers needed every day for our 4th grade field trips and auction auction auction (as my friend Ann said today, preparing for our auction is like preparing for a wedding . . . times two. It is an Event). So I couldn't really afford to take 28 minutes out of my day to walk. Therefore, in the third week of October, I got out my thick gloves, fleece headband, and scarf, and started biking again.
And it's been great. I love it! I bundle up warmly, hop on my bike, and whoosh! Off I go beneath the golden leaves of the trees, zooming down the streets of Missoula with the crisp morning air reddening my cheeks. What I have realized, in the past 3 weeks, is that I am a one-weather-phenomenon-at-a-time biker. I can handle cold. I can handle rain. But I don't do well with both of them together. Perhaps one of these years I'll get fenders on my bike--that may just be the trick for cold-and-wet-weather biking. Once the streets get snowy/icy/slushy, I'm done. It'll be back to walking.
But in the meantime, while the weather is crisp and clear and dry, the temps can get as frosty as they like--I'll still be riding my bike.
Go, Allison! I'm still biking to work too, even though walking to my office is only a 5 minute walk. Biking is much easier on the knees, and as long as I have my ears covered and gloves on, I'm good to go until the streets get too slippery.
ReplyDeleteI don't bike to work. But I smile at all the super-committed bikers on my 30-minute commute. And then I go for a run in the inclement weather and make up for it.
ReplyDeleteI also love your use of the word "Whoosh!"