Five reasons you should try winter cycling -- this winter!

When I was growing up, bicycle riding was strictly a fair-weather activity. As soon as the weather turned cool and the snow began to fall, the bikes were stored in the garage, appearing again only after the snow had disappeared in the spring. In southern Saskatchewan, where winter began in late October and continued well into April, this meant bike riding season lasted only six or seven months.

Fast forward a number of years: I started working in downtown Edmonton. Parking was free at my workplace, so like most commuters, I drove downtown every day. And every day, I saw people on bikes. I was envious – they seemed to be having such a good time and were getting some good exercise, while I sat behind the wheel, feeling the middle-age spread gaining ground.

That winter was unusually mild, so after a few weeks of wistfully watching other bicycle commuters, I decided to give it a try. I didn’t buy any special clothing; I already had some water resistant running pants and a warm jacket. At this point in my life I didn’t even own a bike; the plan was to buy one in the spring. But in the backyard there was an old knobby-tired mountain bike that the boys had rejected, so I pulled that out, adjusted the saddle to a comfortable height, attached a couple of lights and a front basket, pumped up the tires and hopped on.

Since that first winter commute in  February, 2012, I haven’t looked back. I began by riding only on the “nice days.” But my definition of a nice day has changed. Minus 30 now means I cover my face with a balaclava, add another layer or two under my coat, and and stick some hand warmers in the mittens.

Contrary to what you might think, I am not some super-athlete or bad-ass biker girl type.  I’m just an ordinary person who has discovered what I believe is the best way to get to work – all year round.

If you already commute to work by bike during the warmer months -- or even if you don’t -- I heartily recommend you try winter bicycle commuting. Here’s why:

1)   It is cheaper than driving or taking transit

This is especially true if you live close (5 km or less) to your destination. Starting your car and driving such a short distance is possibly crazier than riding a bike during the winter. Add in the cost of parking, and it can become outrageous. Even taking transit is not cheap. And you have to stand around at bus stops, feeling the biting wind and nippy air.  

If you already own a bike and mittens, a hat, boots and a coat, cycling to work is free. Depending on your parking situation, you might have to buy a good-quality lock. But you should have one anyway, unless you want to ensure that you won’t have a bike the next time you want to ride.

2)  It is more fun than driving

Figuring out the best route to take. Learning how to navigate a sketchy patch of road. Sailing along a cleared shared-use pathway. Watching winter-white hares cross your path. Taking in the Christmas lights on the houses as you ride by. The challenges, thrills and quiet pleasures are yours for the taking.

 3)  You will feel good about yourself (and your work)

 An article in Harvard Business Review reports that minor successes can help workers feel good about their tasks, to the point that their performance improves. 

You can’t help but be encouraged and uplifted after your successful ride to work. And there is nothing like doing something that many people consider daring or extreme to make you feel brave and accomplished as well.

Even on the coldest days, or days when the riding conditions are not ideal, the fact that you persevered and made it will give you a boost. You will start the work day feeling successful, strong and capable of anything.

And after work, instead of a ride on a dreary bus or sitting in the car, creeping along, you can repeat the adventure.  

4)   It’s good for your mental health

The seemingly sunless days closing in on us can make us feel dark and down at times. It’s no secret that many of us hate winter and simply try to survive it, looking forward to the beach vacation and then spring. But recent research by University of Vermont psychology professor, Kelly Rohan, reveals that a more effective and desirable way to combat the winter blues is to find winter activities that you can enjoy and commit to doing them regularly.

Why not combine this with your need to get to work, riding your bike, instead of sitting in the car or on the bus, killing two birds with one stone? It has worked for me!   

5) It’s good for your physical health

It's no news that exercise is always good for you, but it seems that exercising outdoors in winter is even better. According to Dr. Dean Kreillaars, University of Manitoba professor and exercise physiologist, “winter’s varied surfaces, extra clothing and temperature all play a role in challenging people’s bodies in ways unique to the season.” The result is that we expend more energy in winter than we would in warmer weather to do the same work.

Incidentally, Kreillaars echoes Rohan’s discovery about the mental health benefits, saying, “When people get outside we know their mood tends to be better.”

Cycling is obviously not the only way to get outdoor exercise in the winter, or even the first thing that comes to mind when we consider winter activities. But you have to go to work, or to school, or wherever you go every day anyway, right? Why not do it on your bike and add that bit of extra, ramped-up winter exercise to your daily routine?

Of course, I know winter cycling might not be for everybody. 

But almost everyone enjoys riding a bike. 

Almost everyone has to go somewhere, at some time. Even in the winter.

In the words of the old adage, 

“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.” 

I have a feeling that once you’ve tried it, you won’t knock it!

Just don't call me late for supper

Presumably, this sign also includes Chris Bruntlett!

Just Don’t Call Me Late for Supper!

Chris Bruntlett is a pretty good guy. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. He’ll tell you!

To be honest, I don’t know him. I’ve just read a few of his blog posts, one of which is called “I Am Not a Cyclist.” I’ve read it through a couple of times, and I’m still not quite sure what he is trying to say.

I do know that he favours extreme language. He despises being called “a cyclist.”

He always does this and he never does that, this meaning all the good things “cyclists” fail to do and that meaning the bad things “cyclists” inevitably do.

He believes that his polite, dignified behaviour makes him a minority (I’m guessing a minority of one) and sets him apart as something other than a “cyclist.”

Clearly, I am not as good a person as Mr. Bruntlett, but that doesn’t make me feel too bad, since I am pretty sure no one else is either.

And I don’t mind if people call me a cyclist. A cyclist, according to the Cambridge English Dictionary (as well as every other dictionary I consulted) simply means “a person who rides a bicycle.” By definition, as soon as you hop on a bike and begin to pedal, you are a cyclist. Like it or not.

Mr. Bruntlett attempts an analogy: if he uses a vacuum cleaner, it doesn’t make him a janitor. If he flosses his teeth, people won’t call him a dental hygienist. But this is a flawed analogy; the terms “janitor” and “dental hygienist” have specific definitions. (In case you are wondering, those definitions are not “a person who uses a vacuum cleaner” and “a person who flosses his or her teeth”!)

Many monikers have stereotypes. Think of “librarian.” Chances are you pictured a slim woman with her hair pulled back and wearing glasses. Engineer – good at math; terrible at English. What about “lawyer”? Can you imagine how absurd it would be if everyone who didn’t like the traditional stereotypes conjured up by their job titles, for example, refused to let people call them that?

Cyclist happens to be the universally accepted English-language name for people who ride bicycles. The fact that it has certain connotations, some of which might be negative, doesn’t mean we can deny that this is what we are and demand that people stop referring to us by this name.

It’s almost as if Mr. Bruntlett fancies himself royalty or at least someone entitled to special treatment.

Hmm, now that I think about it, it seems like he does. He appears to think that because his behaviour while perched atop a bicycle seat is so exemplary, he deserves to be called by a special name, possibly “someone who often uses a bicycle.” But even his bike is not just any bicycle. No, his is a bicycle that reflects his personality and style. And the casual observer can probably distinguish him from other people who often use bicycles by the fact that he is riding with grace, elegance and dignity, while others around him occasionally ride fast or forget to signal or hop on the sidewalk for a meter or two to avoid a hazardous situation.

It seems I for one would make Bruntlett’s blacklist on a number of counts.

First of all, I like to ride fast. My bike is not only a way to get from Point A to Point B, but it is a fitness tool. By working hard and riding fast when I have the chance, I maximize the exercise benefits of bicycle commuting or running errands by bike. As a result, I am strong and fit and riding fast comes naturally. Riding fast does not preclude riding carefully, and when it’s necessary I slow down, but my preference is to go at a good clip and give myself a bit of a workout.

This leads to the second thing: sometimes I work up a sweat. It’s hard not to when the temperature is 28C and my cadence is 80-90 rpms. Bad, bad, bad. Sweat is bad. Hmm... funny how this recent article about exercise seems to say that working up a sweat is desirable.

Thirdly, I ride my bike almost everywhere, all year round. This means it is not always practical to simply hop on wearing nothing but my work outfit. If it’s raining, I wear my MEC (ooh, another bad word, according toMr. Bruntlett) Adanac waterproof tights over my regular tights or work pants. Sometimes I pack my skirt instead of wearing it, to keep it clean and dry. When I am going for a long ride in the country or in the River Valley, I often clad myself in “cycle wear” – spandex jersey and padded shorts. Even – horror of horrors – clip-in shoes. For me, comfort rules, even if being comfortable means I look like a cyclist.

Fourth on my list of Bruntlett no-nos: I usually wear a helmet. I don’t exactly make a practice of falling, but I know it is a possibility. Once last September, before I had my studded tires on my bike, I rounded a corner, slid on a patch of hidden ice and was on the ground before I knew what had happened. I hit my head and was shaken-up but not injured, thanks to my helmet.

Wow, lots of negatives, eh? Here is the fifth: in the winter, when I ride to work in the dark, I wear a reflective sash over my winter coat. Why not? It didn’t cost me much, it is easy to slip on, and it adds to my visibility. Of course I have lights as well, but I figure the extra stripe of reflective material doesn’t hurt.

Onto number six: I frequently share the road with motor vehicles. This is not my preference, but in Edmonton, it is often a necessity. The other option might be to ride on the sidewalk, and guess what? Number seven: I do that occasionally too,  for example, when the road on a marked bicycle route has not been cleared of ice and snow.

It makes me sad that someone like Chris Bruntlett, who obviously considers himself a leader in the "someone who sometimes rides a bicycle" realm, is spouting off about something so trivial. Rather than encouraging people to ride and talking about the benefits of riding, here he is, like a nine year old on the playground, complaining that people call him names he doesn't like.

I think I should score some points with nay-sayers for being polite, cheerful and friendly when I ride. I try to make eye contact with drivers and give them a grateful nod or wave when they yield to me. I say good morning to my fellow people who ride bicycles and ring my bell when passing pedestrians.

But I am fully cognizant of the fact that no matter how I feel about myself, when I’m riding a bike, I am and always will be a cyclist. You can call me a biker; you can call me a bicycle commuter; you can call me a cyclist. I don’t really care. Just don’t call me late for supper! Because, with the amount of riding I do and the number of calories I burn, I am usually ravenously hungry at about 6:00 PM.

Upon a bright and breezy day

When May was young, ah pleasant May! (Christina Rossetti)

This was Tuesday -- a perfect "bright and breezy" May day. The flowers along the shared pathway on 100 Avenue not only look, but smell, heavenly. It was 28 degrees, with not a cloud in the sky.

And then it was Wednesday. Of course the forecast had been posted a couple of days in advance: heavy rain and strong winds. And this time, the forecast was spot-on. The day began with rain and a brisk northerly wind. I drove into the city, to my usual parking spot, and after I'd parked the car, I briefly wondered if I should have driven a bit further in and parked, say, in Crestwood, or even Glenora. But I had already taken the keys out of the ignition and I didn't feel like starting the car again and re-entering the stream of traffic, so I stayed where I was.

My ride downtown actually wasn't too bad until I hit the second shared pathway  -- the new one on 102 Avenue that the city is so proud of. At this point I usually just ride on the road. It is faster and I don't have to worry about those little yield signs and the bumping that occurs at each intersection. But because of the wind and occasional large puddles, I decided to use the pathway. That was a mistake. At each intersection, not only did I have to endure those bumps where the sidewalk meets the pavement, but I also had to ride through big deep puddles. Result: my shoes got wet. Even that might have been okay, however; but when I was crossing the bridge (yes, the one where cyclists are told to dismount) a car passed and splashed me royally. Now my shoes were not wet; they were sodden. I gave up trying to avoid puddles and simply tried to ride as fast as I could the rest of the way. (Fortunately I keep a pair of dry shoes at work.)

After work, I was offered a ride. "No, thanks," I said. "I don't mind riding in the rain."  Ah yes, but what about 100 km/hour winds?

I set off, wearing my still-soaking shoes from the morning. Again, I didn't worry about pointless things like avoiding puddles; I just pedaled like mad, trying to make the best time possible riding into the wind. When I saw the first downed branch, the thought crossed my mind -- I sure hope one of those doesn't come down on me. But by that time I was committed, so I kept going. 

When I reached 102 Avenue, I briefly considered taking a bus. But then I remembered the reaction of Edmonton bus drivers to the sight of a bicycle, and I decided I would rather bear the wrath of the storm than the wrath of a bus driver. I once again opted for the shared pathway and persevered, sparing but quick glances for an uprooted tree or two and multitudinous branches. 

As I approached the point where 102 Avenue meets Stony Plain Road, I saw the most disturbing sight yet -- a felled 4-meter tall evergreen, completely covering the sidewalk and lying on top of a power line. There was even a little box with some wires and stuff hanging out. I steered clear of that and continued on my way, fighting the crosswinds which were threatening to cast me into the traffic lanes. Fortunately, traffic was light, so I was able to make my way unhindered to the bridge that leads to 148 Street. From there, it is about 2.5 km to my parking spot, mostly on the flower-lined shared pathway, so I felt safe enough and finally arrived at my van, drenched but otherwise unharmed. 

A 7.8 km bike ride in a once-every-decade storm!

Incidentally, this time as I rode past the flowering trees, the line of poetry that came to mind was from a Shakespearean sonnet: "Rough winds doth shake the darling buds of May..."  Those buds were shaking big time!

I'm not sure that riding in that type of a storm was the smartest thing to do, but I don't regret it. My only regret is that I didn't have my GoPro operating.

Back to work

It was with a sinking heart that I looked at the forecast for Monday, January 9th -- the first day of our winter session. 

Minus 30 windchill. Three to seven centimeters of snow. 

I considered taking the bus instead of my usual park and ride (my bike) commute, but the bus from Spruce Grove to Edmonton isn't exactly a dream come true either, so I chose the bike.

I parked in Crestwood and rode to work without a great deal of difficulty. I must admit, I did use sidewalks in places. If the city ever decides to do proper snow removal, sidewalk riding in winter will not be necessary, but until then I will just have to squash down those feelings of shame and ride with confidence on the sidewalks. I have a speech all ready to go in case I get stopped by a cop with nothing better to do than bother people riding bikes on the sidewalk.

As I said, the morning ride was not bad. I wore gore-tex mitts that I "borrowed" from my third son, along with wool gloves, and I didn't even need hand warmers. 

102 Avenue Multi-use Trail a.k.a. "bike path"

The ride back to the car after work was another story. Normally it takes me less than half an hour, but this time it took almost an hour. I had to walk my bike a good part of the way, through ankle-deep loose snow. (see photo on left)







I was just thankful I had parked in Crestwood and not Glenwood, where I park when the weather is good.

This bridge is troubled waters, so to speak, for cyclists and pedestrians

Tuesday I took the bus, figuring the streets and shared pathways would probably not be cleared yet. 

Wednesday, I rode again. And again, the ride to work was pretty decent. I tried 102 Avenue, and except for the piles of loose snow here and there along the way, that was okay. And a tailwind of 30-50 km/hour is always nice. It was also quite a bit warmer than the previous two days. Ah, but on the way home, that same lovely tailwind was a headwind. And by that time, there was drifted snow in places, making that ride colder and a little less pleasant.

As always, though, I arrived at the car feeling good about the ride.

Thursday, we were back to minus 30 -- or more. Some of the reports said minus 35 to 40. I parked in Glenora, near the ravine this time, feeling uncertain about the cold and the drifted snow. This was a good decision. I used handwarmers inside the mittens, but by the time I got to work, my thumbs were feeling it. I wore my balaclava and my big warm scarf, so my face was OK, but I don't know how it would have been to ride much farther. This time the wind was from the east, so I had the headwind riding to work and a bit of a tailwind most of the way back to the car. And thus ends another week on the bike. 

With warmer days in the forecast and increasing hours of daylight, I'm anticipating some good rides ahead. Now, if only the city would decide to maintain the roads... Maybe someday.

so far this winter

I haven't been blogging much this year, but now that winter has hit in full force, I have a few photos and thoughts.

This first photo, of Ravine Drive, was taken towards the end of November, the morning after our first real snowfall. It's a bit hard to see, but there were more bike tire tracks than car tire tracks in the fresh snow. 



And on the 100th Avenue shared pathway, the bike tracks mixed with the foot prints show that lots of people were getting to their destination without the aid of cars.

I took these photos when the temperatures were still mild -- in the single digits or low teens. 

Since then, things have changed. Every day last week the temperature was around minus 20 C, with wind chills of -26 to -30 C. 

I continued to ride, although I did park closer in -- in Crestwood instead of Glenwood, which cuts about 2 km off my ride.

With several layers on my body and legs, a balaclava, my lined winter helmet and a warm scarf on top, and two layers of wool socks in my bulky winter boots, I was warm enough, and as always, so happy to be riding instead of driving.  I haven't stopped for photos, but maybe this week I'll try to do that.



We have moved our ESL school to a new location, a little farther away than before, so I've been taking a different route -- along 102 Avenue. Once again I am astonished at the number of stop signs and the long red light on this designated bike route. Is it a deliberate plot to discourage people from cycling? Who knows?

I have noticed that this year there seem to be more winter cyclists than ever. Maybe the mild start to winter made people more interested in continuing to ride? Whatever the reason, it is noteworthy, and we can only hope that the city will notice and respond by maintaining bike routes properly and creating more bike infrastructure.

a hare-owing experience

It has been a while since I last posted. The winter just ended was so mild and the riding was so (relatively) easy that there was not a lot to brag or complain about! Thus ends my 5th year of winter bicycle commuting.

And now... it is spring! The grass is greener every day, and every morning on my way to work I see at least one jack rabbit?... snowshoe hare?  I have been told authoritatively by various people that they are one or the other, so I'm not sure which, but to merge accuracy and simplicity, I will henceforth refer to the creatures as "hares."

I love seeing these animals! It thrills me to know that a not particularly intelligent wild animal has figured out how to co-exist with people in a big city. I have actually seen a hare stop and look both ways before crossing a busy street!

At this time of year, these bunnies are not exactly Easter-card perfect in appearance. Their pristine white winter coats have given way to a patchwork of greyish-brown and a sort of dirty yellowish-white. Even so, they are as cheerful and adventurous and delightful as ever.

But on Thursday morning I had a less than pleasant encounter with a hare.  I was riding along the shared pathway on 100th Avenue when I spooked a hare that had been lurking in the bushes. It jumped out onto the pathway, panicked when it saw my bike (even though I slowed down dramatically to allow it to get out of the way) and ran into the road, where it immediately got hit by a car. 

It was horrible and much more disturbing than I could have imagined. I went through the day knowing I had been an unwitting accessory to murder.

Monday morning blues -- problem solved

Normally I like Mondays. I've never really understood people who don't. 

To me, Monday is the start of a new week, a day full of possibilities.

But I have to confess that I felt a little different this Monday. Fresh snow (maybe 3-5 cm) and a temperature well below zero made me wonder what riding conditions would be like. Never mind driving conditions. And sure enough, the drive into the west end was     s-l-o-w, thanks to a crash on the Yellowhead, which meant that traffic was diverted to 16A. 

Running a bit late and fearing that the shared pathway on 100 Avenue would not be cleared, I decided to park in Crestwood.

The bridge leading to Stony Plain Road was cleared right down to the boards -- a good start to my ride -- but it pretty much went downhill after that. A few sidewalks had been cleared, but the streets and any sidewalks under the city's purview were in rough shape. 

So I decided to cheer myself up by snapping photos of my bike at the bright spots along the way -- like these three trees on 132 Street:

and one of the tall, tall trees (there are two) at the High Street shopping centre:

I ended my commute by doing something I almost never (well, really absolutely never) do: riding on the sidewalk, on the wrong side of the street. This sidewalk was so beautifully clear of snow that I simply couldn't resist and I have to confess that I didn't even feel one bit guilty.  

My commute today was a little slow and a little frustrating -- and the ride back to the car after work was slightly worse, thanks to warmer temperatures -- but still I end my day thankful for the exercise, glad I can ride instead of driving all the way, and warmed by the thought of those cheerfully-lit trees that brighten my path!

December 12 -- the week on the bike

Now that the dust -- or should I say snow -- has settled, riding is not so bad. I still wish the city would do a better job of snow removal, especially on bike routes and main street sidewalks, but on the whole it was a pleasant week of riding. It has been between -5 and +4 everyday, so not too cold, but also not warm enough to create any serious slush.

After work on Tuesday I met Gillian, a thirty-something first-winter rider. We stopped for a chat in the little park that forms part of the bike route and the bridge detour north of 102 Avenue. We both agreed that so far this has been a great winter for cycling, but also that the city really should clear that route; the park is bladed nicely but the adjacent streets are so snow-covered and mushy that riding is virtually impossible, causing cyclists to hop onto the sidewalks.  The bike route signs on this stretch seem like a sick joke at times like these!

Every morning I see at least two or three other cycle commuters and I often see a few on my way home as well. This is the perfect winter for people to try it out, and it looks like that's what's happening.

One disappointment: the city has chosen to close the shared sidewalk on 100 Avenue across from Safeway. There is some construction that has been going on for months, and all of a sudden in the middle of winter, they decide they need to close the sidewalk? Go figure.

November 25 - another snowy ride

November 25 -- not much better!

Again I left home at about ten to seven. Surely today will be better, I thought. WRONG! Apparently there was a crash on the Yellowhead, so 16A was also affected. I felt lucky when I was able to go 30 km/hour for the first half of my drive into Edmonton.

I finally hit the westernmost end of the city at about 8:00. Again the question arose -- where should I park? I knew I didn't have time to ride all the way from Glenwood, but what about Crestwood? Hmmm, I wasn't sure. So I decided to drive into Glenora and park there. I am not sure that was a good decision; maybe Crestwood would have been better, but once I drove past 149 Street I was committed. 

Between the packed roads and cleared or snow-packed sidewalks, riding my chubby-tired bike, I made pretty good time and arrived at the corner of 109 Street and 100 Avenue at about 8:45. 

As I stood waiting for the light to change, I noticed a young guy looking at me and my bike with an unfathomable expression on his face. Finally he spoke: "I saw you riding on Stony Plain Road," he said. "I recognize your bike. I was in my car, and you got here before me." 

Let's hear it for commuting by bike!! 

Winter ride: November 24 - 24 centimeters of snow

Actually they said on the radio that it was 25 centimeters, 

but the 24 - 24 is catchier!

It was quite a day of riding.

MORNING:
First, I had to drive into the city from Spruce Grove. That did not go so well. It normally takes me 20-25 minutes to drive to my parking spot in Glenwood. Because of the heavy snow today, I had decided to park a little closer to work, in Crestwood, another five minutes east on 100 Avenue.

I left home at about 6:50 a.m., and I reached the parking spot at about 8:00. 

Oh well, I thought, even if I get to work at 8:45, it will be OK. I got my bike set up and seeing that the ravine trail was deep with snow, I rode across the pedestrian bridge to Stony Plain Road. The sidewalk was covered in ankle-deep snow, so I started out by pushing my bike along, thinking I'd hop on and ride as soon as I reached a cleared section. But it didn't take long before I realized that a cleared section was not going to happen. 

Enter Plan B -- the bus. This has always been my contingency plan: I know that all the city buses have bike racks on the front, so I have always figured that if I got a flat or otherwise had a problem with my bike, I could catch a bus. I carry a supply of toonies, loonies, quarters and nickels specifically for that purpose. 

There was a bus stop a few steps away, and the bus came almost at once, so I thought I was lucky. I smiled at the bus driver, a sweet-looking blonde woman, and indicated that I was going to put my bike on the rack. She replied by heaving a sigh and rolling her eyes. Nice. Oh well, I wasn't going to let her make me feel bad. It was that kind of day. 

But when I went to put my bike on the rack, I realized that I didn't know how. Yes, there were some cryptic instructions written on the rack -- something about pulling and pushing, but no matter what I did, nothing happened. The rack wouldn't budge. So I looked at the driver and asked for help. Again with the eye roll. She snarled something at me, presumably some sort of instructions, so I tried again. Still nothing. I gave her my best big-eyed pleading look, and she rolled her eyes yet again, snarled, "Oh my God," and got out of her seat. She tried to get the rack to work and finally said with satisfaction, "It doesn't work. You'll have to wait for the next bus."

Whew. That was a narrow escape. I might have had to ride on the same bus as that witch. Talk about bad karma!

The next bus came only a few minutes later, so I was pleased about that. Now, I know it's hard to believe that there could possibly be a section in the bus drivers' manual called, "How to be nasty to people who want to put their bikes on the bike rack" but after today, I am convinced that section exists. 

This bus driver was a bald 55-ish man, but he had almost the same reaction when he saw me and my bike. Fortunately, this bike rack had very clear directions and everything worked just fine, so I got the bike in place with no trouble. When I entered the bus, I asked the driver whether I'd done it properly and he snarled, "That's all you can do." 

Thanks for the reassurance, man.

I dropped my $3.20 in the box and watched with trepidation as the bus began to roll. The bike held on and seemed perfectly content in its spot up front, so I breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed somewhat.

Along the way, I saw a few other intrepid cyclists pushing their bikes, so I felt a bit lazy, but told myself that they probably had a shorter ride than I did.

At 127 Street and Stony Plain Road, I disembarked and proceeded to ride/walk the rest of the way to work. There were quite a few shoveled sidewalks and a couple of streets with packed snow, so I would guess that about half the way was rideable. The rest of the time, I pushed the bike along, giving myself a good upper-body workout.

I got to work at about 8:50 and managed to be in front of the class ready to start by 9:00. Although it had not been a particularly easy or pleasant commute, I did feel good that at least I had spent some of that time being active instead of just sitting behind the wheel.

AFTER WORK:
During the day the temperature had fallen -- it was minus 10 with wind chill of -17 C. So I bundled up and set out, knowing that at least part of the time I'd be pushing the bike instead of riding. And yes, that is what happened for more than half the time. Needless to say, I was glad I'd chosen to park closer to work today.

Most of my walk/ride/walk/ride was not too bad. Until I came to the bridge across MacKinnon Ravine. The sidewalk here had not been cleared at all, which meant calf-deep snow, partially packed down by pedestrians, but not packed enough to form a firm path. I dragged my bike along, struggling to find a good place to put my feet and a good place for the bike wheels. I actually considered picking the bike up and carrying it, but maybe that would have been even harder. 

After I finally made it across, feeling disheartened and worn out, I was getting ready to climb back on my bike and ride the remaining kilometer or so to my van when I noticed that a guy in a stopped car was trying to get my attention. I looked his way and he asked me how much farther I had to go. 

"I normally ride my bike, too," he said, adding that today he had decided not to. (He very kindly didn't say that he was smarter than I am!) 

I assured him that I didn't have much farther and that I was OK from here on, and we went our separate ways, but it was amazing how much better I felt after that bit of thoughtfulness.

I rode on the mostly cleared sidewalks until I came to a good stretch of road, and before I knew it, I was at the car and then on my way back to Spruce Grove and a hot cup of tea!

Winter has arrived!

Last night right before I hit the sack, I saw that there was a snowfall warning -- for Spruce Grove and other places, but not for the City of Edmonton. 

Thinking that the weather warning would make good real-life reading practice for my students, I projected it onto the wall first thing this morning and we read the words of the warning and looked at the map. Sure enough, at 9:15 a.m., the lines on the map extended across the whole northern/central section of Alberta, but carefully excluded Edmonton. We all agreed that this was kind of strange, but of course we were not going to complain if the heavy snowfall missed the city!

However, when I refreshed the map at break time (10:30) things had changed. The city was now smack-dab in the middle of the snowfall warning area! And sure enough, by about 1:30, the snow had started to fall. By the time I left work at 3:15, it was just a nice layer -- maybe 3-4 cm -- and still easy to ride through. And this roundabout that I ride through along the way looked so pretty that I had to stop and snap a pic.

First ride of winter - November 2015

It's been a while. I have written about my travels in Europe -- and my cycling adventures there -- on my other blog, but for some reason I haven't written about my local riding.

Since I wanted this to be a record of not only my cycling routine, but also of weather and other conditions, when we had our first snowfall last week, I decided it's time to start again.

This begins my fifth winter of year-round bicycle commuting. I wish I could remember exactly when I started, but I do know it was during the 2011-2012 exceptionally mild winter.

Thursday, November 19, was our first real snow this fall. We got about 2-3 cm, but it was enough to make driving a little crazy, so I was happy to park my car at the west end and cycle the rest of the way.
As can be seen from the tracks on this Stony Plain Road bridge, quite a lot of other people had the same idea.What a thrill to see the tracks of 4 or 5 other cyclists, plus many pedestrians.

I decided to take the bike lane on 121 Street. Again, there were lots of bike tracks. There was also a truck parked in the bike lane. Thank you, City of Edmonton. Since there are parking spots across the street, I kindly pointed them out to the guy driving the truck. Unfortunately, I am not convinced he understood. Maybe he couldn't hear me very well over the sound of the motorized blower his co-worker was using.

Even with minor inconveniences like this,cycling is definitely the way to go when it comes to commuting. I arrived at work cold but refreshed and happy. It always feels so good to know that I am not letting winter get me down.

A few days ago I heard a researcher from Vermont speaking on the radio. Her research is related to SAD - seasonal affective disorder -- and she actually mentioned winter cycling as an effective way of combating this condition. It has been true for me. I can`t believe how my attitude towards winter has changed since I started my year-round bicycle commuting. I can't say I exactly look forward to the cold and snow, but at least I know I can enjoy it more than I would if I had to drive all the way to work every day.

nothing more changeable than the weather

There's nothing more changeable than the weather. 

So true these last few weeks.

Monday started out cold -- really cold. Although I dressed for the stated -17 with wind chill of -23, I arrived at work with numb fingers and toes. By the afternoon it had warmed up to -5 and I was quite comfy on the ride back to the car. 

The rest of the week was much warmer, but that brings other problems, namely unpleasant riding conditions on the icy, snowy multi-use trails. On Thursday the trail was so bad after work that I took the steep uphill trail out of the ravine to Churchill Crescent in Glenora and rode on 102 Avenue and Stony Plain Road to the bridge leading to Crestwood. From there I tried to ride on the 100 Avenue multi-use trail, but that was so bad that after a few blocks I opted for the road. The roads have a lot of gravel and numerous large puddles, but it's better than ploughing through thick slush.

No matter what the riding conditions, however, I am always happy to be on my bike instead of in a car or on the bus.

On Wednesday as I was heading into MacKinnon Ravine, I spotted a guy standing beside his little SUV fastening a bike helmet. I was a bit slow on the uptake, but as I started downhill I realized that he must be doing the same thing as me -- parking and riding. I promised myself that the next time I saw him I would stop for a chat.

 Well, the next morning I saw his SUV parked in the same place, but he was apparently already on his way. And then as I was riding up the hill to Ezio Faraone Park, I saw a guy ahead of me walking his bike. I passed him and as I did so I thought the helmet looked familiar: I was pretty sure he was the Park-and-Ride guy. So when I reached the top, I waited for him and asked. 

Sure enough. He lives in Devon and has been parking-and-riding for the last 25 years! 

That made my day.

On Friday I had to go to HQ at 118 Avenue and 82 Street. I parked in Crestwood and rode the rest of the way. I think I can honestly say that the MacKinnon Ravine trail was the worst it's been in my four years of riding. Not only is there thick ice, but the ice is deeply rutted and pitted with tire and foot marks. I may be a coward, but I simply could not bring myself to try to ride and ended up walking my bike for a couple hundred meters. The River Valley section was also quite icy, but manageable, and some spots were even quite good. 

Then I came to Rossdale. The trail there was sheer ice. I rode for a awhile in fear and trepidation, but when I wiped out, I decided I'd rather risk my life on the downtown streets than down in the valley. Spotting a set of stairs, I crossed the road. I wasn't sure exactly where I'd be when I reached the top, but I told myself that anything had to be an improvement on the icy trails below.

It was not an easy climb to the top. There was a short flight of stairs, followed by a landing. Then a long flight of stairs, and another landing. 

When I reached this landing, I groaned inwardly, but the young woman who reached the top shortly afterward groaned audibly. I laughed and told her that I knew the feeling. 

The next flight of stairs was even longer than the one we had just finished and it looked incredibly steep. But I put my shoulder to the wheel, so to speak, and made it to the top without having a heart attack or even getting too out of breath.

From there I rode in the street to the LRT trail, which goes almost all the way to my destination.

For the ride back to the car, I didn't bother with the River Valley, but just rode on 103/104 Avenue and Stony Plain Road. It was not too bad; the roads are quite clear and traffic wasn't very heavy, so I made pretty good time.