What's in a name?

One thing about bicycle commuting is that you have a lot of time to think. I try to keep my thoughts positive, but sometimes stuff happens to make that difficult.

For example, I'm riding along, minding my own business, when I see a garbage truck making a left turn. Pretty normal behaviour, right? Except that this garbage truck is closing in on an elderly lady who is crossing the street on the walk light. Rather than coming to a complete stop and waiting for the woman to clear the intersection, the driver chooses to maintain only light pressure on the brake, so that the truck eases its way towards her, making it clear that she is taking too long to cross, and that it is only because the driver doesn't want a black mark on his record that he is allowing her to proceed. I feel indignant. And then I notice the irony. The name of the garbage company is Green for Life. My quick-thinking mind thinks of a more fitting moniker: Green for Death.

This is the beginning of a new trend. During the next few weeks as I ride in the protected bike lanes downtown, I happen to notice that not once, not twice, but three times, either I or a fellow cyclist has a close call with a DynaLife driver. You guessed it -- that company's name is now DynaDeath.

Then one winter day, weary of jiggling my way over the packed snow and ice covering the marked on-street bike route through Glenora, I decide to try the sidewalk on Stony Plain Road. Maybe, just maybe the home and business owners along that stretch have cleared the walk and it will be a better ride. I know, of course, that it is not strictly kosher to ride a bike on the sidewalk, but when the city refuses to clear the roads on the bike routes, it can be mighty tempting. And so I give in to temptation. Ah joy, most of the sidewalk is indeed cleared of ice and snow, and it is a pretty good ride. Until I reach the walk in front of Young Life. Or should I say, Young Death? I'm not exactly young, but as I rode on their sidewalk, I felt the hand of death.

This is fun. I entertain family and friends by telling them about my renaming spree.

Then summer rolls around. Construction abounds, most of it necessary, but truly mystifying is the creation of benches and planters on the path connecting the 121 Street bike lane with the 105 Avenue bike lane -- a short path behind the Brewery District plaza. It was a nice clear route, but for some reason the powers that be decided to festoon the path with planters and benches. What was previously a direct, hazard-free ride has become an obstacle course. A glance at the vests of the workers and I have the chance to re-christen yet another company. Wilco -- classic shorthand for "will comply" -- becomes Wilinco (stress on the second syllable: "will-IN-co") -- short for "will inconvenience". And they live up to their new name in days to come, running a large hose across the path one day, and parking one of their vehicles on the path another day.

Anyone want to join in the fun?

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.

Copenhagen Cyclists in the Spring

How Lorne Gunter gets to be a columnist for a major Edmonton newspaper is beyond me. I can only hope it's because he is willing to work for food. Oh wait, maybe it's his ability to overlook the obvious: He claims that on his recent visit to Copenhagen, he didn't see any cyclists in the bike lanes. 

To put it quite simply: I don't believe him. But wait, maybe that is a tad uncharitable. Maybe he is telling the truth. It's possible that he didn't go outside, since he thought the weather was so formidable. (We're talking 8 degrees Celsius -- that's PLUS 8, not minus 8.) Or maybe he just didn't look around him as he walked along with his jacket's hood obstructing his vision.  

In stating his claim, he is trying to prove a point, summarized in the last line of his op-ed: Spending millions on bicycle infrastructure cannot create a bike culture where Mother Nature rules against it.

Why do I think I know better than an esteemed columnist? I have visited Copenhagen not once, but twice.

The first time was in early March and the first thing I noticed was all the cyclists. I rented a bike and rode along with them, all over the city. It wasn't exactly warm -- about 3 to 5 degrees Celsius during my 3-day visit -- but the cyclists were definitely out there.

This statue of King Christian X was one of the sights I rode past. I also rode to the harbour to visit the Little Mermaid.

The second time I visited Copenhagen was in late April. Again, Mother Nature was doing her best to discourage outdoor activity. It was about 8 degrees, and it was windy and raining rather enthusiastically, which made it feel even colder. But the local cyclists were undaunted. During the morning and afternoon rush hours, the bike lanes were busy, and even in between they were well used.

Not only were there plenty of cyclists out and about, I was struck by the way they were dressed. Some of the women had bare legs or just thin nylons. Some of the riders had bare hands, although most wore what I would consider thin and inadequate gloves. Many had nothing on their heads. Of course, most of them were probably just riding a short distance to work, not spending the whole day riding around, as I was, but still...

So, a word of warning -- just because you read it in the Sun, you shouldn't necessarily believe it. 

Above photo: My rental bike from the Wakeup Hotel in Copenhagen. At first, I was nervous about parking my bike because I thought I might lose it among all the other bikes (hundreds) that were parked nearby. Fortunately, this bike has some identifying marks -- a bright green "wakeup" stamped on the frame, a green "503" on the back fender, and bright orange front forks.

The photos below were all taken on my trips to Copenhagen.

March 5, 2015 - 5 degrees Celsius. You just can't keep those Copenhagen cyclists off the streets!

Oh yes, one more thing... Gunther also discusses Amsterdam. I've been there, too, three or four times, and yes, the first time I inadvertently stepped into a bike lane and received hard stares from passing cyclists. But guess what? That happened to me in Vancouver's Stanley Park, too. As Dr. Suess might say: In cars or on bikes; in the rain, in the snow; people are people wherever you go. A bike lane is for bikes, after all. 

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.

Bike Lane Junior

I didn't know about this Edmonton bike lane until recently. During the winter, it is often too icy/slushy/snowy/unpredictable for my liking in the River Valley, so I ride on the city streets. Of course even on the streets there is plenty of ice, snow, slush and unpredictability, but I figure that if I have a serious crash, at least I am close to help.

Bike Lane Junior

Anyway, so that is how I became acquainted with Bike Lane Junior. Until this year, when I rode from the west end to downtown I used 102 Avenue, which is marked as a bike route. I have never been fond of this route, however, as it has an overabundance of stop signs and, at 116 Street, one of the longest red lights in the city.

One day this winter, I followed another cyclist who took 103 Avenue instead. 

I (and obviously many others) find this a much better route for cycling -- less traffic, fewer stop signs, and no traffic light. In fact at 116 Street, there is a push-button cross walk. No more waiting in the cold for that light to change.

Also on 103 Avenue is this bike lane. Initially I was going to call it Baby Bike Lane, but then I realized that the term "baby" implies that growth is going to occur. I don't think so. Hence, the new improved moniker: Bike Lane Junior. 

The first time I encountered it, I wasn't sure what to think. After riding several blocks along a road with no reference to bicycles, suddenly before me was a sign indicating that a bike lane was beginning. Wow, great, I thought -- a bike lane the rest of the way.  But, um, no. 

The bike lane begins about 15 meters from the corner and ends at the corner. That's right, the entire bike lane is about 15 meters long. 

I know it's a bike lane, though. Not only is there a sign telling me this, but the pavement is just like the normal Edmonton bike lane -- pitted, cracked, sporting potholes. During the winter a large patch of ice covers most of the surface. And now in spring, the coating of gravel on this stretch of road is further confirmation that this is our fine city's idea of a lane just for bikes.

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.

tragedy

Yesterday a 50-year-old female bicycle commuter was killed in a collision with a garbage truck at 7:30 a.m. at 100 Avenue and 112 Street, a corner I ride past most days. Yesterday I didn't take that route, but rode up the Fortway Road hill instead. I always feel sad to hear about a fatal cycling accident, but this one struck especially close to home -- a woman, about my age, riding the same route I do at about the same time. It sounds like she was just a normal commuter -- riding on the road, not the sidewalk, just as she is supposed to, wearing a helmet, just as she is supposed to. She was going straight through a green light, not blowing a stop sign or running a red light or one of the equally stupid things I all too often see other cyclists do.

Anyway, so I feel really sad about that, and also pretty determined to use Fortway as long as the weather is good. In the winter, cyclists on 100 Avenue have to ride smack-dab in the driving lane, so it is quite a bit safer. Right now, the road is clear and even swept of debris, so there is room to ride beside the motor vehicles, which is what this woman apparently did, only to get hit by a right-turning truck. Although I am always on the alert for right-turning vehicles as I ride on this road, it only takes one lapse of judgment for an incident like this to occur.

slow pace

There is nothing like a springtime cold to slow you down. All winter for the past three years I've eaten a grapefruit every day and haven't had a cold. But at this time of year the quality of grapefruit is sketchy, so I haven't been eating them as much -- and I came down with a cold. I'm not sure whether I should be glad or mad that it happened during my week off work. I am glad not to miss work, but sorry to be feeling under the weather when I could be enjoying long country bike rides.

On Wednesday I just lazed around all day, feeling completely lacking in energy. Thursday I felt better, so I went for a long bike ride (25 km) around town, did a lot of baking and housecleaning and then went for a longish walk (7 km) in the early evening. After that I was completely wiped out and on Friday I felt worse than ever. Yesterday, Saturday, I felt slightly better -- short bike ride and longish walk.

As I rode my bike through the woods, I saw patches of these flowers. As flowers go, I can't say that I find these particularly attractive, but as a sign of spring, they are beautiful beyond compare! According to my Alberta Wayside Flowers book, they are called Arctic Sweet-Colt's-Foot and are good to eat, unless you're a pregnant woman.

sign of spring in the woods nearby

My plan for today is to stick to a shorter ride around town, but I'm thinking that tomorrow I'll head for the hills and try to get in 50-60 km.

I did take my new-to-me Vita in to the bike shop to have them check it over and replace the rear brake pads and cables. They also attached a back rack and fender. Now the bike is in tiptop shape and I hope to ride it all the way into the city to work on Thursday. I'm not really sure what to expect of riding in at 6:30 a.m. -- traffic? temperature? wind? -- but I figure it's worth a try. If it is a horrible experience, I'll just continue  my system of driving in to the west end and cycling the rest of the way. But if it goes well, I'll try to do it more regularly -- maybe every Thursday.

I'm trying to get somewhat organized for starting the next session, but it's always hard to know what the classes will be like -- how many students I'll have, what levels, etc. Maybe that's a good thing, as it means I can't spend my whole time off trying to prepare. I do know I'll continue with the idiom lists, which the students love, and I found a good news story -- about people finding unexpected "treasures" and returning them to the owners -- to start us off.

And some good news for my first week back to work -- apparently the 95th Avenue bike lanes have been repainted! I noticed they were looking a little worse for wear and was wondering whether they were on their way out. Since I've seen other cyclists using them and even saw an elderly man in a motorized wheelchair zipping along, I know I am not the only one to be happy about this!

bicycle commuting in spring

... is a wonderful thing! Riding through the river valley and the ravine is so much better than taking the dusty, noisy, crowded city streets. And having a hill climb as part of my daily commute is the icing on the cake. This week I rode up the Victoria Park hill. I'd like to start using Fortway Drive again, but last week it was still covered with sand and gravel. The forecast for the coming week includes rain and snow flurries, so maybe I'll wait till next session starts, on the 20th. I have been riding down Fortway on my way back to the car, but the uphill climb is a bit of work and made more difficult when there are patches of loose gravel.

This week I saw a woman I had been wondering about. I used to see her every morning last summer and fall, but then in the winter she disappeared. Maybe she didn't ride through the winter; maybe she changed her route or her schedule; who knows? But it was good to see her again. We always say good morning, and I always feel sort of bad, because as I am sailing downhill into the valley, she is engaged in the uphill battle. Of course, I have a climb at the end of my morning ride, and then again at the end of the day, but she sees me only on the easy part. I'm sure there's a metaphor in there somewhere, if only I can find it.

On Thursday I rode home on Stony Plain Road. I wanted to check out that route because once work starts on the 102 Avenue bridge, that will be my alternative to the river valley trail. It is a little longer than taking 102 Avenue, but not much -- maybe another kilometer -- and seemed quite a bit busier. Or maybe it's just because it was new to me. 

And I've been using the 95th Avenue bike lanes, which are fantastic. I've seen a few other cyclists using the lanes and also saw a lot of bicycle tire tracks in the dust -- a good sign. Here's hoping they don't decide to remove the lanes!

another week, another snowfall

Monday and Tuesday were good riding days. On Monday I even decided to ride to work through the River Valley and check out the situation there. It was quite icy, but I was pleasantly surprised at the bottom of the ravine, right below the museum, to see a detour sign, and a detour -- of sorts. Looks like someone decided to create a makeshift path on higher ground, skirting the ice rink that lurks all winter. It did the trick, although I don't think it's what is normally meant when the trail maps say "maintained in winter." I rode up the Victoria Parkway hill and then along 100 Avenue. 

It was a nice change, but I've decided that it's not really worth it to ride there at this time of year, unless I'm in the mood for the scenery and a change of pace. The surface of the pathway is too unpredictable for my liking, and if anything happens there, it could be a long, slippery walk to civilization/ So for now, I'll stick to the roads.

On my way back to the car both days, I rode in the 95th Avenue bike lanes. They are sort of clear -- if you don't count piles of gravel -- and I want people to see that the lanes are being used. I will use them every day that it is reasonable. I'd use them five times a day if it fit into my schedule.

On Wednesday it snowed -- maybe 10-12 cm. I took the bus and was thankful! I did see a couple of cyclists downtown and felt that usual bit of envy, but I knew I'd made the right choice.

On Thursday it was back to the bike. Wow -- that was quite a ride. The shared sidewalk on 100 Avenue between 165 St. and 149 St. was hopeless. I couldn't ride because the snow was so deep. After walking my bike about 50 meters, I decided to head on over to Stony Plain Road (dragging the bike through the snow on the road) and ride in the bus/bike/taxi lane. That went well, and after 142 Street I rode in the service road, which was surprisingly navigable. Then it was sidewalks all the way to Jasper. At Jasper I thought I'd try the bus/bike/taxi lane since that had worked so well before. Big mistake. There was so much slush, in big ruts, mixed with gravel and who knows what else, I was afraid I was going to go over sideways. So at 116 Street I made my way (shamefully riding on the sidewalk on the wrong side of the street and not even caring) to 100 Avenue. There I rode in the traffic lane, since the traffic moves slowly and there are lots of stops and starts (crosswalks, turning vehicles, etc.) Whew, was I glad to see my destination! The ride home was great -- roads were clear. I did avoid the shared sidewalk, however, and took Stony Plain Road all the way to the cemetery, where I can use the crosswalk and ride through a parking lot right to my car.

Today I rode to the library and Safeway. For a warm day (around 0 C) it was kind of cold -- there was a brisk northwest wind, and it was snowing with small hard flakes. It was also alternately slushy and icy -- all in all, not the best day for a bike ride. But it was still nice to get out, enjoy the fresh air and get a bit of exercise.

At Safeway as I was loading my panniers, an older man came to talk to me. After pontificating on the advantages of cycling (you don't pay for gas, you get exercise, etc.) he told me all about his younger days riding a  bike. He was kind of hard to understand (maybe bad fitting dentures?) but I think he said he used to put chains on his bike tires in the winter. Then he said something about trying to get Dragon's Den to take him up on the idea. I didn't have the heart to tell him about studded tires. I was so distracted by his chatter that I almost forgot to unlock my bike and had to open up my pannier again to get the key. He wasn't even young and good looking!

I also finished my ACE Teaching Test Prep course and submitted my final assignment, so that feels good. My weekends are my own again. (Oh, wait -- now I have to do taxes for several family members!)

I picked up my fair-weather commuter bike, with its shiny new drive train, from the bike shop on Tuesday, but I haven't ridden it yet -- I want to keep it nice and clean so I'll wait till the snow is mostly gone.

Yes, Virginia, there is a bike lane on 106 Street

In December I agreed to take part in a City of Edmonton survey about the 106 Street bike lanes. I ride on 106 Street between 51 Avenue and Saskatchewan Drive once or twice a month. Unlike some curmudgeonly types, I like the bike lanes. They are not perfectly designed, true. There are some awkward spots along this route, such as the drop-off points for schools and daycare and the Whyte Avenue crossing. But on the whole, the ride is fast and easy and comfortable.

Because I was off for Christmas until the 13th, I didn't end up using 106 Street to commute to work in January. So I actually made a special trip into the city to cycle there. I had some errands to do: Hubby needed some computer parts and I had to return something to The Bay, so I rolled everything into one.

I have to say, if I didn't already know there was a bike lane on this street, I would never have guessed. Of course, there are lots of signs to that effect.

They look like this:

But I rode and rode all the way to Saskatchewan Drive without so much as a glimpse of a bike lane. I turned around and started back, but still no bike lane.

 snow, snow, and more snow where bike lane ought to be...

 

However, as I continued south, I finally saw this:

 

Not an actual bike lane, true. But this barely discernible marking on  the pavement indicates that a bike lane is on the horizon and that cyclists who wish to ride in the bike lane should move right. 

And a little farther along, here it is, the bike lane itself. 

Sort of.  

So, you see, Virginia, 
there is indubitably a bike lane on 106 Street.

Winter maintenance is another story. Even this small stretch of seemingly cleared lane is only by accident -- it turns out that at this particular spot on the road, cars drive in the bike lane and have created a snow-free zone. It has nothing to do with the city's snow removal efforts. 

The irony is that it doesn't matter all that much. The traffic lanes are bare and dry, so riding is easy and the ubiquitous bike lane signs assure me that drivers have no reason to complain about a cyclist riding there. As always along this route, it was a pleasant, fast and comfortable ride, bike lane or no bike lane. 

camo for bike lanes?

Camouflaged bike lanes? What next?

Today I had to stop in at our rental house, so I parked nearby and rode downtown along 106 Street, ostensibly in the bike lane. 
What bike lane? It's there, but cleverly disguised as just more of the same old snow, ice and grit. So I rode in the vehicle lane most of the way. It was still a good ride. 

The distance is just under 7 km, and when I mapped out the route on Google Maps, it said it would take 28 minutes. Well, it took me exactly 28 minutes. Considering the road conditions, I thought that was not bad! The trip back to the house took only 24 minutes.

Drivers along 106 Street are so courteous. Several times I moved as far right as I could, thinking I'd let some cars pass me, but each time the cars continued to drive behind me. No one honked or yelled or waved their hands angrily at me. My bike is well-lit and I wore my reflective sash, and I felt safe and comfortable riding there. 

I didn't see many other cyclists. There was one fatbike rider, riding on the sidewalk. Huh? I don't get it -- why spend a minimum of $1700 on a sidewalk bike? And as I approached Saskatchewan Drive, I saw one other regular cyclist heading south. 

I'm working on this selfie thing. 
I figure as an English teacher I should not only know about new words but should actively use them. And, if the Pope can endorse selfies, they must be an okay thing, right? 
Obviously, I still need some practice!

arrival at work -- I tried the "night" setting on my phone camera -- clearly NOT the thing to do

It was rather cold: -15 with wind chill of -26. I wore my new L.L. Bean riding coat over three merino sweaters. On my legs: long underwear, skinny pants and my MEC Adanac tights. On my head: a wool cap lined with fleece and my helmet. Around my neck: a small fleece scarf inside the coat and my big long alpaca scarf on the outside, wrapped around twice. On my hands: wool gloves and my Olympic mittens. (There are new ones out now for the Sochi Olympics, but they don't look quite as warm.) On my feet: thin socks, Smartwool socks and my tall boots. I was warm enough, except for the times I had to stop and wait for the light to change -- then my feet got a little bit cold.

love these extra-warm mittens

Today was our last day of classes before the Christmas break. Tomorrow we have a Christmas party. For the last three days, I've had the students speak on various topics -- sometimes they choose; sometimes I assign the topic. After each student finishes speaking, the other students can ask questions. They enjoy this immensely and did a great job. It's fun to hear what they have to say and it's heartening to see how much progress they've made after just a few months. The end of a session -- and in this case, the end of a year of teaching -- always makes me reflect on how fortunate I am to have a job I love, as well as an awesome way to get to work, even when, "Baby, it's cold outside"!