Ice in the Morning
It’s been getting colder the past few mornings. The cars are coated with frost, subtle reminders of the ice and snow to come. It’s been cold enough that my body and mind strive against each in consideration of a chilly ride to work.
If you’ve ever wondered how a decision is made to climb aboard the Vespa when the thermometer nears the freezing mark, here’s a short reflection of my own rationalizations.
I starts almost the moment I wake. Eyes open, body slowly unwinding in slow stretches and groans, a physical coming back to life that leads to a dim assessment of, “How do I feel?”.
From there the mental ramp up begins. My knee-jerk thought is, “I want to ride.”. It’s mindless and without evidence to support it and perhaps similar to a lot of behaviors that are automated but shouldn’t be. It’s at this point that research begins to support or deny a conclusion on whether I will ride or now.
Almost simultaneously I’ll be thumbing the iPhone to my weather app while running costume choices for the ride. Long underwear? Sweater, or perhaps some extra layers? These considerations happen quickly, almost subconsciously.
The show plays a strong role in the process with the steamy water driving away the chill which speaks loudly to choose the car. Aside from serious illness, a hot shower in the morning can almost convince me that anything is possible. It’s a vastly under-appreciated pleasure.
Dog number one joins me in bed as I struggle to pull on polypropylene long underwear and heavy socks. It’s not long before dog number two arrives to nose and nudge me toward decidedly non-riding priorities.
Bittersweet Morning
Kim is thrilled we have finally established non-invasive, native bittersweet in our garden, the fiery red berries warm the eyes on a cold morning.
Out the back door and into the morning air for the first time it would not be uncommon to think how nice it would be to drive to work.
The dogs force a morning march to embrace their desire to breathe in the day, send messages to other creatures capable of reading their signs, and celebrate the physicality of being canine. This march is comprised of laps around the yard along a series of walkways and paths of both human and dog construction. One lap comprises an eight of a mile. In a short time I’ll gain a half-mile of walking in the yard. I wonder how often others pace their properties. Our turf turned woodland provides a walk in the woods.
Belgian Sheepdog Companions
By the time Lily decides to take a break during the walk and ball throwing, I’ve come closer to a decision on whether to ride. I’ve either become invigorated by the cold or beaten down by it. On this morning I’m already on the road in my head.
Scooter on the Freeway
Cold weather riding, scooter or motorcycle, is always made easier by bright sunlight. On the way to work I stopped along the freeway to soak up some sunshine. A vitamin D stop. These stops also afford the opportunity to make adjustments to gear to more effectively manage the cold. Heavier gloves, tightening sleeves to minimize air flow and other weak spots that allow cold air to get to tender skin.
Crisp, Clear Mornings
I’m almost always glad I’m riding on a cold day. The challenge of overcoming the environmental conditions sharpens my senses and imbues a feeling of being in control of my destiny. If only for a short time.
While I counsel a lot of people to not ride in the cold, especially when the temperature is near or below the freezing mark, I have to admit it is a satisfying experience to overcome the weather.
It won’t be long now until the snow tires go on the Vespa…
That riding calculus is familiar.
I was back to performing the ritual this week. Four out of five days I commuted to the downtown core.
Is there on street parking where I’m going? What are the odds on precipitation? I need to wear a suit, how will I stow the suit jacket? Where will I stow my gear when I get downtown? How soon do I need to hit the shower? When do I need to hit the road?
Because I am now living in a new city, the calculations are a little more demanding.
The reward of riding is more than enough compensation for the effort.
I was reading your most recent post David on your blog and was thinking again about the apron for the Vespa. Each winter I get closer and closer to that solution. Still resisting though. Heated insoles are on my radar this year.
Cold weather riding is a ritual that can be simple or complex depending on all the needs. Wearing a suit — I’ve not had to deal with that since my normal professional attire is jeans and a black T shirt. I’ve not provided much income to the men’s haberdashery industry.
Your comment on the reward compensating the effort — that’s spot on. For you and I at least. But not everyone. Was talking to a fellow today and I inquired if he’s still riding his scooter. He scoffed, “Way to cold now. Not worth the effort.” I left thinking, “He’s no rider…”
David has a option in really lousy Toronto weather; the subway is not that far from where he now lives. Having lived south of Eglinton Avenue near Avenue Road and worked in the west end of Toronto, close to the Kodak Canada head offices.
Appreciated the buses, trolley coaches and streetcars of the TTC on more than one cold frosty winter’s morning. Mornings when most two wheeled conveyances were tucked away from the howling snowstorms and icy winds. Then there were the sidecars on motorcycles that the Metropolitan Toronto Police
used for official duties; don’t know if the fall ritual of attaching sidecars to Harley-Davidson police motorcycles is still in vogue or not.
Urban centers certainly have far more options to get around that we have here in central Pennsylvania. But when you have a Vespa, what else do you really need…
That seems a whole lot more involved than my method of just checking for frost on the weather rock. Actually, today offers a rare opportunity. We got our first snow and the streets were warm enough that it didn’t stick, yet the rest of the environment is white. No salt yet so all systems go!
Love those snowy days with nothing sticking on the roadway. Great landscapes for photos.
I wish I could be like you and have a simple evaluation. Unfortunately my brain gets in the way on many levels. Seems like everything in my life is a battle at times…
Salt… My poor Vespa has endured ten years of heavy salt.
My thoughts are much simpler. Too cold or not. Lots of ice or not. Feeling like it or not. I haven’t ridden since last week sometime. It’s -6°F right now and I just don’t feel like it…
PA looks nice. I hope it stays that way through next weekend.
Mmmmmmminus 6F in Novembrrrrrr???? Holy cow! That’s a compelling argument for hibernation if ever there was one.
I hope to one day simplify my thoughts — moving from a swirling chaos of voices to something black and white like you describe. Perhaps I should give up on that and accept who I am.
I’ve ridden many times at -6F but I can’t go from the mid-60s to that overnight. I have to slowly build to those temperatures. It was warm this morning and cold and spitting snow in the afternoon. We should have some temperate weather for awhile though.
Brrrrrr…no thanks!
I feel that way more and more.
As a southerner, my blood just isn’t that thick! Be safe out there.
After my heart attack I am on blood thinners which have made me far less tolerant of the cold. It’s turned me into a southerner!
To add to RichardM’s comments. Temperature reading done to determine layers to be worn. We had disappointing snow fall this week, basically an inch or so and the stuff on the roads went to ice overnight….not much for pics.
Hitting a mental barrier when it comes to riding just to ride, this working from home has so many advantages to include no commuting but sometimes, I almost miss it.
I don’t know — I guess winter riding is just a whole different ball of wax. It’s neither simple or easy. But it is satisfying…
Last week was when I (and probably others) got mentally whipsawed by the weather. For a few days, it was almost eerily mild, to the point that I just had to take time out for a good ride along the shore on that last 60° + afternoon. Absolutely worth it.
The following day? A rather abrupt drop in temps, and I had errands to run on top of that. Out came the stuff I hadn’t touched in months: thermal undies, gauntlet gloves, early-007-era wool turtleneck sweater as additional upper-body layer, and that small-but-important accessory HJC offers for some of their full-face helmets: a removable chin curtain. It all did the trick. Didn’t feel quite as footloose as the day before, but the ride was still mostly enjoyable.
As for later in the year? I have been daydreaming about heated gloves…
Persistence in the face of cold allows me to keep going. I have to ease into the winter riding much like I do when swimming in cold water…