No Degrees and No Complaints

Other than a few numb toes, a dry day at zero degrees Celsius works out well for a cyclist. This year, a day-by-day adjustment of clothing has been complicated by the chaotic temperature changes. Still, it helps to get on the bike as often as possible to keep a sense for what clothing works for the current weather.

I was too warm for most of my ride, so take my clothing list with a grain of salt:

• ski socks
• bike shoes
• light pants
• wool t-shirt
• sweater
• fleece jacket
• shell jacket (wind/rain "proof" and extremely yellow)
• cotton gloves
• helmet

I know it isn't any different from 10 or 15 degrees, somehow the air feels cleaner at these temperatures. It's invigorating to take a deep breath of cool air while pushing myself up a big hill.

One of the downsides to the cooler weather is the affect of cold air on the eyes. My eyes tend to water a little more easily as a cold wind blows at them. It may be time to start wearing glasses to avoid braking on the downhills.

This morning I counted 9 cyclists during my suburban trek. On a warm summer day, I see 16 to 25, and in the depth of the winter, I see 4 or 5. As unscientific as this "study" is, it's encouraging to see that I am not the only one enjoying this weather.