Winter cycling- bracing cold

[shootingstar]

Today cycled only 10 km. to attend an opening event of a new light rail train transit extension line with 6 additional new stations. I forgot how friggin' cold it was to bike.... -15 degrees C (or 5 degrees F) which in our dry air and wind chill is -22 degrees C. No wonder, why my cheeks felt nearly frozen for such a short distance. I was riding the whole time, kinda of slow. At this time of the year, I tend to be like this in case a tiny ice patch should bring me down.

But I was so glad to cycle to spankin' new station and lock up my bike to their new bike racks there before hopping onto train for free ride for an additional 15 km., with everyone else..plus have there, hot chocolate and cookies.

Many parents brought out their children to this free event. It's a great way for suburban families to experience...transit if they don't use it often --yet. I noticed that stations out in the SUBURBS on this new line were crowded with quadruple the people, compared to the downtown station where I began my rail ride.

Could I have cycled the same route along new LRT? I don't know the all new bike routes that parallel this route. I wasn't going to try it in such COLD temp. and maybe even get lost an extra half in such freezin' temperatures!