Expanded my inclement weather experience tonight

[Melalvai]

This is probably no big deal for many of you experienced commuters in the north. One can commute regularly in Missouri, and only miss a handful of days during the winter, and never bike in cold slick weather. (Heat is another matter.)

The Wintry Mix started right on time this afternoon. Everyone around me was heading home early. I thought about staying late, figuring the traffic would only get lighter. But I didn’t have much to do today. The Wintry Mix had accumulated in a Slushy Mush on the streets at 5:00.

So long as I was moving, I had no problems. Starting was a bit tricky. I couldn’t get traction. One steep downhill ending at a busy intersection was scary but it was all mental. Most of all I cursed my inadequate lighting, in the interludes between streetlights when there were no cars behind me to light the slushy mush in front of me.

I did not get honked at, but then I wasn’t comfortable moving my hands to my new horn to honk back. I was uncomfortable with how little room most cars gave me. I thought they might be more generous under the conditions. Traffic was lighter than normal. Everyone who could had left early.

One car lost traction as it passed me. That was exciting.

A truck behind me at the light hollered “You want a ride?” I waved.

[bike4ever]

Melalvai - Did you get any accumulation? We're getting sleet but the roads are only wet - nothing icy to report.

[sbctwin]

I am glad you made it home safe. I had a scary ride like that last week. I don't want to repeat it....

[bikerHen]

Not that it has anything to do with biking, but . . . the one and only time I drove from St. Louis to Columbia was in a driving snowstorm. It would have been more fun with traction tires but my daughter and I were driving home from Florida.

Back to biking, way to Go! Nothing like expanding your horizons! Get more lights though. It greatly reduces the stress and elevates the fun. I almost feel safer at night with all my lights and reflective gear. bikerHen

[MomOnBike]

DH & I wimped out today.

Everyone - boss included - at work asked if I had ridden in this weather. I wish I had, just so I could say Of Course, with my look. Sigh...

[Tri Girl]

You're a stud-puppy Melalvai! I wish I had both the guts and the body temperature tolerance for rides like that. I'll just let you do them and then tell me about it later so I can live vicariously through you.
Glad you made it home safely!

[Melalvai]

We didn't have much accumulation, maybe the 3 inches we were supposed to get, maybe not so much.

I have repeatedly told my parents exactly what spokes & generator hub, or if they want the pre-built wheel w/ generator hub, to get me for christmas and who at the bike shop to talk to who knows my bike. So after christmas I anticipate my night riding life will be much more pleasant.

This morning looks to be an interesting ride as well. I'm having the 8:00 teleconf at home because by 7:10 I realized I wasn't going to be ready to go and give myself enough extra time to get there. Last night's 20 min ride took a good 40 minutes (including putting on all my cold weather stuff).

On the other hand the clutch in our one car is going so I may be better off at the end of the day than my husband, and my daughter might have to ride the bus home.

[fastdogs]

wow, as I was headed home yesterday I was just thinking about bike commuters. I talked to the security guy a little bit, because I saw his bike sitting in the foyer and was asking if he commuted. He said he was just going to ride a couple blocks to the train station because it was too cold. As I was driving the snow started, and turned into sleet as I got further south (my car commute is 40- 50 miles each way).
good for you, I would have been scared too!
vickie

[Voodoo Sally]

Good for you, Melalvai. You gained some valuable experience. You might try knobby tires. I envy you. I have wimped out since it snowed / iced here and it hasn't melted in a week.

[lph]

Hey, well done Melalvai! That slushy stuff is the absolute worst to bike in, it packs in your tires and does terrible things to your traction. It helps to keep your weight well back and keep your hands really light on the handlebars, but it's a PITA however you ride it!

[Melalvai]

Woohoo, that whole inclement weather thing just got a little more intense. Here's tonight's adventure.

Based on my experience biking last winter, I have argued that if the roads are good enough to drive on, they’re good enough to bike on.

I should have taken care of groceries first thing this morning. Instead I wrestled with chopping a 16 page grant down to 10 pages. It got bloody. This afternoon it became apparent that we were in desperate need of food and I checked the weather. “Icy drizzle” was the current outlook, progressing to “Freezing rain” for the rest of the night, and it is not supposed to abate tomorrow.

I decided there was no time to lose. Starting out, the roads were fine. I almost regretted not waiting a little. Riding in an icy drizzle would surely be an adventure. My goggles iced over o.n one side so I rode with my head tilted. After I parked my bike, I slipped & nearly fell twice walking into the store.

Getting groceries took quite a while, because like I said we were out of food and needed a lot. When I came out of the store it was dark. I noticed the ice immediately when my wheel spun out when I tried to start. But I got going and headed home carefully.

I tried to stand in the pedals going up one of the slightly steeper hills but my rear tire slipped on every down stroke. I sat down. I was more than halfway up the hill. Then my rear tire started slipping more often. Then it was slipping every stroke and I was slowing, unable to put any power into my motion. Finally I was about to fall over so I stopped. Now I was in a precarious position. Still straddling the bike, I shuffled it over to the curb. I got one foot in the grass up on the curb, and got off the bike. I tried to push the bike along the street, walking in the grass, but the bike kept slipping away. I got back on the street and gingerly pushed it, managing not to slip backward. It was a busy street, and it was dark, so this wasn’t the safest I’ve ever felt.

At the top of the hill I got back on the bike and had no problems after that, even on other steep hills on Bearfield. Probably something to do with the direction of the wind. I had several thoughts as I pedalled home.

Winter is better for biking than summer. You can have your adventures 3 miles instead of 100.
I love that sinking feeling of “I’ve gotten myself in way over my head” because I know I’ll get out of it one way or another and it will make a great story when I do.
Maybe road conditions for bikes & cars are not equal.

[lph]

Maybe road conditions for bikes & cars are not equal.

Those four wheels make it a little easier to stay rubber side down...

On the other hand - if you get stuck somewhere you can't just pick up your car and carry it out of trouble!

Digression: I found out once, coming home late from a party slightly sozzled, that wool socks give much better traction on slick ice than shoes do...

[Melalvai]

On the other hand - if you get stuck somewhere you can't just pick up your car and carry it out of trouble!

Yeah--one factor in my decision not to use the car last night (in addition to principles) was that the clutch is going. It would suck to be stuck at a traffic light in that weather, with a full trunk of groceries, unable to put it into gear.