Bicycling

Last edited Fri Jan 8, 2016, 12:39 AM - Edit history (1)

The National weather Service says 19 degree and 21 mph, but that is at the Johnstown Airport atop of Allegheny Mountain. I am in the river valley below, temperatures run three to five degrees warmer in winter but the wind speed tends to be about the same.

I had biked from my work to my home on Sunday Night (I had been in Pittsburgh over the weekend, when I arrived back in Johnstown I parked my car at the office for it has a garage and biked to my home in Johnstown).

The bike ride was excellent, cold, I could feel the cold in my legs for I only had BDU trousers on the legs and I was wearing sandals and summer socks ( I had forgotten to switch to my tennis shoes before I left the office). Feet were a little cold, but that was about all. The ride home was cold, but I was comfortable I rode with my Army leather gloves and arrived home safely. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, a light powdery snow which the locals call a "Cold Snow". The snow on the ground was no more than a 1/4 inch of snow. Some ice under the snow, my bike tires slid while I was peddling, just lost of traction as opposed to sliding.

I arrived home and switched my Cannondale tires to my studded tires, for in the Morning I knew the Snow and Ice would still be on the road and I wanted traction. I also dug up my old Neos overboots to wear over my Sandals the next morning. When I did I had no problem with my feet.

The next morning, Monday January 4th, 2016 We hard a light dusting of snow as I expected but had no problems biking to work. I did what my father always did in cold weather, worn two pair of pants, that kept my legs warm and I had the Neos over my Sandals.

Now I had some trouble with my hands that morning, my gloves would NOT keep them warm so I had to switch to my Army Mittens. That is the problem with 20 degree weather. I notice I had a hard time peddling, I blamed it on the studded tires till I watched the flags, which told me of the high wind speed I was biking AGAINST. The wind was the problem not the studded tires.

On Monday night I drove home, I decided Zero Degrees was to cold for me to bike, for that was the temperature predicted for Tuesday Morning (This also permitted me to pick up my wheel for my Schwinn, it had a broken spoke so I had the local bike shop fix it). On Tuesday evening I did bike home with my studded tires. I could feel the increased roll resistance of the studded tires for the snow had disappeared by then, Still made it home, through the last block was a killer. The last 1/3 mile of my trip is up a 4.3 % grade, that ends with an 18% grade on the last block. I made it, but I was out of breath.

On Wednesday morning I switched to my 1972 Schwinn. Temperatures were in the low 20s, but no snow, so I did not need my studded tires. The Schwinn has old Schwinn 27 inch by 1 1/4 inch tires and good enough for the dry cold road. No problem, but I had to switched back to mittens for the gloves were NOT warn enough. That Nnght I rode to the local Supermarket and back to my office (A four mile round trip), ate dinner and then rode home. It was in the high 20s so I wore my Gloves, my hands were a little on the cold side till I hit that last block. No other problems, the last block was still a problem, but it has always been a problem the five years I have been making that bike ride from home to the office and back.

This morning, Thursday January 7, 2016 (happy Orthodox Christmas to you Orthodox who still follow the Julian Calendar), I rode into work, another mid 20 morning, but warmed by to the mid 30s by late afternoon. I still had to use my mittens. I have to pick something up from my home to take to the office, so I am driving home today. Thus no more riding this week for me, for I have to go to Pittsburgh this weekend and it appears it will be Rain followed by some snow Sunday.