Dave's Good Stuff

It’s a bit dark in the mornings these days to break out the camera and provide visual evidence of how gorgeous it is. Not that that’s anything new to the huge number of readers I have the pleasure of counting as my audience. I have really nice camera, but I just can’t seem to stop myself while riding long enough to take pictures. Maybe one day I’ll learn to slow down and enjoy the views a bit more. Maybe some day I’ll come up with a safe way to store the camera so that it’s easily accessible.

Until then, my flowery language will have to suffice.

At better than 60°F this morning, cloudy and just slightly damp, it was a truly spectacular 5 mile ride in to work.

I couldn’t have driven even if I’d wanted to, as my car is in the shop getting it’s transmission and fuel system flushed, a tire repaired, and some drying and cracking belt that apparently runs lots of really important systems replaced.

Would I have driven? Maybe. I might have driven and brought with me a week’s worth of clothes so I didn’t have to pack each day. Then I would have driven again on Friday to take it all back home. This is an odd week, though… Nov. 11th is a holiday, and I have an early morning meeting on the 12th I have to drive in for. It’d be a weird week anyway. So I probably would have just packed the three days I’ll be riding and called it good.

What’s the real point of this post though? Even though my car is in the shop, I was able to easily make it to work without relying directly on anyone else, using skills and techniques that I’ve developed myself. We won’t get into the hair splitting exercise that I do, in fact, rely on countless people, including bike manufacturers, road crews, clothing designers and manufacturers, programmers, etc. We’ll just leave it with the idea that this morning, I got here on my own power.

In the end, I’m fortunate in that I don’t require my car at work today, but I’m prepared in that I don’t require my car to get to work. The gorgeous weather just adds icing to an already fortunately well-prepared day.

Winter is approaching. It’s snowing in Colorado right now, so my friends tell me. It normally follows that whatever they get, we get here in eastern KS a few days later. We may not get the snow, but I’m sure it’ll get cold again real soon. Maybe not next week, or the week after, but it’s coming.

So, it’s time to take stock and make sure I’ve got everything I need in order to weather the cold air on the bike.

The Bike

It’s a nearly new bike, with only a few hundred miles on it, so there aren’t any major issues, and all the components are in top shape. A Kansas winter will be a good test of it.

Knobby tires: Well, sorta. The stock tires on my Kona Dew Drop are Continental CountryRide. They won’t do too well in standing snow, I don’t think, but they’re fine in wet conditions. With any tires, though, it pays to ride very carefully when it’s wet.

Fenders: Check. I don’t have the rear fenders on, but the commuter panniers I got from NashBar serve the same purpose. If it’s crazy wet, I’ll bolster their water resistance by lining some plastic on the inside.

Brakes: Check. Disc brakes, stock to the Dew Drop. One of the reasons I picked up that particular bike. They’ll serve no matter the weather.

Me

Body

Wind Breaker: Check.

Layers: Check. I have plenty from last winter. Wicking layers, thicker warming layers for when it gets really cold, and the wind breaker will serve. I can double up the under layers for those sub zero days. The key is to layer layer layer.

Legs

Layers: Check. My legs don’t get nearly as cold as my torso, so I don’t need as much. Winter leggings and thick sweats will do. Standard bike shorts under the leggings will serve as an extra layer as well where it counts.

Hands, Feet and Head (aka “extremities”)

My fingers and toes are the hardest to keep warm when it gets really cold, so I’ve devoted more energy and thought towards them than everything else combined.

Winter Gloves: Check. I have thin and thick fingered gloves for cool and cooler days, lobster gloves for cold days, and neoprene liners for very cold days.

Shoes: Check. They’re basic MTB shoes, if you consider $200 basic. At least I got them for half price.

Shoe Covers: Check. Toe covers for cold days. Neoprene boots for very cold days. I can double up the toe covers and the boots for exceedingly cold days. For cooler days that aren’t quite cold enough for the boots, I have a stock of plastic bags I wear between the shoes and my socks to help keep the wind off my toes. It’s a very effective and very cheap method. I like the Target plastic the best.

Socks: Check. Wool. I need a couple more pairs, but I’m pretty good here.

Head Cover: See below.

Helmet: See below.

Eye Wear: See below.

What I’m lacking

There are a few things I’m missing, though. I need something for my head, and better riding glasses.

Where the head is concerned, I have some specific requirements that others might not share. I’m not a fan of the balaclava, b/c I don’t like my face covered. While it does get cold, even the coldest days last year didn’t make me wish for something over my face. It’s just a pet-peeve of mine, I guess. What I’d like is a hood that covers my whole head and neck, but leaves my face open. Something tight, made of neoprene, I think, would be nice.

I’ll also need a helmet that’s got a generous enough fit that I can wear it with and without the additional layer over my head. My current helmet fits my head fine, but when I start layering, it’s a little too small.

Finally, the glasses I’ve worn do a less-than-stellar job of keeping the wind out of my eyes. When it drops below 40 or so, it’s immediately apparent by the fact that it looks like I’m bawling like a baby. Tears just stream down my face b/c of the cold wind. I need some cycling glasses that do a great job keeping the eyes out of the wind. I almost bought some onion goggles, but they were a touch too small. That’s the idea, though.

Conclusion

So, I have a few things to procure before winter really sets in, but for the most part, I’m nearly completely covered. Last year taught me a lot of hard lessons with regards to staying warm in the freezing cold and wind. As I said, my fingers and toes are the hardest to protect. There were a few mornings when I was sure I’d take off the gloves or the socks to black frostbitten fingers. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, but the pain was still very real. I’m hoping that I’m prepared enough for that this year. My route is shorter by two miles, and it was during those last two miles last year that the most pain occurred, so I’m confident this winter won’t be as hard.

In the end, it’s all about preparation, and if you’ve not ridden in single digit weather before, you’re just going to have to accept that it’s going to be a trial by error process until you get it right.

Good luck!

To this day, I very clearly remember the joy and relief I felt when the morning temperatures finally returned to the 40′s and 50′s last year. It was sometime in March, I believe, and it was a blessed relief after a couple months of temperatures below 10°F, and in the teens and twenties. It didn’t stay steady in the 50′s, but it was a wonderful sign of things to come.

Now, I know it’s only going to get colder, so I’m enjoying the 40′s while they last.

This morning, at 42°F, I was quite comfortable.

Some thoughts about my equipment:

Feet: Wool socks with plastic bags around my toes for wind breakage. And Shimano MTB shoes.
Torso/Arms: A moderately thick wicking layer, a thin wicking layer and a wind breaker.
Hands: Salsa N’AGUA™ Gloves.
Head: A thin head scarf pulled down over my ears and the standard helmet.

If I were to change a thing, it would be to eliminate the thin wicking layer. I got a touch warmish up top.

I think it’s time for a new helmet, too. I’ve had my Giro Atmos for a few years now, and I hear it’s a good idea to replace them periodically. With all the weather extremes it’s seen, I’m sure it’s ready to retire.

I think I’ll go for something a little cheaper, and with a little more breathing room for the head coverings I’ll be using this winter. I’m thinking about the Urbanize N Light, though I can’t help but think it looks pretty dorky. Then again, is there a bike helmet that doesn’t? Maybe I’ll pull out all the stops and go for the pink one.

Regardless, I won’t buy anything without trying it on, and the only place in town that appears to carry them is Waldo Bikes. Does anyone have any experience with this helmet? Any reviews worth reading? Any other ideas? My only requirements are that the helmet fit, and that front and rear lights can be mounted to it.

Preferrably blinky lights.

The TransIt Garment Bag works out a lot better on my Kona Dew Drop than it ever did on my (now deceased) Kona Fire Mountain (may she rest in peace). The rack just holds it in a much better position, and though the straps don’t hold it down quite as tight, it’s still plenty tight for urban/residential riding.

Oh, and I need to correct a previous post. The last time I rode to work last year was December 8th. Don’t know where I got that October 3rd date. So it really hasn’t been that long.

I had no idea that it’d been that long. The last time I rode my bike to work was October 3rd, 2008. Well, unless you count today, that is.

I dressed well for the chill 44°F air, and 12mph ENE wind. Naturally, I’m heading SE, so it was a head/side wind. The wind will undoubtedly shift so that it’s a head/side wind this evening.

The only thing I’d change is the panniers. The TransIt Garment Bag is a great bag, and I’d recommend it to anyone, though I would stress trying it on for size first. On every back stroke, my heels scraped the front of the bag, and it’s set on the rack about as far back as it’ll go. Were the strap on the front of the bag that ties it to the seat tube a little longer, it might work better. As it is, though, it’s going to scrape.

So, tonight I’ll bring clothes for the rest of the week in to work (I have to come back up here anyway – and yes, I’ll drive due to the schedule and the various buildings I have to visit), and try to figure out something to do with the panniers.

The digs in the new building aren’t ideal, but I’ll make it work.

All in all, it’s damn nice to be back on the saddle again.

Tomorrow morning, if the weather forecast proves true, I’m going to take the Dew Drop out for a spin. Probably only 30-40 miles or so. 2-3 hours, tops. It’s a heavier bike, and so will go slower, but that’s not a bad thing as it builds endurance and strength that much more quickly. I’ll be leaving from my house at around 9:30 or so, and probably running the standard Shawnee to Lenexa to Johnson Drive and back route as seen here. Or something very similar to it.

I’ve thought about taking her out on the trails, but I’m still a little leary of those for some reason…

I’d take advantage of the best weather of the day for a ride, but that’s reserved for walking the Plaza with a Very Special Person (henceforth to be known as VSP). I’ll brave the cooler morning temperatures to make room for that.

I’m home again today on account of throat crud. About halfway through my ride home yesterday, I felt a familiar soreness when I swallowed. I rejected it it out of hand. Nope. Not going to happen again, not so soon. I can’t remember the last time I was sick, but I don’t think it was that long ago.

Blah. Doesn’t matter. I’m home now, and it’s snowing out. Today would have been a fantastic day to ride! But the way it’s snowing, I’m sure I’ll have tomorrow as well.

BTW, the answer to yesterday’s question is Steven Brust. I *love* the communication style between his characters.

The Dew Drop is about a week away, and I’m chomping at the bit. I’ve hardly ridden at all this month. Looking back, it’s been almost as slow as February, and I was sick and out of town for much of that month.

And perhaps most distressing is that somewhere in there, I missed Fall. When I tore down the Fire Mountain (pics), it was warm. I was wearing shorts. When I pick up the Dew Drop, it’ll be cold, and I’ll be wearing long layers. That’s really only a shame for my fan club here at work that likes to watch me ride off… they’ll have to wait until Spring for the Good Stuff again. Back to the point at hand, what happened to it? Where’d Fall go? Granted, I’ve been a little bit preoccupied with personal stuffs around here, but still… I thought I’d notice when Fall stepped aside for Winter. One day it was nice, the next it was freezing at night, and barely hitting 60 at the height of the day. And here I was, completely oblivious. I mentioned to a friend, aghast, that it had hit 27°F the night before. She looked at me, clearly bored, and told me it’d done so for the last several nights.

I missed the first freeze of the year! I just wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t have to. That makes me sad.

I can’t wait for the Dew Drop to get here so I can start paying attention again. After all, I really can’t until it arrives, can I? I mean, what would be the point?

And now another thought occurs to me… I wonder how the Dew Drop’s smoother tires will handle the harsher weather that those of us around here know that Kansas can deliver? Should I invest in another set of wheels on which to put knobbies for the harsher days? Or should I just buy new tires and swap them out? New wheels would cost some cash, what with the wheels, and the tires, and the freewheels, and the mech brakes, but would it be worth it? Tell you what. I’ll figure out the cost and post another one of them survey things. I’ll let you decide what I should do.

Speaking of surveys, the last one got quite the response (considering the back woods corner of the web I occupy here), with an overwhelmingly positive slant towards “Yes, he can, so long as he has either George Clooney or Marky Mark’s help, or that he enlist Jack Knoff and Drew Peacock as wing men.” It was an interesting survey. I’d post a fancy chart, but it would be one big block of color. Boring.

Ok. Ok… here you go…

I think the answers are too long for Google to handle them well, so those miniscule, too small to read words say: “Yes, of course he can!” and “Needs George Clooney’s Help. (Marky Mark is optional).”

So, there you have it.

Random Musings…

I can’t help but appreciate this.

And I’m not the only one that found this one particularly moving. I misted up a little myself…

My 5,000 mile goal for 2008 is looking… dicey. Cold weather approaches. A couple of trips out of town coming up. A certain lack of a commuting bike at the moment. It’s a perfect storm standing between me and safe harbor. Perhaps worst of all, Noah is slated to pass me TODAY! Gah!

And I love that windbreaker too, btw… it’s brilliant!

Tell me…

When you drive to work, unless the weather is seriously severe, you can usually get away with not checking it. After all, you’ll have the benefit of being able to control the conditions within the confines of your car. If the temperature outside is cold… you can turn up the heat. If it’s hot out, you can blast cool air until you’ve cooled down. That is, unless your AC is busted, or the fans don’t work anymore. Even then, you’ll be out of the wind. Unless you’re missing a windshield, or your side windows are stuck down. But if your AC is busted, and the fans don’t work, the windshield is busted and the side windows are stuck down, what are you doing driving that piece of frell to begin with?!

On the other hand, those of us who choose alternate forms of transportation can benefit from checking the weather. In fact, if we don’t make it a normal part of our daily routine, then there’s a chance we’ll pay dearly for it. Or at least pay a little bit, anyway. Over the summer, I’ve fallen out of the habit of checking, since pretty much every day was warm enough not to have to worry about it. On those days it rained, it was pretty obvious from looking out the window and I adjusted accordingly. I was lucky in that there were very few days with dry morning rides and wet evening rides. However, I can’t rely on mornings being warm any more.

Take this morning, for example.

I donned my normal riding clothes… that is to say, those clothes that are normal for me on warm days, stepped into the garage and opened the door. I noted that it was a touch on the chilly side, but I didn’t sweat it too much. I figured I’d be chilly at the beginning, but warm into the ride the closer I got to work. That, strictly speaking, was true. I did warm into it, and went from outright cold, to uncomfortably cold. What felt chilly standing in my garage out of the wind, turned into downright cold once I got going.

But did I turn around immediately and get warmer clothes?

No. Of course not! That would have meant… well… turning around! Turning around means admitting defeat, and I was not going to admit defeat. No way. So, as the temperature hovered around a downright chilly 45°F or so, with my speed pushing the wind chill down into the 30′s (and even the 20′s if that chart is to be believed), I bravely pedaled on in my shorts, sleeveless workout jersey, and thin (but long fingered) gloves.

I saw two others out this morning. Both were bundled up as if facing an arctic morning. Quite the contrast to my free and easy summer gear. “Silly people… I bet they’re hot and sweaty in all that” I thought, shivering to myself.

Looking now at the weather, tomorrow morning appears to be much the same as today. Mid 40′s in the morning, mid 70′s in the afternoon. Maybe I’ll consider wearing something more appropriate tomorrow.

• Temperature: 47.5