Safety First

December 11, 2023

Bragging Second

Sadly, all of last week's snowfall melted, but there is some good news too. The good news is that the Twin Cities metro got a redemptive mix of sleet and snow last night. As you can imagine, I was anxious for an acclimatization ride into the icy conditions for some more bragging. I also wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to offer some winter cycling safety tips.

The NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT wintertime safety concern is keeping warm. I've already addressed that one on a previous page. To reiterate: LAYERS! Warm and dry layers.

Beyond the layering, I have a couple other things going for me. Like . . . I have enough winter cycling experience to know the importance of taking it slow in the snow--especially on turns. I take wide turns. Sharp turns may result in broken bones. And I'm always prepared to take my foot off a pedal and place it on the ground at the slightest hint of slippage.

[I think I'm going to copyright that "slow in the snow" phrase. It's kind of like the term "low & slow" us grillmasters use when we barbeque ribs & briskets & such, only different.]

Another advantage I have is what my high school wrestling coach called "an excellent kinesthetic sense." I bragged about that in my last journal, so I'm not going to get too deep into that again. Let's just say kinesthetic sense is all about balance. Cycling in the snow, like cycling on any unstable surface, requires balance. I GOT BALANCE!

A demonstration of my foot-extension-to-prevent-falling technique.

The previous pictures just reminded me of another bit of knowledge I've picked up over the years. You can wear any color clothing you want except white. It's true, we have less snow than usual so far, but that's going to change. All of the landscape will be white. Mesmerized by all the whiteness, an out-of-state motorist might hit you and your white outfit. Red, blue, green, yellow, orange, black, pink, lavender, psychedelic--all those colors will stand out in the white background. White will not.

External Factors Help Too

There are a couple other things you should know about winter cycling in Minnesota. I'm going to share those secrets with you right now, even though they will probably detract from my status as a courageous, all-weather cycling tough-guy.

For one thing, it isn't ALWAYS horrible out there. Even in January, there can be days above freezing. It doesn't snow every day either. Blizzards aren't all that common. Thirty-degree-below-zero temperatures are fairly rare. Just because I tend to accentuate those weather events doesn't mean that's the kind of weather I'll experience during next month's bike trip.

Another thing you should know is that MY State has snowplows--many, many snowplows. They are deployed to clean the streets, county roads, highways and freeways all day and all night. The Minneapolis-St. Paul area is not like, say, Nashville, Tennessee. I was there on a business trip a decade ago and I was amazed (or should I say amused) that two-inches of snow closed all the schools and paralyzed the city's traffic flow.

Therefore, it's not likely I'll have to pedal through several inches of fresh snow before reaching my daily destinations. One or two inches are possible, but that's pretty easy to ride through.

Ice is a whole 'nother thing. Ice hides beneath snow. Sometimes ice makes itself invisible even where there is no snow. They call it "black ice" because it blends in with the black pavement. Ice is the devil.

I'll get into the ice subject shortly, but first I think this would be a good time to take a commercial break and hear from another one of my journal's kind sponsors.

[Thank you, Church of the Great Outdoors, for being a proud supporter of my bike touring journals and for all the money you funnel into my personal bank account. Remind me to ask my accountant how much money that is. I hope it's more than I get paid for my journalistic endeavors.]

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One of the things I like about my acclimatization rides is that I have plenty of time afterwards to write about them. At home, there is nothing important that has to get done. When I'm actually on a tour, I feel kind of rushed, as if there is something I'm neglecting while I take the time to write about my day.

Since I'm home right now, and I have all the time in the world, I'm going to share an essay I wrote a few years ago on another cycling website. I've always been kind of proud of the essay. It relates to what can happen despite taking all wintertime safety precautions. It also shows a little more depth and insight than I usually convey. I wouldn't have time to share it if I was hungry, cold and tired in a library or motel room after a day of cycle touring.

Okay, yes, I do have the time to re-type the essay, but I've been in front of my keyboard for a couple hours now. I think it will be easier and faster to do what I did yesterday--that is, take a picture of the article and post it for anybody who is still interested.

It's just a lump. I was lucky to fall on my forearm instead of my head.

I took a second picture because the lump looked more impressive from this angle.

Well, it's time to wrap this page up with one more bit of advice. In the winter, it's best not to pop wheelies or show off your no-handed riding skills. Too risky. You shouldn't even ride with only one hand on the handlebars. Still too risky.

YES! Keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the handlebars.

Here's what happened to G-2 when he failed to follow those simple rules.

Today's ride: 6 miles (10 km)
Total: 13 miles (21 km)

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Graham SmithGreg now I’m 100% convinced that I’ll never cycle in real winter conditions like you have. I have enough trouble staying upright on grippy surfaces.

Slippy surfaces which induce lumps on riders intimidate me by their shininess.
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5 months ago

Gregory GarceauTo Graham SmithGraham, if all you had for four or five months of the year was winter conditions, I'm pretty sure you'd get out there on your bike. Riding on slippery surfaces is better than no riding at all.
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5 months ago

Graham SmithTo Gregory GarceauGreg yes that’s true. I have a fat tyred 29er bike (an off-seal touring bike) which I’d be willing to try out on snow. We get sub-zero temperatures here, but the lowest I’ve cycled in is -7°C . Dry, frosty cold. That’s where I stop feeling my extremities.
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5 months ago