Photo #3: As you can see, once I made my way onto a major street, things got a bit easier. But at the same time, this photo illustrates what I believe to be the primary challenge facing cyclists when it snows.

Specifically, I’ve noticed that plowed snow is often piled up precisely where a cyclist would normally be expected to ride. While this certainly clears the way for the motorists, it forces cyclists into the same lane as the cars. Fortunately for me, when this photo was taken, most motorists were still busy digging out their cars. As such, traffic was light and I didn’t face many issues.

Next - Photo #4 - The climb to the Metra train platform >>