I rode today. Did you?

Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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Permalink Reply by Robert Underwood on March 13, 2014 at 3:42am

I know that bike lane oh so well... yes I think they can do it.
 
Liz W. Durham said:

I don't know...I commute up to Evanston for work. I have distinctly felt a significant difference this winter with Evanston streets being better to ride on. Cleared of snow and ice faster, and way less potholes.
That being said, they sure haven't figured out yet how to deal with winter and the new bike lane on Davis. Between poor plowing and motorists parking their cars in the lane...I am being positive though and will say they'll figure it out by this next winter.
Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 13, 2014 at 5:46am



EssFresh said:

Some ice patches but for the most part clear. Slow rolled it today.

Not necessary with studded tires. :-) I encountered the usual snowmelt ice on the northern reaches of the LFT, and ice near the Notabaert Nature Museum. Rolled right through with no problem.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 13, 2014 at 5:57am



Robert Underwood said:

... it also depends on the city... i.e. Evanston doesn't like to plow as much.  I think its because they're all hippies and they don't want to add pollution by plowing more than the absolute minimum.  

???

I live in Evanston and ride to the Loop frequently. In my opinion Evanston streets are plowed sooner than Chicago's. They also spray some sort of stuff on the street (a salt mixture?) ahead of known storms. I assume that's to make it easier to remove the snow after the storm. (Anybody know what that stuff is?)

In fact, I question whether Chicago even plows many of their main streets. Ride down Howard between Ridge and Clark sometime and compare the south side of the street (City of Chicago) with the north (City of Evanston).

Permalink Reply by EssFresh on March 13, 2014 at 6:02am

New Bike has wider tires than the 700 X 23 on the current ride. If I am still here next Winter I am seriously entertaining purchasing a pair of studed, mostly from Chainlnkers glowing reviews.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:



EssFresh said:

Some ice patches but for the most part clear. Slow rolled it today.

Not necessary with studded tires. :-) I encountered the usual snowmelt ice on the northern reaches of the LFT, and ice near the Notabaert Nature Museum. Rolled right through with no problem.

Permalink Reply by pherm on March 14, 2014 at 1:41am

It doesn't get much more glorious than this morning, ladies and gents....

Rosy-fingered dawn lightly dappling the war-torn crumbling remnants of streets; 38 degrees of tropical breeze, rendering redundant the four layers and two pairs of gloves I absently put on; ample fishing opportunities in puddles that threaten Baikal-depth. 

Yes, early spring in Chicago truly rivals the world's magnificent vacation spots when it comes to bike commuting.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 14, 2014 at 2:22am

Could not have said it better! Except I only did three layers. :-)

pherm said:

It doesn't get much more glorious than this morning, ladies and gents....

Rosy-fingered dawn lightly dappling the war-torn crumbling remnants of streets; 38 degrees of tropical breeze, rendering redundant the four layers and two pairs of gloves I absently put on; ample fishing opportunities in puddles that threaten Baikal-depth. 

Yes, early spring in Chicago truly rivals the world's magnificent vacation spots when it comes to bike commuting.

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on March 14, 2014 at 2:43am


+1 :D


pherm said:


Yes, early spring in Chicago truly rivals the world's magnificent vacation spots when it comes to bike commuting.

Permalink Reply by Robert Underwood on March 14, 2014 at 3:15am

Hey great posts this morning.  I always thought there was poetry in these rides. 

my ride was good, I did what I could.  a lovely SW wind, helped like a friend.  I made it on time, feeling so fine.  it wasn't that cold, cause winter is old, and ice melts away with salty wet spray. 

Permalink Reply by Robert Underwood on March 14, 2014 at 3:19am

that stinks, hope yer ok.  I also ditched the long johns, used thin gloves and no balaclava, just ear warmers.
 
AM 9.5 said:

Switched from winter jacket to lighter bomber jacket and from big gloves to not so big gloves. And no long underwear. I feel about 20 lbs lighter. A great morning until I wiped out on black ice right in front my office.
Permalink Reply by grayn8 on March 14, 2014 at 3:31am
Sorry to hear about the fall. Crazy how ice in some spots seems to survive especially under bridges and stuff. Nice icicle dagger drops yesterday afternoon. Crazy to be wearing one layer again. Crazier still was the headwind going south and west for my stretch on Ogden toward Douglas. Nearly fell from gust by hectors bike and screamed at a iron mountain. Crazier still, I saw like 5 riders going north on Ogden zooming with the same wind. To all of you all with the tail wind, happy rides!
Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on March 14, 2014 at 4:53am

Permalink Reply by JMinHP on March 14, 2014 at 5:26am

Those "ice circles" (I think this is the technical name for them - link) were pretty cool this morning.  As I  rode by them, I thought to myself "I hope Gene takes a picture of these." Thanks, Gene!  

Apparently, based on the link, they're either formed by (1) floating bits of ice getting caught in an eddy; or (2) as water cools, it releases heat that turns into frazil ice -- loose, needle-shaped particles of ice that can cluster together. If the current allows this frazil ice to accumulate, it can form an ice circle, a dense, heavy piece of ice with high ridges and a low center.  #2 -- " a dense, heavy piece of ice with high ridges and a low center" -- perfectly describes what I saw.

Gene Tenner said:

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