Winter 2015- who's still riding?

Traffic 'round these parts dropped off pretty dramatically a few weeks ago... hard to tell from the "I rode today" thread who's still riding, as one would have to conclude that Gene is the only one out there most days by reading it....

Who's sticking it out and plans to continue to ride pretty much every day regardless of weather?

(Was winter 2013; 2014 starts on p. 36; 2015 starts on p. 61)

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Permalink Reply by Tim Heckman on February 19, 2013 at 9:38am

The ride wasn't terrible in the near west suburbs. Streets clear, cold but not too cold. The wind, however, was brutal. Heading straight west in the morning, this wind was the strongest that I've fought this winter.

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Permalink Reply by grayn8 on February 19, 2013 at 9:40am

Totally agree. Cold not so bad. But brutal wind for most of my ride west and south. Did not see any other bikes.

Tim Heckman said:

The ride wasn't terrible in the near west suburbs. Streets clear, cold but not too cold. The wind, however, was brutal. Heading straight west in the morning, this wind was the strongest that I've fought this winter.

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Permalink Reply by Deet 4.5mi on February 19, 2013 at 10:38am

It was fine for me, i would rather have the salt, being the damn path holds so much water.

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Permalink Reply by Beans on February 19, 2013 at 10:54am

Why would I stop?...

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on February 19, 2013 at 11:17am

That West wind just cuts through, but yet still warm in my core.

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Permalink Reply by Rich Evans on February 19, 2013 at 11:33am

Did my usual to O'Hare. Ice wasn't much of an issue, but wind was. Should be one sweet tailwind coming home, though.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 19, 2013 at 11:39am

That sucked. Was in a hurry so skipped the middle layer.

Hit an ice puddle while turning and front end slipped out but I saved it.

After 10 years of winter cycling, I'm finding these crazy day to day extremes to be a new challenge.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on February 19, 2013 at 2:21pm

Yeah - we've had colder days this winter, but i was not prepared for this morning at all even though I peep the forecasts and dressed more or less, ok, slightly less, appropriately.

h' 4.5 said:

That sucked. Was in a hurry so skipped the middle layer.

Hit an ice puddle while turning and front end slipped out but I saved it.

After 10 years of winter cycling, I'm finding these crazy day to day extremes to be a new challenge.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on February 19, 2013 at 2:27pm

The streets were pretty slick up in Mundelein... thin ice and wisps of blowing snow. Of course, no problem with studs. Once I got off METRA the roads were better, but the wind!!! It seemed about half the time I was turbo-charged, and the other half I was riding through molasses.

Attached is last Sunday out in the middle of Diamond Lake. Ice was completely free of snow and only a few rough spots where snowmobiles had been. I did the perimeter of the lake about 100 feet off-shore except for the SE corner where I saw geese on what seemed like open water. Elsewhere the ice was 7" thick as reported by ice fishermen... plenty thick for a bike.

Attachments:

Ice_Biking_on_Diamond_Lake_looking_North_100_0474.jpg, 1.6 MB

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Permalink Reply by bk (aka: Dr. Mambohead) on February 19, 2013 at 2:41pm

15?!?!
nice day for a ride!!!
what's a wind chill?

rode for a slice of pizza
(beef and hot gardinera)
left the bike unlocked
(today? i dare them)
chowed
then a blast around a couple of the
bikepaths
con "la chuleta"!!!!!
claro qe si!!!!
who knows
maybe a night ride tonight..

only a few things better than a frozen balaclava...