Friday, November 11, 2005

Beautiful day for bikin'

"Wake up. It's a beautiful day for biking." During my cross-country bike trip this phrase became a euphonism for "Wake up. It's 35 degrees outside, we're in the middle of Nowhere, Ohio, and we have 50 miles of headwind to burn through before we reach the other side of Nowhere, Ohio, so get your lazy butt out of the tent."

However, today reminded me that this phrase can still be said without sarcasm; even in Alaska, in November. I went for a two-hour ride along the ridge above town. There were a couple new inches of powder on the road and I had to earn every pedal stroke - but it's no worse than thick mud. The new snow clung to needles and bare branches, giving the landscape a rich contrast that comes when color is removed. Near the reservoir I met a pack of cross-country skiers on the road. We nodded in appreciation of each other and moved on, crushing through grains of snow as they sparkled in the afternoon sun.

7 comments:

  1. Ahh, what a beautiful picture. Makes me want to jump on my bike right now. :-)

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  2. Wow, I can't wait for it to snow--winter biking is my favorite. Ice isn't great, but it doesn't hurt when you fall over in the snow!

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  3. What a picture. Snow has got to come sooner or later to Minneapolis. Wish I could've rode through some today.

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  4. This picture makes a debating whether to go on a 4-day bike tour from Boston to New York over Thanksgiving weekend, seem well, a bit wimpy. I will show it to my partner to get him to see my logic. What a little cold?

    That is something.

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  5. Wow, what a shot!

    Winter isn't looking so foreboding after all.

    - TOB

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  6. That's a great photo. There's a lot to be said for cycling in weather like that. At the time sometimes I think it's cold and I really want to be home, all warm and cosy. But when I do get back I always look back on the really bad weather rides with fondness. I only have one snowy cycling picture here but hope to get more this winter. We haven't had much snow in recent years in the UK.

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