Conditionally going in snow

February  6, 2018

Hello and it is great to communicate!

How have you been?  I think I see.  Please elaborate at your whim/discretion/whimsical direction.

Bicycling when it is snowy out is a great way to interact with your fellow hominids.  Although I do not specifically seek snowy bicycling, I typically enjoy it in relatively small doses.  I figure since I live in Omaha there’s not enough snow around to really develop a snowy bicycling habit.    Here are some conversations I enjoyed whilst bicycling back to my residence yesterday.

(While turning onto a snowy side street)

Shoveling Woman 1:  Bicycling?!  You’re crazy!

Me:  Huh?

SW 1:  I said you’re crazy to be bicycling!

Me:  It’s kinda fun, but a lot more work!

SW 1:  Yeah.

(While walking the Old B across the street to a sidewalk to avoid Shoveling Woman 2)

Shoveling Woman 2:  Unintelligable.

Me:  Huh?

SW 2:  That hill’s tough even on a good day!

Me:  Yeah.  A lot more work today!

I am not a great conversationalist whilst bicycling.  Nor I am a great bicyclist.  I need to concentrate on my bicycling to compensate for my lack of skill in both areas.  

Anyway, the shovelers gregariousness was appreciated and I had a fun ride home.  I do not ride in the snow often, but I gradually remembered that it the traction is often better in fresh snow than in the compacted snow out on the streets.  In order to keep my wheels in the path of least squirelliness I spent a good bit of my ride home on sidewalks.  Either that or the rare parts of the street with visible pavement.  And lots of ye olde putting of the foot down (aka dabbing).  Although a little dab will do you, a whole lot of dabbing kept me feeling comfortably upright.  In general, people had done a great job of clearing sidewalks and even some multi-use trails.  Here are some of the conditions that I witnessed/enjoyed:

Smooth rolling through some fresh powder atop sidewalk.

Beautifully cleared multi-use trail.

The roads featured some compacted snow.  Not much traction for enjoyable action

As I was bicycling in and out of gradual snow slopes on the underpass, I noticed the entrancing sound of my tyres in the snow as the pitch and volume increased and decreased with the amount of snow.  Although I did not go back to record the beautiful experience, I did make a video of a tyre and snow trio a bit later in a less dramatic setting:

In other bicycling related news, it seems that Omaha Bicycle Pedalers are again bringing a bicycling film to the Aksarben Cinema.  This time it is a bicycling classic entitled American Flyers.  It begins at 7 p.m. on February 22.  I am not sure what it is all about, but it is always nice to get out to socialize with some fellow bicyclers and enjoy feeling the camaraderie that is not often a part of a typical commute.  I will see you there!  There is also a bicycle swap meet the OBPs are sponsoring that occurs on March 11, 11-4.

Have you  been out for a drink or anything lately?  I have!  Awhile ago, back when the pavement was clear and the snow was limited to grassy and/or mulched areas, I met up with some compadres at the Thunderhead Brewing Co.'s tap room.  The beers were very good, if a bit pricey.  There is also a large stash of board games, some couches and a few different kinds of popcorn.  I had a delightful grapefruit IPA and the Cornstalker dark wheat.  

Great to catch up!  We'll have to do it again soon sometime!

Bicycler, snow thyself!

-BSnOw