This sunny but bitterly cold early afternoon, I rolled out of the slippery and snow-covered drive with windchills near 10F below. I was riding to a new assignment (corner) that is over four miles away.
I expected to have some adverse biofeedback because I had been averaging only just over four miles of riding per day since the new year.
I rode onto the Yahara River Parkway which was snow-packed and slippery and enjoyed the snow sparkling like diamonds in the sun. The scores of honking geese that never left were in the frozen water foraging and flying overhead.
I turned onto the Bicycle Boulevard and down toward the capitol. I passed Baldwin St and McPike Park which is one area that is a finalist for the new passenger rail train station in Madison.
I pivoted through state of the art infra to the Lake Monona shoreline and over to Monona Bay. With these temps the horrible headwinds from the frozen lake were biting and brutally cold.
Of course I was wearing several layers, including a baselayer, and I was unzipped to avoid sweat and perspiration from riding. As a result, I was warm and comfortable although slightly overheated.
Monona Bay was the last leg of my new commute. The ice fisherman were out on the bay. But there were only a handful. I made it in the nick of time with a fine icey beard to boot!