Let it Snow!

I haven't been cured of my Weather.com addiction yet.  In fact, it's getting worse.  I grew up in Southern California, where the weather forecast was always the same:  "Late night and early morning low clouds burning off by mid-morning.  Highs in the low '80s."  I could go for weeks without checking the weather forecast, and yet I still managed to dress myself every morning and ride my bike around without any major weather-induced catastrophes. 

Here in Milwaukee, it's a different story.  I guess that's because we actually have weather here.  I compulsively check the weather before each commute.  I study the radar maps.  I analyze the wind speed and direction.  I evaluate the wind chill.  Based on that data, I make critical decisions concerning my wardrobe and bike gear. 

So now that we are under a "winter weather warning," the excitement is almost intolerable.  All pumped up on forecasts of near-blizzard conditions, I left my house this morning looking for accumulations of snow so that I could purposely ride through them.  I took the photo that appears at the top of this post because it was the snowiest-looking street I could find on my commute this morning.  In fact, most of my ride was on clear pavement.  I really did my best to create the illusion (both in my own fantasy world and on this blog) that I braved fierce conditions in order to get to work this morning. 

In fact, conditions weren't that fierce.  Instead, my ride was rather sedate this morning.  The roads were nice.  The winds were light, and the temperatures weren't that cold.  A light snow was falling, but I arrived at work bone dry (I'll take snow over rain any day). 

The weather forecasters insist that the really nasty stuff is still on its way.  We're supposed to get up to 12 inches here by the end of tomorrow.  And if those predictions don't actually pan out, I'll do my best to pretend that they did.          

Warm Weather

photo by Baxterclaus

I've made the critical mistake of checking Weather.com about 75 times a day during the past couple of weeks.  Perhaps the chilly October we had here in Milwaukee made me jumpy.  I have been convinced that winter was coming early this year.  Quite to the contrary, November was an absolutely lovely month for cycling - very little rain, mild temperatures, and (most importantly) not a single snowflake.  Last year, December came in like loud, drunk, unwanted dinner guest, plastering this fair city with more snow, ice and crud than most places see in an entire winter.  So I guess I've been anticipating winter's return with a lot of trepidation.  Too much trepidation, actually, but I like to worry about things that I have no control over.  And Weather.com hasn't helped matters lately by repeatedly reporting snow storms and freezing temperatures that never materialize. 

What all this boils down to is that I mounted studded tires on my bike a little too early.  I must have had too much time on my hands over the Thanksgiving weekend.  Again, predictions of snow yesterday turned out to be unfounded.  Today is yet another delightful, sunny day, and here I am, riding around the city on slow and noisy studded tires.  I've arrived at the party too early, yet again.  If you see me out on the street, please don't point and laugh.   

But I do think that studded tires are a good idea for anyone who wants to commute during the winter months.  They work well.  I'm a family man on the eve of my 40th birthday.  The thought of wiping out on a patch of ice is frightening enough to help me endure four months of slower riding.  So I don't mind jumping the gun a little.  Now watch - it won't snow until January.