Cabin Fever

Hello, friends!

I haven't posted on this blog in 3 weeks. Do you know why I haven't posted on this blog in 3 weeks? BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BIKED IN 3 WEEKS!!! Friends, it is seriously driving me crazy! Between my travel schedule (2 trips to Saint Louis) and the weather (one big snow that has since melted slightly and frozen multiple times, making the roads way too icy) I've been stuck walking (not terrible), carpooling (less than ideal but still good), and driving places (OH THE HORRORS!!!)

Friends, I shouldn't have to drive a quarter mile to my friend's house to watch the Oscars because the ice is all over the sidewalks. I shouldn't have to have my dreams dashed when I wake up to a high in the 30's, only to see that the overnight low was in the teens and there are death traps everywhere. I shouldn't have to wait for April before hopping on my bike again because the weather is going to be too finicky otherwise. These things shouldn't be!

So, friends, tomorrow I'm going for it. The high is supposed to be 25 but sunny. Today was sunny enough so that some of the ice on the roads actually evaporated. I have planned out my route to account for slick patches that I've already seen today. TOMORROW, WE ARE BIKING... and it is going to be glorious.

If you're a religious person, please pray for me. Oh, and pray for Megan too... she's less excited than I am about me getting out there. =0).

Stats:
NOTHING. There are no stats. And it makes me sad...

Grand Total: $725
In the Positive: $121.99

Happy Biking!

~Adam

After The Thaw...

Hello, friends!

So, apparently, this post from a few weeks ago (February 6) was never posted! I guess it's better late than never, right? Enjoy me talking about ice for 6 paragraphs. =0).

One thing that I've said over and over again is that I can do cold but I don't do wet. If it's 4 degrees outside but it's dry, I'll try biking. If it's raining, snowing, or has any sort of "wintery mix" then it doesn't matter how warm it is. I don't have the balance or good enough of a bike for me to brave that terrain.

What makes things a little odder are weeks like the one that we're having here in Columbia right now. Today the high will be about 50. Yesterday it was in the teens all day. The day before that there was snow but it stayed around 32 so there wasn't much accumulation. Tuesday was relatively nice with a high in the mid 30's. Monday was BITTER cold. Sunday we had a wintery mix storm in the evening. It was like they say: if you don't like the weather in (insert your state name here so long as it isn't California, Arizona, or Florida), wait a few minutes because it will change. =0).

Days like yesterday are easy ones to decide to not bike. There was snow on the ground. Much of it melted as soon as it hit the ground, turning it into water. The overnight low got nowhere near 32 degrees, so all the water turned into ice. Ice and bikes don't go together well. Ergo, no biking.

However, days like today are a little bit tougher to decipher. The temperature is up so I don't have to worry about ice for the most part but I do have worry about slick roads (on account of all the melted ice) and if there are any patches of ice under shade (Like by the side of my house) then the ice may not be all the way thawed yet. It can still be a 50-50 proposition as to whether or not it's a good idea to go biking or not on a day like this.

So what does a guy like me do? I bike. =0). Of course I bike! I may go a little bit slower and make sure that I'm only hitting dry spots but you'd better believe that I'm going for a ride if I can. I have too much fun riding. I can always use the exercise. I also need to keep this blog going so I can buy a new bike. There are too many reasons for me to NOT bike when the ice is off the ground.

I made it to campus today with no problems. My plan is to leave this afternoon so I can beat the evening freeze (another reason why biking in this weather isn't a slam dunk) making it the perfect crime. Here's to good tread on my tires and fully protective fenders to keep me from getting wet!

Stats:
Miles: 6 miles ($.25)
Meters: 13 hours ($13)

Total: ($13.25)

Grand Total: $725.00
In the Positive: 721.99 

Happy Biking!

~Adam