After the FOG Annual General Meeting this morning and talking with some of the guys about winter riding and how several guys cycle commute all year round, I was inspired to get back on the bike for a spin this after noon. I tried to get a riding buddy, but something about “it’s too cold” and “I’ve got some stuff to do”, left me riding solo.
The hard pack snow and ice on some of the road sections were a little tricky, but the trails on the river banks were good for riding with packed and semi-packed snow covered trails. The section through Whittier Park was just as much fun as it is in the summer, but I did slow down quite a bit for some of the tighter corners. I didn’t go down, but the bike did on an icy section in The Forks. As I felt the bike start to go, instincts took over and I clipped out and stepped off the bike landing on my feet. Not bad reaction time for a first ride on ice.
The sun came out for a while and it was quite warm even for -5°C. From The Forks it was down Lyndale Drive and Des Meurons to the bike path that parallels Fermor and back to the house for a 24km, 1:17 ride.
