1) At 22 degrees, the cold air hitting your lungs as you run feels like a knife until your body gets warmed up.
2) I know the days are slowly getting longer, but running in the pre-dawn darkness is getting old. I long for daylight!
3) It takes twice as long to get ready to ride to work at this temperature. Two pairs of tights, three shirts, two pairs of booties, two pairs of gloves and two head covers. Is it any wonder?
4) With my ears so tightly bound to keep out the cold, riding to work is peaceful and quiet. I can hear myself breathing, and only hear traffic noise as cars pass.
5) The cardinal I heard this morning was certainly happy and loud.
6) I know I ride through some areas of town that aren’t the most affluent, but come on kids…you don’t look very bright standing in the cold waiting for your school bus in just a hoodie. Put your heavy coat on!
7) The frost on the grass and trees certainly sparkles when the rising sun catches it just right, but it does make it look cold out!
Frosty!
8) I am continually amazed that nearly every morning I see somebody driving down the road with frost covering their windows, and only a little peeky-hole cleared in front of their nose to see out of. I know it’s cold out there, and I know their defroster will eventually clear the windows, but come on. I want you to see me! Take the time to be safe!
9) The smell of that fireplace burning good old oak firewood this morning was great!
Ahhhh. Smell that smoke!
10) I saw my first bike commuter in a while this morning on St. Louis Street. I think it was a lady, but it was kind of hard to tell. She was bundled up in what looked like a bulky snow-mobile suit, with her helmet perched kind of sideways on top of a sock hat.
11) Zippers leak cold air! In this case, it was on the back of my calfs.
12) I saw another commuter (or utility rider) after work. This one was an older gentleman with wire baskets on the back, with a couple of bags and a 1′ x 2′ piece of plywood in them.
13) I surprised the flagman directing traffic at Catalpa and Eastgate this evening by thanking him as I went through. I like the fact that you can be very up close and personal with folks while riding a bike.
14) The good news is that we’ve got a three day warm-up coming!
God bless…
TW
