Wow! I didn't realize it had been as long since I'd last posted! Two months (almost exactly)! But . . . there's been a lot going on in that time, much to do at the office, and a whirlwind of activities that have kept me from posting (not to mention that I keep forgetting my passkey and then don't have enough time to work with it). Be that as it may, it's amazing that as long a period as has passed, the immediate past post could have been the title to this posting: "Kansas Weather never means quite so much...."
The past week has been great cycling weather! (Especially considering what a cold Winter it has been!) But, being Kansas, there's always that, "gotcha" weather: Yesterday morning, nice, cool, dry; last night, chilly, rainy; this morning, damp, cold (with a hint of something floating in the air every once in a while); and tonight? Tomorrow? Wintery mix? Snow? The predicition is for up to eight inches of snow on the ground by tomorrow night, with rain and mixed-rain-and-snow-and-sleet leading up to it. But then, it might be 50 tomorrow. After all, the snow and rain and "wintery mix" was supposed to have started this morning at 3 oclock am -- but it didn't and, in fact, the ride in to work this morning was dry (well, damp, but only on the pavement and in the humidity -- not by actual precipitation).
And so it goes; it's Kansas after all!
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts
Friday, March 27, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Kansas Weather Never Means Quite So Much Until
you're commuting by bike.
This morning, wonderful weather. This morning (at 6am) it was fairly pleasant (as Januarys go); partly-cloudy, slight winds (5mph) with a nice 37 degrees (and 27 degrees wind-chill). A great morning for biking; a great morning for enjoying the trip (especially since it's Friday); and a great morning of no crazy drivers.
This evening, however, was quite another thing.
As I prepared to head out for home (very late as has been usual for this first full freedom week), I checked the weather (as usual) just to make sure that I wasn't under-or-over dressed. Chilly, with very light snow flurries starting, but nothing too bad. Well, other than that the note also mentioned that winds were out of the North at approximately 15 with gusts to 25! Nonetheless, a nice way to start the ride home.
About half-way home, however, (as it usually seems to happen), the winds picked up even more (to the point of blowing me periodically a foot to my side), and the snow started pelting harder-and-heavier-and-stronger. By the time I was a mile from home, I could see that the snows were starting to blow in their little-rivulets across the street when an oncoming vehicle approached.
A nice surprise was encountering another biking commuter as I passed through downtown Overland Park, who was going the other way. Always a welcome sight in the cold, snowy, evenings. I suspect that he is who I've passed before, only when I'm on my way into work at the morning (although I haven't seen him whom I think it is for a few months now -- primarily due to my going into work an hour earlier than I did in the summer and early-Autumn.
I'll not be surprised if we wake tomorrow with an inch of snow on the ground. And, no doubt, it will be a sunny, warm day on Monday!
This morning, wonderful weather. This morning (at 6am) it was fairly pleasant (as Januarys go); partly-cloudy, slight winds (5mph) with a nice 37 degrees (and 27 degrees wind-chill). A great morning for biking; a great morning for enjoying the trip (especially since it's Friday); and a great morning of no crazy drivers.
This evening, however, was quite another thing.
As I prepared to head out for home (very late as has been usual for this first full freedom week), I checked the weather (as usual) just to make sure that I wasn't under-or-over dressed. Chilly, with very light snow flurries starting, but nothing too bad. Well, other than that the note also mentioned that winds were out of the North at approximately 15 with gusts to 25! Nonetheless, a nice way to start the ride home.
About half-way home, however, (as it usually seems to happen), the winds picked up even more (to the point of blowing me periodically a foot to my side), and the snow started pelting harder-and-heavier-and-stronger. By the time I was a mile from home, I could see that the snows were starting to blow in their little-rivulets across the street when an oncoming vehicle approached.
A nice surprise was encountering another biking commuter as I passed through downtown Overland Park, who was going the other way. Always a welcome sight in the cold, snowy, evenings. I suspect that he is who I've passed before, only when I'm on my way into work at the morning (although I haven't seen him whom I think it is for a few months now -- primarily due to my going into work an hour earlier than I did in the summer and early-Autumn.
I'll not be surprised if we wake tomorrow with an inch of snow on the ground. And, no doubt, it will be a sunny, warm day on Monday!
Friday, January 2, 2009
What a wonderful day!
Another day in the 50s and a Great Day for cycling!
The second day of the year; but it seems nearly Spring. I'm sure any thoughts of the temperatures lingering will soon be dashed. For today, however, it was great.
I woke a bit later than usual, and the temperatures were a little cooler than yesterday -- 27 degrees with little wind at the beginning and about the same when I arrived at work. It's amazing how cycling through the days makes every subsequent day a little easier. This morning was easier than yesterday's ride; and yesterday's ride was easier than the day before. But then, the holidays probably have something to do with the slacking off and hard gearing up for the next ride. Oh. And the cold temperatures. The cold temperatures are definitely one of those things that seems to make every trip a bit more difficult -- although very fun.
The ride home this afternoon was a bit of Spring in the middle of Winter -- and, as always, a temperature that would be nice to harness for those very cold days that will inevitably happen later this month. Of course, I forgot my lighter gloves this morning, so I ended up having to wear my "crab-claws" home in 50 degree weather. Such a bummer.
I realize also that I need to get a new tire for my Roubaix. I found a slice in the rear tire and a slight balloon in the tube.
The second day of the year; but it seems nearly Spring. I'm sure any thoughts of the temperatures lingering will soon be dashed. For today, however, it was great.
I woke a bit later than usual, and the temperatures were a little cooler than yesterday -- 27 degrees with little wind at the beginning and about the same when I arrived at work. It's amazing how cycling through the days makes every subsequent day a little easier. This morning was easier than yesterday's ride; and yesterday's ride was easier than the day before. But then, the holidays probably have something to do with the slacking off and hard gearing up for the next ride. Oh. And the cold temperatures. The cold temperatures are definitely one of those things that seems to make every trip a bit more difficult -- although very fun.
The ride home this afternoon was a bit of Spring in the middle of Winter -- and, as always, a temperature that would be nice to harness for those very cold days that will inevitably happen later this month. Of course, I forgot my lighter gloves this morning, so I ended up having to wear my "crab-claws" home in 50 degree weather. Such a bummer.
I realize also that I need to get a new tire for my Roubaix. I found a slice in the rear tire and a slight balloon in the tube.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Now that was fun!
Now that was fun! And...more than that, warm!
My first commute in the snow. My first outing with my new winter gloves. My first warm cold ride!
You'll recall that a few days ago, I complained bitterly (at least as bitterly as ever I complain) that I couldn't find any gloves warm enough, wind resistant enough, or otherwise good enough to keep me from freezing my fingers on my (relatively) short rides to or from work (or anywhere else between two points). That changed today -- or, at least there's a glimmer of hope on the warm gloves front.
That few days ago I was so incredibly frustrated. Frustated that gloves advertised as wind-proof or water-proof or winter-proof or cold-weather simply weren't what their advertisers believed them to be: warm. I started to believe it was my hands fault that they froze almost immediately on a relatively short ride in a relatively cold temperature.
At first, I thought the problem was that the gloves I had simply weren't thick enough. My nice fleecey gloves were nice and warm on a good cool weather morning; but they didn't hold up when faced with 30 degree temperatures and a moderately stiff breeze. So, I picked up some thick gloves. Aha! . . . nope. That wasn't it.
Within the first few days of trying them out, the temperature on my daily ride dipped into the teens (with windchill) and then into the teens without (and below with). My fingers barely made it. They hurt! They hurt a lot! And they didn't warm nearly as quickly as I'd hoped.
The culprit, I thought, must be the wind. So, I dutifully sought out windproof gloves. Nope. That wasn't it; or, it wasn't those particular gloves that helped. They were too thin, not padded enough, not comfortable enough, not warm enough. They may have been wind-proof and/or water-proof, but they weren't cold proof! Nice enough for what they were; but not adequate for my freezing fingers.
But this weekend, I searched yet again for Quivira. And I found it -- or at least I think so -- or, at least the glove version of Quivira as it happens on Quivira! I was hooked up with a nice pair of Pearl Izumi AmFib Gloves.
And so far, these gloves have been far better than anything coming before. For the first time, my face started to freeze sooner than my fingers. For the first time, I made it all the way home without the strong hint that my fingers were getting too cold. For the first time, I was happy with my gloves!
My first commute in the snow. My first outing with my new winter gloves. My first warm cold ride!
You'll recall that a few days ago, I complained bitterly (at least as bitterly as ever I complain) that I couldn't find any gloves warm enough, wind resistant enough, or otherwise good enough to keep me from freezing my fingers on my (relatively) short rides to or from work (or anywhere else between two points). That changed today -- or, at least there's a glimmer of hope on the warm gloves front.
That few days ago I was so incredibly frustrated. Frustated that gloves advertised as wind-proof or water-proof or winter-proof or cold-weather simply weren't what their advertisers believed them to be: warm. I started to believe it was my hands fault that they froze almost immediately on a relatively short ride in a relatively cold temperature.
At first, I thought the problem was that the gloves I had simply weren't thick enough. My nice fleecey gloves were nice and warm on a good cool weather morning; but they didn't hold up when faced with 30 degree temperatures and a moderately stiff breeze. So, I picked up some thick gloves. Aha! . . . nope. That wasn't it.
Within the first few days of trying them out, the temperature on my daily ride dipped into the teens (with windchill) and then into the teens without (and below with). My fingers barely made it. They hurt! They hurt a lot! And they didn't warm nearly as quickly as I'd hoped.
The culprit, I thought, must be the wind. So, I dutifully sought out windproof gloves. Nope. That wasn't it; or, it wasn't those particular gloves that helped. They were too thin, not padded enough, not comfortable enough, not warm enough. They may have been wind-proof and/or water-proof, but they weren't cold proof! Nice enough for what they were; but not adequate for my freezing fingers.
But this weekend, I searched yet again for Quivira. And I found it -- or at least I think so -- or, at least the glove version of Quivira as it happens on Quivira! I was hooked up with a nice pair of Pearl Izumi AmFib Gloves.
And so far, these gloves have been far better than anything coming before. For the first time, my face started to freeze sooner than my fingers. For the first time, I made it all the way home without the strong hint that my fingers were getting too cold. For the first time, I was happy with my gloves!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Oh what a difference ten degrees makes! Wait. I said that already. Didn't I? No. I didn't. I just thought it -- yesterday (when I couldn't sign in to post this comment -- although it was a very different ten degrees).
Yesterday, I was going to write about how amazing it was that a mere ten degrees (from 21 to about 11 F) could make the difference in how long it was comfortable on my commute. I was going to say that with that seemingly slight difference that everything seemed to break down; the ability to breath through a balaclava; the ability to keep the cold from toes; the ability of gloves to protect hands from frost-bite; the ability of pain to overcome thoughts contrary...but then, the unexpected happened. I was unable to get on to post. But that's off point.
The point is that today was amazing! Incredible! Ok. It was much more reasonable. It was as if it were again a reasonable temperature -- such as 32 F. At 32 F (with 23 F wind-chill) that's pretty good! So; I broke out the favorites; fleece lingers, with Trek Gel half-gloves. A perfect combination. Or, at least, it is during warm times...or cool times. And it was again today! And today is all that matters. Ever. :)
Yesterday, I was going to write about how amazing it was that a mere ten degrees (from 21 to about 11 F) could make the difference in how long it was comfortable on my commute. I was going to say that with that seemingly slight difference that everything seemed to break down; the ability to breath through a balaclava; the ability to keep the cold from toes; the ability of gloves to protect hands from frost-bite; the ability of pain to overcome thoughts contrary...but then, the unexpected happened. I was unable to get on to post. But that's off point.
The point is that today was amazing! Incredible! Ok. It was much more reasonable. It was as if it were again a reasonable temperature -- such as 32 F. At 32 F (with 23 F wind-chill) that's pretty good! So; I broke out the favorites; fleece lingers, with Trek Gel half-gloves. A perfect combination. Or, at least, it is during warm times...or cool times. And it was again today! And today is all that matters. Ever. :)
But seriously, Folks...
Seriously. There has to be a "better glove!" We've "been to the moon!"
For the past couple days, while trying dutifully to make my way to and from work ten to twenty degrees below zero Celcius, I have frozen! Not quite literally, mind you -- not quite. All my nice, wonderful layers have kept me quite warm and toasty. Ok; perhaps sometimes too toasty. But toasty!
My legs? My arms? My face? My core? Yes! Yes! Yes! and Yes! My fingers, however? No. Not only "No," but NO! Not close! I have but a short commute. Not far. Not long. But yet, barely a third of the way towards destination, and I feel the unmistakeable feeling that the cold is breaking through the barrier; that it is rapidly piercing the layers meant to protect so that very soon the ache will start that lets me know that I'd better be at work soon -- very soon.
It's not as if I haven't tried. I feel I've sought advice from every corner and space. But every time I think I've found that Answer, I find that others have trod the same path only to find something lacking, wind resistance, water resistance -- cold resistance, so critical to merely adequate gloves when pushing forward into a headwind making more of a headwind.
I've now tried light gloves, heavy gloves, windproof gloves, liners in heavy gloves, and leather gloves inside heavy gloves. All I've found out so far is that my hands can sweat while my fingers freeze (which is not something I didn't already know).
So this weekend it's off to another round of stores searching the Holy Grail of Warm Toasty Fingeredness.
For the past couple days, while trying dutifully to make my way to and from work ten to twenty degrees below zero Celcius, I have frozen! Not quite literally, mind you -- not quite. All my nice, wonderful layers have kept me quite warm and toasty. Ok; perhaps sometimes too toasty. But toasty!
My legs? My arms? My face? My core? Yes! Yes! Yes! and Yes! My fingers, however? No. Not only "No," but NO! Not close! I have but a short commute. Not far. Not long. But yet, barely a third of the way towards destination, and I feel the unmistakeable feeling that the cold is breaking through the barrier; that it is rapidly piercing the layers meant to protect so that very soon the ache will start that lets me know that I'd better be at work soon -- very soon.
It's not as if I haven't tried. I feel I've sought advice from every corner and space. But every time I think I've found that Answer, I find that others have trod the same path only to find something lacking, wind resistance, water resistance -- cold resistance, so critical to merely adequate gloves when pushing forward into a headwind making more of a headwind.
I've now tried light gloves, heavy gloves, windproof gloves, liners in heavy gloves, and leather gloves inside heavy gloves. All I've found out so far is that my hands can sweat while my fingers freeze (which is not something I didn't already know).
So this weekend it's off to another round of stores searching the Holy Grail of Warm Toasty Fingeredness.
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