I commuted by bicycle today. We had -16 °C in the morning and -15 °C in the afternoon. In the morning I got a bit cold in the face because of a sidewind which hit the area around the left eye, but when riding back home it was much better.
The gear I have has proved to be ok for the one-hour-long commute, even though there might be some room for improvement, especially in protecting the face. I'm satisfied with the lobster-style winter gloves (made by SealSkinz) which I think would be good even for temperature below -20 °C.
In the morning when arriving in the Ministry I got a funny look from a colleague, and the reason came clear when I looked at the mirror: icicles were hanging from various parts of my face and headgear.
The road conditions have been excellent for commuting by bicycle: a thin cover of packed snow, which is perfect for the studded winter tires. In the city of Helsinki they spread sand or gravel on sidewalks to give pedestrians traction, which could be a problem, but fortunately the gravel stays mostly in place. In icy patches the gravel acts like roller bearings, making trouble for those who ride a bicycle.
(Posting title is from the poem Lyell’s Hypothesis Again by Kenneth Rexroth.)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment