Why Ride in the Snow?

This morning the mercury rose to an astounding 6 degrees Fahrenheit. It put some frost on the pumpkin, as my dad would say. I added an extra long underwear layer up top, donned my Velo Swap face mask, slipped the shoe covers on and hit the road. Something about the temperature, or snow covering the black ice, made the ground feel almost sticky despite its obvious slipperiness. The ride itself did not feel too unlike a normal commute: yes it was colder and at times I thought my eyes were going to freeze but other than that it really was quite enjoyable. I noticed a familiar track leading out of my neighborhood for a bike that I see frequently. Along 14th I picked up another track, mountain bike tread, weaving a bit in the fresh snow. Coming down 14th to hit Federal I passed another rider coming west. We exchanged friendly “Hello’s.” Same thing occurred on Harlan when I passed two more riders: there apparently is camaraderie of sorts among people who dare to ride bikes on the ice even when under 'normal' conditions you might scarcely get a nod.

When I arrived at work there was already an email from one of the “Siberians,” a group of fellow Denver City employees who ride their bikes more or less year round. Of all the Siberians who checked in there were three of us who actually rode today. This evening when I left downtown after a meeting, I hit the Cherry Creek path heading west. I passed a number of riders, each clothed in various winter riding garb, some with lights, others with large stocking hats and no helmets. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves despite the fact that it was snowing a bit and only 11 degrees. I find it interesting that at times people make it seem extraordinarily novel that I ride my bike in the winter, and yet there were bikes out all over today. Perhaps not in the abundance one would experience on a nice June afternoon, but I wasn’t the only “crackpot” out on two wheels today.

I’ve grown quite accustomed to the stares and questions about how I can stand to ride my bike when it is so cold outside. Even today, I got a fair amount of grief from the folks in the office as we prepared to head out for the day. “Don’t tell me you actually rode your bike today?” “Did you really ride your bike?” “Have you heard of this thing called the internal combustion engine?” Earlier in the afternoon when I headed out from our office to go downtown someone getting into their car in the garage remarked, “You must be brave.” Yesterday when I rode up to work one of the Supervisors commented that it "takes some serious guts to ride a bike in weather like this." Brave? Guts? If there were one particular psychological or mental trait that I would use to describe my riding, bravery would not be the first one to come to mind. I suppose there is an element of bravery to riding in the snow or on the ice alongside speeding cars also traveling in the same snow or across the same ice. Yet, I don’t know if my riding really has anything to do with bravado.  Its not a question of being tough or proving a point. So on a day like this it makes sense to beg the question: why do I do this?

Some of my initial reasons for riding when I started several years ago stemmed from a desire to save gas (subsequently saving money) and make a contribution to helping the environment. I started riding and commuting because it was cheap easy and most importantly, fun. For the 9-5 part of my work week existence commuting by bike has just become part of my routine. For some it is natural to climb into their car, grab a coffee, turn on the stereo and sit in traffic. To each their own, but for me riding my bike in to work is just something I do. Even on days like today the thought of not riding hardly enters my mind, and even despite the cold, the inconvenience of being bundled up and the risk of falling on my ass I don’t really think twice about it. Sure like yesterday I might opt to ride to the bus stop, hop on the bus and then ride the rest of the way to work. But in any case, 9 times out of 10 I'm heading out the door with my bike.

Does that then amount to bravado? Craziness? Zealotry? I suppose it might appear that way to some. Much is made of the conflict between cars and bikes about who really owns the road and who's rights supercede who's.  Yet, as political as riding a bike sometimes can be, or as impactful a statement as bike commuting despite all odds might seem, when it comes down to it, it really still is a matter of transportation: getting from one place to another. It seems very odd to me that so much is made of the simple act of getting from one place to another and the manner in which this occurs. So tomorrow when the thermometer starts the day at -1 degrees, I suppose it will again seem exceptional that I’ll get on my bike and pedal the 7 miles to work. But hopefully like today I won’t be alone, and when the day is done and everyone is back home safe and sound (and warmed) it won’t be that exceptional at all that any of us rode our bikes and didn't drive cars or ride buses. Because in the end, another week will be in the books and behind us, and in that sense we all will have traveled the same distance anyway.