Biking in the snow

Wednesday night I rode my bike home from work in the worst snowstorm of the season.

I ride about 13.6 kilometers one-way, but it turned out to be neither as difficult nor as long as I thought it would. It took about 1 hour and 20 minutes door-to-door; it usually takes 40 minutes to an hour.

The surprise was that the MacDonald Bridge was quite rideable. It was packed snow on the approaches, but slush on the span. The slush was easier to navigate than the snow.

Only once did I need to get off the bike, and that was when I was going up a hill and heard a bus behind me - I got off the bike and let it pass. It was difficult getting back on the bike and starting up! I had to walk it up to a more level surface.

Thursday morning the snow was still caked on the bike, but fortunately I had wiped the chain and lubed it before putting it away Wednesday night. My lock was frozen, though, so I had to thaw it out!

The rides Thursday and this today were much easier.