T.G.I.D.S.I.F. (Thank Gooodness It Doesn't Snow In Folsom)

Even as a teenager it was hard to keep me indoors and off a bike!

Watching parts of the Minnesota vs. Bears football game on Monday Night Football gave me the chills.  It also brought back memories from my days living in the northern suburbs of Chicago.  The winters were pretty long and cold which isn’t easy for a cyclist. 

Most winters I gave up on riding and had to go through the painful process of getting back in shape every spring.  As I got older, I would start doing a little more to try and stay in shape.  I got a trainer from Blackburn and would hook up my old Schwinn LeTour but I found that frustrating.  Tires would wear out, the wheel would slip a lot, and it was incredibly boring (all of which hasn’t changed with time but I am more likely to get on now than when I was 16). 

My frustrations would grow to the point that I would hop on my mountain bike -yes, they made them back then, thought they look much different than they do today.  No suspension, roller cam breaks on one bike, a goofy rear u-break on the other that did nothing but trap mud and debris- and try to ride in the snow. 

At first I would use a snow jacket with blue jeans or my snow suit. Eventually I got some nice gear from Bellweather (that I haven’t used since I left the Midwest because it just isn’t cold enough out here to put it on) that kept me warm and comfortable.  The color scheme of the era had me looking like a Ninja Turtle, but I didn’t mind, it allowed me to get out and ride. (Hmmm…  Maybe I should try and put the old gear on for a picture.  I weigh less than I did in high school but I think it will still fit.)  What was really nice about that gear is that it had a material on the front that blocked the wind and spandex in the back that allowed your body to still breathe and not get overheated.

With good gear I would take my mtb or road bike (if the roads were mostly clear) out for more rides than I did before.  However I was still pretty limited as riding on the roads in those conditions is pretty dangerous.  I remember one time I talked a friend into riding with me.  We were going down a street that had a fair amount of traffic on it.  As we were going down the hill he lost control a little and started sliding sideways.  Everything was fine, you don’t get road rash sliding on ice and snow, but it reinforced the point that riding in this weather isn’t the best idea.

Those memories make me really appreciate living where I am now.  Yes, we have some bad weather at the moment that keeps me from riding on some days.  But at least I am not buried in snow.  Most winters you never have to go more than day or two (unless there are work/family commitments) inside. For a boy from Chicago, it’s a cyclist’s dream. Gotta love living in Folsom!