My old coffee-making buddy Pete was featured in this AP story on winter bicycle commuting in Minneapolis. I wouldn’t be surprised if the story was picked up by papers in fair-weather cities and run with a the headline, “Minnesotans: Loony as Ever.” The fact of the matter is that it isn’t really a big deal to bike in the cold. Smart layers of clothing will keep you warm – even sweaty if you aren’t careful. My favorite part of the article is the talk of how cycling gets you to your destination charged up and ready for work in a way that only fellow cyclists understand.
I did my share of sub-freezing cycling when I lived in Minneapolis, but when the shoulders and bike lanes were slushy or icy, I gave myself a break and rode MetroTransit. I can deal with the cold, but the possibility of my tires slipping out from under me in heavy traffic is more of a risk than I care to take.
Still – while here in Minny for the holidays I’ve noticed plenty of cyclists on the roads, and it has me missing some of my old routes. I had forgotten just how many major streets here have lanes set aside for bicycles. It’s definitely a special thing. Philly is a good biking city, but largely by accident. The skinny streets and downtown gridlock make bike travel surprisingly safe and simple, but I understand those who are wary of biking Philly for the same reasons.
I’m going to have to see what I can do to get cycling back into my routine when I get back to Philly. The major drawback of my new work-at-home lifestyle is the lack of that pre-work adrenaline rush from a speedy two-wheeled zip across town.
