Jackson Boulevard, as seen from the Spinning Studio Friday morning.
The Sears Tower - as seen from the Studio Friday morning. Normally we can see the whole thing.
The Kennedy expressway at 5:30am - everything actually pretty civil.I've had a sudden, rude reintroduction to Chicago winter. Monday was a really nice day - temps near 50, some sun and lots of wind. Then the rain started and the wind changed - and I was out there riding, wet and shivering when it happened. The temp bottomed out at about minus 3 and the next day we didn't get out of the teens. Overnight the snow started and now I find myself getting slightly depressed as the inches keep piling up. I think there's about 3in out there now. BUT - if you think a little snow will keep me from riding you are so very wrong.
Take today for example. Definitely a day for the cross bike - very dirty, wet and slushy pavement on the main roads and hard packed slippery snow on the side streets. Oh, and light powdery snow on the sidewalk - but I wouldn't know about that because I never ride on the sidewalk...The sun was out so I decided to ride to work. It's only about 7mi each way - cake. I briefly pondered installing my very ugly, slow fender on the bike but opted not to, thinking it couldn't be that bad, now could it?
Hindsight is always 20/20. My chamois literally froze to my ass. I'm not kidding. That was kind of uncomfortable. Today's important work was completed indoors, on the rollers. Much as I despise it, the fender goes on tomorrow and it unfortunately will probably stay there for a few days, until I decide to risk freezing my ass again. At least I've gotten to February without letting winter get the best of me. That said, spring cannot get here soon enough. Now I'm off to shovel the snow - my landlord is vacationing in Hawaii and I volunteered to do it.
