Tony Tapay enjoying the snow.
(Photos © J. Maus)
(Photos © J. Maus)
This morning was (I think) the year’s first snow-filled morning commute! It didn’t stick for too long and it wasn’t as major as last year, but it was still fun.
I headed to work into a flurry of white flakes and a few minutes into my ride I ran into my old friend (and fellow Piedmont resident), Tony Tapay. It was nice to have a bit of company, not to mention a willing model for a few photos…
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Did you ride in the snow this morning?
Thanks for reading.
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What a kick. It was kinda cold and I got kinda wet, but it was fun despite the icy flakes in my eyes.
I enjoyed making eye contact with dog walkers and drivers. Everyone seemed to have a little twinkle in their eyes.
There\’s something special in the way snow makes the world quiet and beautiful.
Agreed, Alison.
That top pic makes tony look like he has a white snow beard!
it was alot of fun this morning. something about snow just makes me smile. grinning ear to ear underneath my neoprene face mask, my commute clothes are a little wet but definately worth it.
I was wearing an interesting combination of rain gear and cold-weather gear.
I was so distracted by the snow that I forgot to go to the steel instead of the Broadway for Breakfast on the Bridges! Now I\’m bummed I missed it.
It was snowing yesterday as well as I rode to work. 6-7:30. It was fun to watch the snowflakes from my headlights. Always a trip.
Oh man, crazy Portland weather. I rode to work today in sunny SF, but snow sure looks like fun. I kinda miss it. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Breakfast on the Bridges on the Hawthorne was less attended than usual – the weather appeared to keep some people away this morning. It was raining at 7am, and started turning to snow shortly after 8am downtown – we had a veritable mini-blizzard for about 20 minutes around 8:30 or so.
Those who did stop for coffee and donuts were very appreciative. Thanks, everyone for stopping! What a great (if cold) morning for BonB!
The ride from SW Hillsdale to I-5 Bridge from 6:30 to 7:15 was snow free but wet. I misjudged the weather and only had on Pearl Izumi Gavia gloves. My hands were soaked and frozen within 45 mins making the next 30 minutes miserable until getting to work.
What are other folks using for gloves in wet weather rides that last 1+ hours? Some kind of layered combo? I even thought some heavy duty dishwashing gloves might be good to keep the rain out.
Rick (#7),
When I worked from boats in winter we used wool liners with heavy duty rubber cleaning-type gloves. It worked really well. If you really don\’t like getting wet duct tape the seem where your gloves meet your jacket.
It\’s so nice to bike on a snowy day and know that the roads aren\’t in the least bit slick. Everyone I passed seemed a little dazed and bemused by snow this late in the month!
Rode to preschool this morning with Littleman snuggled up under the Bakfeits canopy and me squinting a lot through the snow flakes. It was fun but got there to discover it was closed for Spring Break. Who ever heard of such a thing? Back home now keeping warm and busy.
Rick Glos, the best gloves I have ever used for wet/cold rides are neoprene gloves made for fishing. Even on mornings like this, with rain and snow mixed, my hands stay toasty warm. I have also found that these gloves are superior for snowball tilts.
By the time I left the house it was more like sleet–I had a scarf over my face because otherwise my face stung when the sleet hit it. Made my glasses nice and foggy. ;^)
I was determined to wear a skirt to work today because I got it yesterday–so there I was, the other cyclists with lots of nice rain gear, and I had on a longish cotton skirt with tights and socks to try to keep warm!
Still stopped for Breakfast on the Bridges. The coffee warmed up my hands…although they promptly froze again. I lost my nicer gloves in January and have been to cheap to buy another pair.
#7 – Matt Picio (or anyone who knows) – what is this Breakfast on the Bridge about?
Rode in yesterday and today. Today was definitely more fun. Being west and riding west, Breakfast on the Bridges does not happen here. I have Oatmeal in the Kitchen instead.
Waterproof gloves – I hear good things about the Specialized Radiant. Also mountaineering shells (REI Element) over whatever gloves you are wearing – I can personally say that after 84 miles in the rain, they were wonderful!
Evan,
Breakfast on the bridges is on the last Friday of every month. They often happen on the west side of the Hawthorne Bridge. Coffee, doughnuts, that sort of thing.
Evan,
Breakfast on the Bridges is a wonderful monthly labor of love by the amazing shifty folks. They bring us pastries and coffee from 7AM TO 9AM the last friday of the month (except December, when they make it a different friday) and other random surprise days like Pi Day! Currently, they serve on the Hawthorne and on the East side of the Steel bridge. It\’s great time to socialize with folks and snack, though I\’d recommend getting there earlier than later if you want to get the good donuts.
Or sometimes *any* donuts.
Today was a good day – we had donuts up until 8:45, and we were actually out there until about 9:15 – we had about 4 people roll up at 9am for coffee.
BTW, Breakfast on the Bridges also runs every Friday during Pedalpalooza (basically every Friday morning in June). Check out http://tinyurl.com/2xsef4 for details (http://www.shift2bikes.org)
I din\’t know Tony was related to Sheldon Brown? That white beard and the handle bar tassles…Ed
Up north in the Fisher\’s Landing area in Vancouver, my ride started with some light snow, only to turn to rain within half a mile. Oddly enough, it was back to snow by the time I got to school. Despite the fact that I was quite damp, it was a rather fun commute.
today was pretty damn entertaining. rode around in it for the few hours that snow was falling downtown – crazy stuff, i tell you. crazier still that it just wasnt that cold, i mean, for snow – and had the ground not been already wet, we likely wouldve had decent accumulation, and that wouldve been doubly entertaining.
theyre forecasting more of this ridiculousness for portland proper, too – though sunday! nuts.
I commute from 42nd and Division in SE Portland to Hillsboro Airport (actualy, Intel\’s Jones Farm Campus.
Today was quite interesting. Rain, sleet, snow, and a gorgous ride up to and down from Council Crest park this evening. I felt so good that I even sang out loud as I came down Vista drive! If any of you were on Vista drive this evening and heard singing, that was me!
There was hail around midday here on SE Salmon, also.
Every cyclist east of the Cascades are rolling their eye\’s in sync.
Bend holds it down.
Bonjour veloistas and Mr. Maus,
A weather report from the Low countries…we were biking around in postcarte quality snow last week too (Amsterdam and Utrecht)…now it is heating up and riny in Bruxelles.
Bon soir,
PS. we found a great mini oma fiets (24\’ wheels vs. 28\’) for a Jr Zoo Bomb run!
Swallow your pride friends, walk, ride public, or stay home.
I moved here from Bend, and it’s nothing but fat tires with studs, in the best of conditions for winter rides.
Black ice, get your YAKTRAX on, and hoof it!
Thought I left this white s___ behind me in Central Oregon, I thought wrong.