And so it begins

2 Miles
18 degrees
**SNOW**

This morning was my first snow ride of the year. No, I don't do it for pleasure. Its a necessity since I bike commute to work. The way I see it, its still faster to ride my bike the one mile to work than it is to start the car, warm it up, scrape the windows and brush off the snow, drive to work, park a block or so away, and walk to work. Plus, during the winter, its sometimes the only outside time I get during the day unless its shoveling walks.

I was at least prepared for the snow though. After getting wet on Wednesday's commute to and from work, I decided that I needed some rain pants to slip over whatever pants I'm wearing for the day. I finally found some that weren't just cheap plastic at Big Bear. I'm pretty excited for them since they are nice enough I can use them for skiing and playing in the snow with the girls as well. They are not insulated so I still have to wear pants underneath but after skiing last year in jeans, I've determined that I need something to keep me dry.

Anyway, I took off this morning all bundled up with gloves, coat, scarf, hat, and rain pants and felt pretty good. The snow was sticky and hadn't melted yet so the roads were not slick. I didn't slip once and felt pretty confident. This fall (if you can call it fall) I been dreading winter, not because of the cold or snow, but because of the ice. I took a spill last winter and hit my elbow pretty hard. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I fractured something but I toughed it out. I developed a big pusy cyst on my elbow that finally burst with some foul smelling green stringy pus. Months later I was able to squeeze out some solid, somewhat spongy, white pieces of something, bone? Yeah, I know, gross! But it has had me paranoid, especially because it's still somewhat sore today. But no falls today. We'll see what happens tonight after it melts a little and freezes again.

I took it slow this morning. Partially because I was unsure of the roads but mostly because I was unsure of the drivers. I met up with Robert along the way. Robert also rides in to work everyday and lives about three blocks from me. As we get to work, I sigh with relief and comment on how glad I am that that was over. I pull my bike over to the rail to lock it up and notice that my bike lock, my new heavy duty bike lock, is gone. It had fallen off my handlebars (velcro strapped on) but with all of my bundling, plus the snow on the road, I didn't hear it fall. I turn around and get almost halfway home when I see the lock lying in the middle of the road at the busiest intersection of my ride, luckily not in the intersection. I wait for traffic that is swerving around the lock, see my window, bolt out and grab the undamaged lock, hop back on my bike and ride back to work.

I'm glad that's all over. I can't wait to do it again tonight!