spokesNspin

It looks like winter riding is now here.  The lows for the next 10 days are forecast to be at freezing and below.  When temperatures get into the twenties it is time for some serious cold weather gear.

Yesterday morning it was 32 degrees when I left my house.  I saw a guy walking his dog.  The man was wearing a hooded coat and short pants.  He must be crazy! Why bundle up head to waist and let the legs go?

On Sunday the high was around 50.  There was a wind and it was partly cloudy.  It felt colder than fifty.  I was interested in the number of cyclists I saw riding with bare legs. 

I read once that if mountain men of the early 1800’s managed to escape being killed by the sundry ways of  getting killed in those days,  they normally suffered extreme arthritis due the amount of time they spent wading around in ice cold mountain streams during the winter trapping season.

Some cyclist and runners may be in for the same type of chronic pain as they age.  I have also read that bicyclists should keep their legs covered anytime the temps hit 60 or below.  On a bicycle you have windchill in addition to the actual temperature.

I currently have about 5 variations of leg coverings.  They range from light leggings that I use from 50-60 degrees to the heavy wind proof tights that I use when it gets down below twenty.

We might think we are tough and the cold is okay.  But we could be doing damage to our legs in the long run.

Looking at you guys ride and run in the cold with bare legs makes me cold. 

So please cover up those legs.

A few weeks ago we had an energy fair at my work place.   As part of the fair a hydrogen fuel cell car was on display.   When it comes to transportation,  I think we spend too much time trying to find more fuel efficient and cleaner cars when we should spend more time trying to get people out of cars.  Not that we shouldn’t look for cleaner cars.  We need to put more effort on getting people out of cars.  But trying to get people to change their habits is hard and this car was rather cool.

It was very quiet when running.  There was only a little clicky clicky sound.  Supposedly it has very good pickup speed.  And the exhaust was water vapor.  There are a few test cars on the road.  You can go to a web site and sign up to be a consumer tester.  One of the criteria is being near a fuel center.

I was wondering and asking about where you go to refuel.  There are a few Shell stations where you can go to refuel.   Why Shell would have these I don’t know.  When I asked I didn’t get a good answer.

I wonder how it was for my grandparents when automobiles first started to come into existence.  Where did they go to refuel?  How long did it take for all the businesses that support our love affair with the car to pop up in every town?

Here is a picture of a filling station that my grandfather and grandmother built and operated.

I don’t know when they built it.  I am thinking it was the late thirties or early forties.  This business was never in operation in my memory but the building is still there.  I can remember when people who worked at filling stations wore nice uniforms and a hat like my grandfather is wearing.

I would really like to have that old bike leaning against the building.  I notice that in this pic there is no fuel pump.  I wonder if this was originally built as just a little store and fuel was added later.  These are questions for Aunt Zilla before she is gone.

We take so much for granted.  My parents told me that when they first started using cars in the country it was only a fair weather thing.  In the winter they still used horses and sleds.  They didn’t have snow plows for those rural roads yet.

Many people don’t realize that it was bicyclists who initially pushed for more and better roads. 

I wonder what my great grand children will be driving.  If I have my way they will be bicycling more than driving.

Enjoy Friday Foto Fiesta and your weekend.

Winter time is coming and the temperatures are getting colder for riding.  As I have written before , finding the best combination of clothing is a struggle.  My hands and feet are the biggest problem.  

I have tried many things for the feet.  I have booties.  I have a pair of shoes that are extra large so I can wear thick wool socks. Today I tried a new experiment for my feet.

I have this theory that clipless pedals make for colder feet than a platform pedal.  There are many possibilities for this.  Today I tested my theory.  I have Shimano PD-M324 pedals on my commuter bike.     They are “clip in” on one side and a flat platform on the other.  They are very handy when you want to jump on your bike for a quick errand or ride without specialized shoes.

Today I put a shoe with cleats on my right foot and a shoe without cleats on the left.  It is not as difficult as you might think to ride this way.

My right foot was definitely colder than the left.   One problem with my test was that the shoes are not exactly the same.  I think there is a possibility for more airflow into the shoe I was wearing on my right foot.

I am not considering buying a new pair of shoes for this test.

Today as I was riding home along the Mt Vernon trail I had to ding my bell at some guy standing in the middle of the trail.  He told me to look at the GW Parkway because the Obama motorcade was coming. I don’t know how he knew it.

I looked out on the parkway and sure enough.  There were several motorcycles.  Then several black SUVs with guys hanging out the windows. Then a black limo.  Then more SUVs and then finally more motorcycles.

The Obama family got to check out their new digs today.

I know it is time to get back to writing about bicycling.  I am just not there quite yet. 

I am currently reading The Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith.  Given the state of our current economy, I decided it was time to dust off this classic and take another look.  This book was first published in 1958.  Much of what he wrote is so relevant today.

Here is one small paragraph from the book:

There is a surviving conviction, even on the part of the executives of the largest business corporations, that they live dangerously. No large industrial corporation in the United States, which is also large in its industry, has failed or been seriously in danger of insolvency in many years. Where there has been danger, the government has come to the rescue. The security of tenure of corporation executives is remarkably high. So is their remuneration. Certainly these bear no resemblance to the insecurity of the fortunes of the business entrepreneur of the competitive model.

The only thing he has left out that is relevant today is the Golden Parachute of the the modern executive.

Update to add a relevant comic.