Brrr!

Boy it's cold outside. I could say it's dart and dash weather. I dart out to the trash can. I grab the recycle tubs and dash to the curb. I dash out the back door, down the stair, and through the door to the basement.

The cold is hard on me. It dries my skin out. I have to be careful not to take long hot showers, that only worsens the problem. Staying on the cycle takes effort and expense. Buying layer upon layer of cold weather gear isn't cheap, and the cold challenges my dedication, threatening to find it's way through my armor and sting me. But I love being on the bike and I like cycle wear. The wool feels especially good. It's cozy.

There are good things to the cold. There are things I have to contend with only in winter that give me an appreciation for the changes when they come. I savor every increase in temperature. It's amazing that in six months I will be in shorts and a t shirt again. That seems funny, as I ride to work with two pair of wool socks, a base layer shirt, regular shirt, leg warmers, shorts, long pants over the shorts and leg warmers, jacket, and bright yellow vest. Oh, and my hat and headband and gloves and gloves over the gloves.