In case you’re a bicycle owner, the very first thing you verify while you get up* is the climate. This morning I did simply that and noticed it was eight levels and partly cloudy:
*[The first thing you check that’s not a part of your body, anyway.]
In case you dwell in a kind of commonist international locations that makes use of the metrical system this is able to point out advantageous biking circumstances certainly, however right here in West Greenland we measure temperature in American Freedom Levels™ the way in which God supposed, which implies it’s what meteorologists name “chilly as fuck”–although this explicit rider would little question beg to vary:
[“I don’t ride when it’s above five degrees because I don’t want to risk heatstroke.”]
Moreover, we bought snow earlier this week, and whereas it’s no New Orleans there’s nonetheless a good quantity of it left:
By the way, when this newest little bit of snow arrived after all we went sledding, and I formally deployed The Rivendell Of Snowboards:
Or is it the Fixie of Snowboards? I do know nothing about snowboarding or some other alpine sport so I don’t know which facile analogy is extra apt on this case.
Both approach, I acquired this factor “for the children” however after all I hogged it the entire time, and I fell off of it repeatedly till I kind-of-sort-of bought the hold of it. And lest you suppose there’s no place to correctly make the most of a snowboard round these elements, I’ll have that the Bronx is the Switzerland of New York Metropolis, and in just like the Sixties Van Cortlandt Park even had an precise ski space with synthetic snow and a tow rope and every little thing:
[Image via here.]
I don’t know precisely the place within the park the ski space was, however I think it should have been within the spot the place we now go sledding–and if you wish to know the place that’s nicely I’m sorry, I’m afraid I can’t inform you.
Anyway, regardless of the chilly I did head out for a brief path journey on the All Bets Are Off Bike:
I briefly thought-about bringing the Rivendell of Snowboards with me and sneaking in a number of runs whereas I used to be at it, however I used to be nonetheless sore from all these falls earlier within the week, and I figured I in all probability shouldn’t tempt destiny. The journey turned out to be slightly nice, because the hikers had tamped down all of the snow, the timber saved me secure from the wind, and the Jones was sure-footed as at all times. At the moment of the 12 months an hour within the woods is all you want, and I really feel lucky to dwell right here within the Alps of New York Metropolis the place such a factor is feasible with out venturing quite a lot of minutes from house.
In the meantime, within the Netherlands, researchers are working exhausting to make biking safer:
Certain, “Dutch researcher” could sound like an oxymoron–like “three-speed singlespeed” or “Bronx snowboarding”–however whereas the Dutch could not have invented something since their eponymous oven**, they’re fairly helpful with bikes:
Wow, that’s the most naive and idealistic description of driver habits I’ve ever heard:
Solely somebody from the Netherlands might probably suppose that drivers are predictable:
Or that every one the expertise on the planet might probably assist them “plan a route round” cyclists:
Yeah, proper:
Nonetheless, it’s higher than what we’ve give you:
Sure, there’s no downside that may’t be solved with extra helmets:
“Small dent,” actually? Is that the metaphor you’re going with?
Thankfully although there’s additionally an training part, although it largely consists of…telling individuals to put on helmets:
If security have been helmets, Individuals would journey.
**Based on the Web, the Dutch have invented the next, although I’m calling BS on capitalism and the carrot:
