More Like It

Kids awoke this morning to a good five or six inches of snow on the ground, no school, and sledding in the park before Dad had even finished his coffee. This is what a snow day is supposed to be like, by God.

I took a few laps around the neighborhood on the Schwinn Hollywood; this may be the perfect blizzard bike, especially since your feet can touch the ground when you’re in the saddle, and if you fall, you haven’t got far to go. Coaster brake only, though, so that’s a bit of a problem.

I’m putting knobbies on the XO-1 for an alternative ride; in a bit, gonna go out in a bit and see how it handles in these conditions.

Here’s how you can brag without bragging: simply ride a bike somewhere when it’s below freezing. Last night, I pedaled over to West Seattle in the clear and cold to go bowling and you’d have thought I circumnavigated the globe in my very own handmade kayak or something. My fellow keglers were all like, “Whoa! You rode your bike here?! That’s hard core.”

Frankly, I think it’s way more bad ass to down a handful of Rolling Rocks over the course of a couple hours at the lanes and then get in your car; I’d be far more nervous to drive across the West Seattle bridge with a buzz on than I ever am poking along on two wheels after a few cold ones.

It’s hard to get motivated to do anything productive; that, too, seems like a mark of a bona fide snow day. Coffee seems to help, but it’s effect may be somewhat compromised by that lunchtime shot of Beam I had to warm up before walking to the video store for Christmas movies.

Best of all, my LL Bean guide pants just showed up in the mail: let’s see how well they perform this real live snow day on the Bridgestone.