I survived winter.

Not by much either. This was my second winter of bike commuting, and it was a long one. We had full or partial snow cover for about 4 months... with scatterings of snow and ice for another month. Riding on snow or ice with the right gear is a fun game here and there, but it just makes you tired and angry when you are faced with it every day for months on end.

I got back on my bike today for the first time in nearly two weeks - the longest bike commuting break that I can remember. Before I left for vacation (followed by a conference), there was snow and ice on the path and I still had to wear my winter shell. Today, I wore a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a spring jacket - along with a hat and gloves. That seemingly insignificant difference made my ride so much more enjoyable.

So I think I am going to use part of George Bush's gift to buy a new commuter bike. I'm going to test drive two bikes in particular in the next few weeks - and I'll try to write a post about them. The one I'm really excited about is the Breezer Uptown 8 (Joe Breeze design). I also like the Bianchi Milano Cafe Racer. I hope to be riding one of them to work by the time summer rolls around.

Happy Spring!