Trainers

On Dec 9, 8:35*am, Peter Cole wrote:

I almost never use my trainer. I set up my fixed gear bike with studded
tires and there's never been a day I couldn't ride, even on unplowed
bike paths. I was out riding the river path around midnight in late
November a couple of years ago when I spotted a blinky pacing me in the
darkness. It took me a while to realize it was someone rowing. Despite
the fact that it was 15F last morning, I still haven't put away my
skiff. I pull it with a bike trailer and will use it on mild days until
the river freezes.

It does get quite a bit colder still here versus the East Coast. But
we were in Hayward Wisconsin last weekend and they had some bikes with
very large snow tires in a bike ski shop there. Forgetting clipless
peddles and wearing good boots one could probably ride in the snow
quite a bit. I don't know how messy it would get though on the
bridges with all the chemicals and slush from the roadway on the
pedestrian path.

I'm amazed to read the old stories of how there used to be 5,000 canoes
in one short section of the river back in the 20's. People used to row
in the moonlight and anchor by the bandstands on Saturday nights. The
bandstands are gone and so are almost all the canoes. It sounds like
paradise lost.

Canoeing down the Mississippi to work, I almost could :-)

There's a side street outside of Harvard Sq. that I frequently ride,
which goes past a glass fronted gym where you can see rows of exercycles
and treadmills. As I make eye contact with the patrons I wonder what
they're thinking. Alas, the Italian cafe with outdoor tables that was
often my destination has now been closed. Progress marches on.


It seems we're becoming a nation of indoor people. There was one old
standby that got people out and gave a chance to mingle with neighbors:
yard work. Around here, even in a rather modest neighborhood, it all
seems to have been outsourced.

That is the truth! People use giant snow blowers even when it's just
2-4" of snow.