Greetings Readers
In the morning I saw that the weather was about 30 degrees and snow was expected to fall this evening. When the snow does fall the temperature was going to fall too.
Now, I did not listen or perhaps I did not pay attention, but I figured I had a “good” window and “luck” on my side on making it home before the snow and temperature fell.
After all we Coloradoans know that our so-called weather people know as much about the weather that we (the general public) can predict. Which is a crapshoot. I have as much experience to read, look and interpret at the weather map that they show and see the jet stream, high pressure, low pressure, etc, to make an assumption on the weather for Colorado before it hits Denver and the surrounding areas.
Anyway, I got to work and was able to take a look out the windows throughout the day.
Well, I would have to estimate about 2 P.M. the snow started to fall. Or perhaps that was when I looked out the window and saw that the snow was falling.
Fuck me.
I decided that I was taking Light rail and the bus home.
When I left the parking garage… well when I pushed the button to open the parking garage door I immediately felt the cold. And I was bundled up, yet I had to bike home since I did not want to leave my bike at work with it bring Friday tomorrow and most likely I was going to be walking as opposed to biking on Friday. There was ice and snow and I knew that the sidewalks were going to be very difficult to ride on.
Anyway, it was cold and windy. I had my insulated windbreaker, thinsulate gloves, two bandannas around my neck, my Nautica Hood over my head with the Natalie Merchant cap on top of the hood. I had my long skintight bike pants, with additional biking shorts on top of the bike pants. But Damn. I was cold. Very cold.
The parking lot was covered in snow and ice that was gleaming in the lights. Fuck me. Black Ice and I am not sure if it was Black Ice or still wet pavement I was seeing in the night.
Believe me Readers, I have fallen my fair share on ice and I just loathe riding on ice. Any weight shift, any subtle turn on the ice and any “extra” pedal stroke will bring any biker to Mother Earth to be embraced. It sucks, but gravity will prevail.
I managed to get to the light rail station without failing down. I had three moments the biking gods could have sent me into the arms of Mother Earth. It was not meant to be – this time.
I left the Light Rail Station after my ride in the warmth of the Light rail car and soon enough I saw flashing light of the blue and red kind in the streets of Greenwood Village. There was the Police and a flat bed tow truck up in the distance. I was “on edge” and ready for something. Anything.
Actually, I was hoping for the police to pull out in front of me (or hit me) while I was biking down the road when I had the right of way (in a sense since his lights were not on). I was actually looking forward to getting hit by the police. I wanted to start something. Risky, but technically valid since according to me, I was riding within the law as I saw it at that moment.
Needless to say the tow truck driver says “your crazy! But you got balls man!”
Nothing to say or comment on. Seconds later the police pass me by.
I was yearning, but alas it was not meant to be.
Before getting home I needed to take a picture of me in the cold and trying to bike home. I could not ask anyone so I had to pick a place that I could set my camera on timer.
The pictures do show the way I was dressed, but not the biting cold I was feeling at the time. I was fucking cold. And it was getting cold by the second since I could not bike any faster than 5 miles per hour. And yes Readers I made it home safely.
But it took me about an hour to warm up my legs. I decided to forgo the hot shower and see how long my body could warm up. After about an hour I finally my body to regular temperature. It was kind of scary to not feel my skin warm up after about a half hour. My thighs were still cold to the touch. Wow. I warmed up a can of Campbell’s Chicken with White & Wild Rice Soup and that was, to me, going to aid me in warming up my body core’s temperature.
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
In the morning I saw that the weather was about 30 degrees and snow was expected to fall this evening. When the snow does fall the temperature was going to fall too.
Now, I did not listen or perhaps I did not pay attention, but I figured I had a “good” window and “luck” on my side on making it home before the snow and temperature fell.
After all we Coloradoans know that our so-called weather people know as much about the weather that we (the general public) can predict. Which is a crapshoot. I have as much experience to read, look and interpret at the weather map that they show and see the jet stream, high pressure, low pressure, etc, to make an assumption on the weather for Colorado before it hits Denver and the surrounding areas.
Anyway, I got to work and was able to take a look out the windows throughout the day.
Well, I would have to estimate about 2 P.M. the snow started to fall. Or perhaps that was when I looked out the window and saw that the snow was falling.Fuck me.
I decided that I was taking Light rail and the bus home.
When I left the parking garage… well when I pushed the button to open the parking garage door I immediately felt the cold. And I was bundled up, yet I had to bike home since I did not want to leave my bike at work with it bring Friday tomorrow and most likely I was going to be walking as opposed to biking on Friday. There was ice and snow and I knew that the sidewalks were going to be very difficult to ride on.
Anyway, it was cold and windy. I had my insulated windbreaker, thinsulate gloves, two bandannas around my neck, my Nautica Hood over my head with the Natalie Merchant cap on top of the hood. I had my long skintight bike pants, with additional biking shorts on top of the bike pants. But Damn. I was cold. Very cold.
The parking lot was covered in snow and ice that was gleaming in the lights. Fuck me. Black Ice and I am not sure if it was Black Ice or still wet pavement I was seeing in the night.
Believe me Readers, I have fallen my fair share on ice and I just loathe riding on ice. Any weight shift, any subtle turn on the ice and any “extra” pedal stroke will bring any biker to Mother Earth to be embraced. It sucks, but gravity will prevail.I managed to get to the light rail station without failing down. I had three moments the biking gods could have sent me into the arms of Mother Earth. It was not meant to be – this time.
I left the Light Rail Station after my ride in the warmth of the Light rail car and soon enough I saw flashing light of the blue and red kind in the streets of Greenwood Village. There was the Police and a flat bed tow truck up in the distance. I was “on edge” and ready for something. Anything.
Actually, I was hoping for the police to pull out in front of me (or hit me) while I was biking down the road when I had the right of way (in a sense since his lights were not on). I was actually looking forward to getting hit by the police. I wanted to start something. Risky, but technically valid since according to me, I was riding within the law as I saw it at that moment.
Needless to say the tow truck driver says “your crazy! But you got balls man!”
Nothing to say or comment on. Seconds later the police pass me by.I was yearning, but alas it was not meant to be.
Before getting home I needed to take a picture of me in the cold and trying to bike home. I could not ask anyone so I had to pick a place that I could set my camera on timer.
The pictures do show the way I was dressed, but not the biting cold I was feeling at the time. I was fucking cold. And it was getting cold by the second since I could not bike any faster than 5 miles per hour. And yes Readers I made it home safely.
But it took me about an hour to warm up my legs. I decided to forgo the hot shower and see how long my body could warm up. After about an hour I finally my body to regular temperature. It was kind of scary to not feel my skin warm up after about a half hour. My thighs were still cold to the touch. Wow. I warmed up a can of Campbell’s Chicken with White & Wild Rice Soup and that was, to me, going to aid me in warming up my body core’s temperature.Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
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