Still biking, in the face of all odds

A few brave souls continue to bike through the winter

In recent weeks, Minnesota’s streets have been hazardous to all. Most residential streets in St. Paul have icy grooves that your car’s wheels must follow or you risk sideswiping your neighbors’ vehicles. It’s amazing to me that anyone in their right mind would brave the streets on a bicycle. And yet, my office mate John Bailey has continued to bike to work on many a blustery day.

The cold temps alone are enough to keep me driving. My bike is collecting dust in the garage these days. The icy streets seal the deal – they seem so treacherous on foot or in a car that I just can’t imagine making my commute by bike in winter.

When the temperatures hovered around zero, John would show up with tiny icicles in his eyebrows. Everyone on staff asked with concern and amazement about his ride to work, but you could tell he really didn’t see what all the fuss was about. The main streets are fine, he told us, and staying warm is just a matter of judicious layering.

There aren’t many people biking these days, but there are a few, as well as a few joggers. Last weekend I saw a man jogging with a double baby stroller, struggling to maneuver the stroller through a narrow gap in the snow bank at our corner. I’ve tried pushing a baby stroller in winter, and the sidewalks most definitely won: the stroller soon ended up in the junk heap.

I appreciate the fortitude of Minnesotans, even transplants like John. Getting up on a frigid morning in January and deciding to bike to work takes determination. There is little reward for “doing the right thing” – that is, walking or biking instead of starting the gas-reliant car.

Warmer seasons make a bike commute a pleasant part of your day. But in winter every subliminal message is telling you to take it easy and drive – the cold weather, the icy streets, the fact that all the other cyclists have vanished, and the realization that no one will chastise you for opting to drive. And yet, the rare few still stick to their principles and bike. I am humbled.