Cycling Through A Polar-Vortex “Bombogenesis”
Maybe not my best idea
Since the US is currently in the grip of a record-breaking polar vortex, it’s time for a cautionary tale about winter cycling!
The tl;dr is: Wow, did I mess up yesterday. I nearly froze my butt off — by cycling off into the middle of sudden icy event, while wearing hilariously inadequate gear.
So consider this is a tale of how not to do winter cycling.
Normally, I’m an all-year cyclist in New York City. I cycle in the blazing, flop-sweat mugginess of July, and in the subzero chill of January. Why? Well, I need the exercise; I sit on my journalist ass all day long while piloting a laptop, and am solidly in mid-50s heart-attack territory. Anything that gets my heart pumping = good. And as I’ve blogged before, cycling is the most convenient and predictable way to navigate NYC: No subway delays, no steep taxi/Uber fees, no soul-emptying hunt for parking. So I cycle all year long, no matter how cold it is.
I’m not suicidal, mind you. I don’t cycle if there’s slush all over the roads. Typically, though, NYC gets only a few days like that each year. Mere cold doesn’t bother me: If the roads are dry, I’ll cycle well below freezing.
But to cycle in the blistering cold, you need the right gear. Last year I…
