For those who’re a bike owner, the very first thing you examine once you get up* is the climate. This morning I did simply that and noticed it was eight levels and partly cloudy:
*[The first thing you check that’s not a part of your body, anyway.]
For those who reside in a kind of commonist international locations that makes use of the metrical system this is able to point out superb biking situations certainly, however right here in West Greenland we measure temperature in American Freedom Levels™ the best way God supposed, which implies it’s what meteorologists name “chilly as fuck”–although this explicit rider would little doubt beg to vary:
[“I don’t ride when it’s above five degrees because I don’t want to risk heatstroke.”]
Moreover, we bought snow earlier this week, and whereas it’s no New Orleans there’s nonetheless a good quantity of it left:
By the way, when this newest little bit of snow arrived after all we went sledding, and I formally deployed The Rivendell Of Snowboards:
Or is it the Fixie of Snowboards? I do know nothing about snowboarding or another alpine sport so I don’t know which facile analogy is extra apt on this case.
Both method, I acquired this factor “for the children” however after all I hogged it the entire time, and I fell off of it repeatedly till I kind-of-sort-of bought the hold of it. And lest you assume there’s no place to correctly make the most of a snowboard round these components, I’ll have that the Bronx is the Switzerland of New York Metropolis, and in just like the Nineteen Sixties Van Cortlandt Park even had an precise ski space with synthetic snow and a tow rope and every little thing:
[Image via here.]
I don’t know precisely the place within the park the ski space was, however I think it will need to have been within the spot the place we now go sledding–and if you wish to know the place that’s properly I’m sorry, I’m afraid I can’t let you know.
Anyway, regardless of the chilly I did head out for a brief path trip on the All Bets Are Off Bike:
I briefly thought of bringing the Rivendell of Snowboards with me and sneaking in a number of runs whereas I used to be at it, however I used to be nonetheless sore from all these falls earlier within the week, and I figured I in all probability shouldn’t tempt destiny. The trip turned out to be slightly nice, because the hikers had tamped down all of the snow, the timber stored me protected from the wind, and the Jones was sure-footed as at all times. Presently of the 12 months an hour within the woods is all you want, and I really feel lucky to reside right here within the Alps of New York Metropolis the place such a factor is feasible with out venturing various minutes from dwelling.
In the meantime, within the Netherlands, researchers are working arduous to make biking safer:
Positive, “Dutch researcher” might sound like an oxymoron–like “three-speed singlespeed” or “Bronx snowboarding”–however whereas the Dutch might not have invented something since their eponymous oven**, they’re fairly useful with bikes:
Wow, that’s the most naive and idealistic description of driver habits I’ve ever heard:
Solely somebody from the Netherlands may presumably assume that drivers are predictable:
Or that every one the know-how on the earth may presumably assist them “plan a route round” cyclists:
Yeah, proper:
Nonetheless, it’s higher than what we’ve give you:
Sure, there’s no downside that may’t be solved with extra helmets:
“Small dent,” actually? Is that the metaphor you’re going with?
Happily although there’s additionally an training element, although it largely consists of…telling folks to put on helmets:
If security had been helmets, Individuals would trip.
**Based on the Web, the Dutch have invented the next, although I’m calling BS on capitalism and the carrot:
