Born and raised on the ice patch

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Frozen over tire tracks from a 'butt cold' night.
Frozen over tire tracks from a 'butt cold' night.

Some things I had forgotten about that I’m surprisingly happy to experience again: The incredible brightness of a city covered in snow at night. Frozen slush chunks dropped from cars in the road – you get to aim for them. My rear derailleur sticking, and leaving me with a 3 speed. Skid slides for a block or more; left, right, left. I’m a kid again in my last days here. Being a New England boy, walking up and down icy hills comes natural. Yesterday I ran down town and found most of the sidewalks still packed down and icy. I have yet to see a plow truck or a salt/gravel truck. The neighborhoods have long car tire tracks of solid ice. It’s magnificent. I had to do one more ride down rainier and come back up through the patchy white path through a park. My last ride in Seattle. I think I’ve drank in this place heartily, and, alas, hope to return.

The next photo I post will most likely have a cactus in it.

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About littlejar

5 - Learned to ride in paved alley behind liquor store in Lowell. 16 - Road bike riding alone while peers do soccer practice. 18 - First new road bike bought with winnings from Project Graduation. 20 - Burlington VT. Nuff said. 22 - Joined the Air Force. 23 - Joined team Fair Wheel in Tucson - rode the Shootout. 24 - Rode El Tour in under five. 26 - Toured to Quebec City 28 - Toured Oklahoma to Vermont 30 - Found my dream bike - a 1989 58cm LaBan (#22) 32 - Experienced Minneapolis and saw BIKE CULTURE. 34 - Building my first bicycle frame, with a self made jig. USA

5 Replies to “Born and raised on the ice patch”

  1. Yeah, that first snow is always cute, but trying to train through sloppy slushy winter weather when there’s snow and snow melt on the road blows.

    Sorry go to all creepy negative on the little moment you were having, dude.

    Happy Thanksgiving!
    Burt

  2. I have not ridden in the snow for a few years now. I think this is my third winter in the desert. There is something lacking in a place without seasons. It is either green or brown, warm or hot, tolerable or intolerable.

    I need more than this.

  3. I must confess that I did not turn a wheel during Seattle’s SNOWPOCALYPSE!! (two exclamation points, imagine booming reverb), but the lifts started turning at my home ski hill today, so I can’t wait to get up there after the holiday ramps down. Safe travels, Mr. Littlejar. Rubber side down, y’all.