Since I’ve been doing a fair amount of winter biking, trying it out and really liking it so far, I thought I’d share with you what I’m doing at “my day job” as a massage therapist. Hey, a little cross-promotion never hurt anyone!
From now until the end of Winter (March 21), I’m offering a discount for anyone who bikes in winter to their appointment. You can treat yourself and your stiff muscles to a one hour massage for only $35. That’s $20 off my normal rate per hour. I really hope that this provides some incentive to some of my regular clients to hop on their bikes as well and brave the winter without burning gas in their cars on a few occasions.
For more information, how to book an appointment, and more about my approach to massage and bodywork, visit my website for A Peaceful Touch Massage and Bodywork. My office is located in the Uptown district of Minneapolis, south of Downtown on Hennepin Avenue South.
Like I’ve said in the past, even in warmer climates - St. Paul is very hilly! It’s all about the navigation! I’m so glad that I can place my bike on a bus, and then hop off to ride to my destination. Steep hills are no fun in winter! I am spoiled with the relative flat-ness of Minneapolis when it comes to bicycling.
I took a 21 bus to Cretin Avenue to bike down to Point Clinic, where I get acupuncture done. Hongji at Point Clinic is probably the best health practitioner I’ve ever met. She listens, and she gives you the feeling that she genuinely cares about your well-being. So after a session of acupuncture, cupping, and filling up on some Chinese herbs, I decided to bike mostly downhill on Cretin to Ford Parkway, then across the bridge and finally to the 46th Street Light Rail Station. It was a nice ride!
The anti-fog drops I bought for my sunglasses seem to do the trick, but at times they are uncomfortable to wear. I need an elastic strap to go around the balaclava, rather than pushing them through the corners of the opening for my eyes. I also bought a great $2 pair of courdoroy pants at a thrift store that seemed to keep my legs a little warmer. Then again, it was 26 degrees.
Friday and Saturday will be some good biking, as I’m going to a class for my grad program at Saint Mary’s University called “Psychological Transformation and the Spiritual Journey”. It sounded like a good class to take. We get to watch the movie, What the Bleep do we know, and talk about Jungian Psychology, Behavior Change, Spirituality, etc.
I thought it only appropriate with the topic of this class, that I find a way to bus and bike to the nether reaches of St. Paul (near maplewood and woodbury). Saturday, on the way back however, high temps will only reach 15 degrees. We’ll see what my threshhold is soon, I’m sure.
Stay tuned. I’ll give you an update with photos this weekend!
Well, I found some anti-fog lens cleaner for my sunglasses today at Midwest Mountaineering. The only problem - I left my sunglasses at the office by accident.
So, with that, I decided to take another trek down the Midtown Greenway once again. This time, I traveled the new section, from Minnehaha Avenue to West River Parkway.
I did take the time to put on the thermal/water resistant socks I bought over the summer, then placed another pair of socks over them. The result: Toes and feet were warm throughout my ride! I didn’t wear my hiker shoes however, and I was having a little bit of a slippage problem on my pedals. Next time, wear the hiking shoes for better grip!
I put on a pair of biking shorts underneath my pants, thinking they would help keep the wind out of my thighs, but eventually they still got cold. I’m going to have to research some options for my legs.
While pedaling in the snowy trails, I can now really see why some winter bicyclists like to ride one-speed bikes. It’s simple really. Most of the time, you only ride in one or two of your easy pedaling gears anyway. Why not just have one gear and be done with it?
I’m enjoying the quiet of winter biking. However, in the evening it does seem a bit lonely as a bicyclist on the trail. It takes a lot longer to get from place to place though. Just traveling a couple of miles can take a while when there’s snow all over your tires.
Day two of winter biking, and I think I’m addicted already!
Total Distance Today: 6 miles.
Today I decided to leave my wimpy notions behind, and brave winter atop my bike! I first went to The Hub Bike Co-op to purchase a balaclava. This “ski-mask” type of head covering made all the difference today, and I was able to bike quite a bit!
“So? How did it go?”
Quite well!!
I had to forget about sunglasses, as they would steam up from my breath rising to them, but in general, I had a great time!
I biked from The Hub down the Hiawatha Light Rail Trail, then across the Midtown Greenway to the Uptown Transit Center to surprise my partner, Michael, who is a MetroTransit driver! He was pleasantly surprised at my ambition!
A few things that I did in preparation and on the first winter bike trip:
- I cleaned and re-lubed my bike chain
- I tied a plastic bag over my seat so my own “seat” would not get wet.
- I did a lot of walking up and down steep hills. No use trying to be a super-climber, nor coast at 90 miles per hour down a hill, only to slide into a snowbank.
- I used lower gears to pedal more easily.
- I made sure my tires were a little bit less inflated for better traction.
- I took my time.
Some things I will need now will include:
- Long underwear! My thighs got REALLY cold!
- Sunglasses or Eyeware that is fog resistant
- Maybe a little bit of de-icer for my lock, should it freeze on me.
But it was cool! Really cool! I think that you garner a little more respect, as everyone I met on a bike coming the other way on the Greenway nodded their head to me or said hello.
So, for my first (of hopefully many) day of winter biking, I think I did ok!
Total Distance Today: 7 miles.
