Wildflowers

I biked to Pullman only twice this week. Now that I'm off contract, I try to stay out of the office as much as possible. For the most part, the weather has not been ideal for biking because of the wind, cold and rain. At times it feels more like the beginning of autumn. June is like this on the Palouse, so I've learned to accept the fact rather than complain about it.

One of the few reminders that it's spring is the abundance of wildflowers (and the absence of snow). I took this picture on Monday, which was the only sunny and warm day before temperatures dropped down into the 40s, and it became windy and rainy again.

Spring Commencement

Last Saturday was spring commencement at WSU. I biked to the commencement ceremony (but not in my regalia!). The wind out of the west was really strong. I stopped momentarily on my ride to capture video of the wind whipping through the grass and brush along the trail. I was listening to Moby's Play album. This song, "Everloving", fit the reflective mood that I was in that Saturday. A large group of undergraduates with whom I had worked over the past year were receiving their diplomas. They were either returning from their student teaching or embarking on that experience. There were also many graduating Master's and PhD students whose committees I had served. I am really proud of all of their accomplishments

Wind, Rain and Hair

I biked on Monday and Tuesday of this week into ferocious westerly winds. The rain was intermittent, so I wasn't particularly wet or cold. But the wind was constant, and I really took a beating. I leaned into the wind with my aerobars and geared way down.

On Tuesday as I was getting ready for my bike ride, my daughter's friend knocked at the front door to offer Maya a ride with her mom to school. Outside it was windy and rainy. The kids' school is just one block away, and the roads running past the school on either side are choked with cars and buses. I couldn't imagine that getting a ride would save any time at all. Later I commented on the irony of her getting a one-block lift to school while her dad prepares for a 20-mile round-trip commute in the same howling wind. She agreed that it was rather silly but commented on how strong the wind was and what it would have done to her hair (She said this with a smile. As a swimmer, she is not averse to messy, damp hair). I replied that I knew very well how strong the wind was (I was biking into it), and that I could appreciate what it did to hair.

Thus, on my way into work, as I made slow progress against the strong winds along the Chipman Trail, I had more time than usual to reflect. Mostly, I was reflecting on how sucky it was to bike into strong wind. At that moment, I didn't care whether to call it a "westerly wind" or "ponent" or something more profane. It was just hard work and no fun at all. Nine months after starting this blog, I've written about, photographed and even video recorded my experiences. The goal has been to raise awareness of the joys of commuting by bike. I didn't feel much joy biking into the wind this week, and even my own daughter drove one block to school to avoid that same wind.

However, I still believe the experience is worth it for all the reasons I've detailed in my blog, and I hope that those who have checked out my blog will agree. On Saturday, I will bike to Pullman to participate in spring commencement. I drove in yesterday with my regalia and a change of clothes. I have many undergraduate and graduate students participating in the ceremony, so I look forward to witnessing the event. It may be rainy and windy that morning, but I'm prepared.

Llevant

Years ago, before Lysa and I were married, we spent a year together in Barcelona. Just before leaving, we bought a ceramic tile mosaic (four tiles) depicting the sun in the center of a compass rose with the names of the most common winds in Catalunya. We've kept these tiles for 20 years; currently, they adorn one of our kitchen walls. I took a picture for today's post.

I have a more intimate relationship with wind as a bike commuter on the Palouse than I have ever had before, and I find myself pondering this innocuous mosaic above our kitchen cabinets. The rolling hills of the Palouse were formed (and continue to be sculpted) from silt blown in from the prevailing winds out of the west. These same picturesque hills are a challenge for bikers, especially in Pullman, which is hillier than Moscow. Fortunately, I have few of the steeper hills to climb in Pullman - my biggest challenge being up Stadium Way to my office in Cleveland Hall on the WSU Campus.

On my Catalan compass rose, these west winds are known as the Ponent from "setting sun". I bike into them on many or most mornings. Ironically, the Ponent seem stronger to me in the morning and then tend to taper off a bit in the afternoon when I bike east to Moscow. In fact, if I am really unlucky, the winds shift out of the east in the afternoon, and I have a headwind on the way home.

The easterly winds on my Catalan compass rose are called Llevant from "rising sun". In Catalunya, these are moist, gentle winds that blow in from the Mediterranean Sea. Lysa and I spent many hot and humid afternoons on the beach when we lived in Catalunya, and I can still feel the welcome cool breeze off the sea if I close my eyes and let my mind wander...

Last week, we had strong easterly winds. The Llevant practically blew me into Pullman, and I sailed to my office in less than 30 minutes. I was a flash of blue, black and green - an aluminum, rubber and spandex marvel roaring down the Chipman Trail. But instead of ushering in a refreshing Mediterranean-like spring rain, the Llevant dumped several inches of snow onto the Palouse. The snow melted quickly, and I was able to bike again into Pullman for my Friday morning class. Today, Easter Sunday, is warm and overcast. Perhaps spring is here to stay.

The Flood

After a week of rain, snow, more snow, melting snow, more snow/rain, and snow melt from the mountains, the soil of the Palouse is saturated. Paradise Creek was running higher today than I have seen it before, and the trail was flooded in places.

I didn't see the first patch of flooded trail until I was right on top of it. When I biked to Pullman this morning, it was still snowing/raining, and I had my head down against a strong wind out of the west. The first flooded section was only a couple of inches deep. However, the section of trail just before the tunnel under Sunshine Road was much deeper. I took a picture of that section this morning, and I also recorded myself biking through it later in the day - at about 6:30pm. The first part of the video is of the water rushing under the bridge by Airport Road in Pullman

I leave an extra pair of socks in my office in case I get really wet on my ride in to Pullman. I had my soggy clothes hanging on my bike so that they would dry faster. Fortunately, I didn't have office hours or visitors - They would have wondered at the sight of my drying socks, jacket, and biking tights. Everything was dry by this afternoon when I suited up and headed for home. The ride back was dry and clear except for the one patch of still flooded trail.

Last days of winter?

Today is the last day of winter - at least on the calendar. But as I write this post, it is snowing like crazy outside and the temperatures are still in the low 30s. Last week was spring break at WSU. The kids in Moscow also had their spring break, and so did Lysa at the University of Idaho. I had hopes of biking together as a family, enjoying the sunshine, and relishing the approach of spring. All my hopes were dashed with the onset of a new round of foul, winter weather.

Nevertheless, I am feeling a sense of accomplishment. I managed to bike through the winter despite the cold and snow. At times it occurs to me that perhaps I was lucky in that the snowfall was not as heavy as other years. Then I remind myself that both WSU and UI closed their campuses for a day back in January because of the snow. This season we had temperatures in the low teens, we had ice, hail, freezing rain and ferocious wind. I biked through it all (ok, I confess I didn't bike in hail).

Biking to work today epitomized my winter biking experiences. I biked through slush on the way to Pullman, and then on the way home, the snow started falling harder, the temperatures dropped, and I encountered some icy spots on the trail. Hooray for studded tires - I am certain that they saved me from a painful fall.

Generally speaking, people's driving habits deteriorate with the worsening weather. Motorists tend to be a bit more aggressive and less patient with me. I had folks cut me off, not wait at crosswalks, and drive too close - perhaps hoping to give me a face full of spray. I don't blame anybody; afterall, I don't like driving in cruddy weather either. But I particularly don't like to bike in it!

The high point of the ride today - the last ride of winter - was the sight of winter wheat. The green blades of the new spouts are like fuzz on the fields. Today they poked above the white snow. I took a picture of the field across the highway. The greening fields reminds me that spring really is just right around the corner even if it doesn't feel like it.

...and it most definitely does NOT feel like sping this morning - our first day of spring on the calendar. Lysa took a picture of the accumulated snow in front of our house. We must be at about 6 inches already, and it is still coming down.

Winter Part 2

Apart from the snow we got in mid January, which closed the universities and schools all across the state, the winter has been relatively mild. The January snow eventually melted, and within two weeks I was back to biking. Thus, for most of February I have biked at least two times per week. The roads and trail have been clear enough to allow me to keep the studded tires off for the vast majority of my rides. I am glad to have them, though, for those one or two mornings this month when I worried about early morning ice on the trails. For the most part, however, the temperatures have been above freezing, and I've even shed a layer for the commutes back to Moscow in the late afternoon when it gets up into the 40s. I have had no adventurous mishaps or particularly daring rides to report.

All that changed yesterday morning. We had snow over the weekend and the temperatures dropped into the low teens. We only had an inch or two of new snow that stuck, and it was powdery - an easy snow to bike through. Underneath the powder was treacherous icy pavement, so I was grateful for the studded tires.

I left the house just before 9am. I got a later start than usual to avoid the rush hour. It was about 20 degrees when I left the house. I haven't done much cold weather biking since moving to the Palouse, so I'm not really acclimated to the biting cold on my fingers in particular. I'm sure that the holes in the fingertips of my glove liners contributed to the rapid onset of pain and then numbness. The numb in my fingers was the most alarming. I clenched and relaxed my hands, banged them together, and eventually removed my outer glove to blow warmth onto my completely numb fingers. Not until I started really working hard on the trail did my fingers begin to sting, and I felt life returning to them.

The ride home in the evening was equally cold (about 20 degrees), but the powdery snow had all burned off in the afternoon sun. After a full day of work, my heart rate was up, and I was warm - no numbness to report.

I'm ready for spring, but typically (at least since we've lived here) we get a second round of wintry weather or Winter Part 2. Snow is in the forecast for tonight, and it may snow again this weekend. If so, then I'll hit the mountain trails for some cross-country skiing. If I'm lucky, we'll have snow in the higher altitudes, but it'll stay dry and/or warm down on the Palouse.

Slush

There are times when I question the value of spending so much on gear for my bike commute. Yesterday was not one of those times. When I woke up, a steady snow was falling - about an inch would accumulate. By the time I left for Pullman, the snow had stopped, and it had warmed slightly. The snow on the roads had gone to slush.

Studded tires are most effective on ice whereas slush simply gums up in the treads. Nevertheless, I was glad to have studs in case I came across any slick spots. The irony is that there is no way of knowing if the studs saved me from a fall. Only when I don't have the studs - and fall - does it confirm their value.

A strong westerly wind complicated my slushy commute into work. I crouched low on my aerobars, which helped me cut through the wind. When biking on wet roads or trails, there is some spray that comes up from both the front and bike tires. The rear tire spray creates an attractive black line up the biker's back side. The front tire spray can shoot a dirty stream of water into the biker's face. Mmm, lovely! However, fenders and racks work wonders to reduce tire spray. The back rack for the paniers prevents spray up my back, and the front fender (a small half fender that clips to the front fork) reduces the spray in my face. I was glad for both yesterday as I made my way through the slush on the trail.

The front fender doesn't really help with spray on shins and feet. For this I have tights and booties to keep me dry. Yesterday, the spray around the crank, chain ring, and rear cassette was particularly awful. The slush splashed onto these components and then clung to them, accumulating as I rode, just like snow and slush accumulate on a car mudflap and undercarriage. I stopped to photograph the sculptured slush building up along the underside of the bike. Notice how it encased the brake and gear cables. I wondered if I might have a problem should the break cable freeze to its casing. I tested the breaks periodically just to be sure they would work when I needed them.

Despite the difficult weather, I still arrived in Pullman in under an hour (door-to-door). I wiped the bike down with a rag so that it wouldn't drip all over my office. I changed into my work clothes, and within 15 minutes after arriving to my office, I was ready to conduct an interview. That wasn't too bad in my estimation.

December snow

The week before Christmas, there was a light dusting of snow. It was also cold, so I put on the studded tires. They worked beautifully. I rode across several slick spots where the studs gripped the icy pavement and kept me upright. I was also pleasantly surprised at how fast I could go. I actually look forward to more snowy, icy days in the New Year.

Extremities

Extremities - It's not a word I often write, but it's one that I've been thinking a lot about lately on my commute to Pullman. I feel the cold most acutely on my toes, fingers, nose and cheeks. The early part of my ride is the coldest. I haven't warmed up yet, so I feel a chill all over my body. However, once I hit the trail, I can crouch low on my handlebars (aerobars). In this way, the wind no longer hits my face directly and my hands are free to move. I feel that welcome tingle in these extremities as warmth returns.

Keeping my toes warm has proven most elusive. I wear a thin pair of wool socks, a thick pair of wool socks over the thin pair, bike shoes (cleats) and finally neoprene booties over the shoes. The booties repel water and block the wind. My bike shoes are ideal for summer biking because they are ventilated, allowing air to pass freely over my feet. The booties block cold, winter air. Despite these many layers, however, my toes still get painfully cold. As I ride, I wiggle my toes in vain. When I arrive in my office, I pull off the booties and shoes and rub life back into my numb extremities. Perhaps a pair of insulated, winter bike shoes will make Santa's wish list for next Christmas.

Hoarfrost

This past week has been cold but clear. Temperatures in the morning have been in the low 20s, then it gets warmer during the day - up to the mid 30s. We had some fog over the weekend which produced the most beautful hoarfrost along the trail. This morning's ride was brisk but very picturesque. I've included a couple of pictures of the hoarfrost I saw this morning.

Last week on my way home to Moscow, I got a flat tire. Fortunately, I was just coming into Moscow when the tire went flat. I used my little hand-held pump that I carry with me to inflate the tire just enough to get me to a bus stop. I put the bike on the front of the bus, which dropped me off 2 blocks from home.

There is some really sharp gravel on the trail that is capable of piercing tires. I ride with block treads, which give me a smoother ride than I would have with heavier treads. I thought that my treads would do better against the gravel. It's entirely possible that I ran over something sharper and stronger than gravel. I just don't know. In any event, I wondered what I would do if I got a flat tire in the middle of the trail, at night and in the cold.

Black Ice

I was discussing the merits of studded tires with a couple of friends last week. I argued that I wasn't going to get studded tires for my road bike. My reasoning was that if it was snowy and icy, I shouldn't be out on my bike - It is just too dangerous. They countered that studded tires were literally a life saver, particularly on black ice, which could appear unpredictably even on milder winter days.

This past Sunday evening it rained. Then, the temperature dropped and the rain stopped. Monday morning was clear, but it was cold. The conditions were perfect for black ice. The roads through town had been graveled, so my tires had something to grip as I made my way cautiously to the Chipman Trail. I hoped in vain that by the time I got to the trail, the temperature would have risen enough to melt the ice. The instant I turned onto the trail, however, my tires hit the icy pavement, and I was down in a matter of seconds. I banged my hip - it's still sore two days later. My bike went spinning on its side as if it were on an ice rink. Several other bike commuters were caught unawares by the black ice as I had been. One fellow was riding a recumbent. The lower center of gravity helped him navigate the slippery trail. The rest of us weren't so lucky. I saw people walking their bikes along the side of the trail or simply leaving the trail altogether and finding other ways to get to work.

I thought about calling Lysa to rescue me and drive me to Pullman. I decided instead to brave the trip. I figured that if I didn't make any sudden stops or turns, I would be ok. What really saved me was that the temperature eventually rose and melted the ice. The pictures in today's post show the trail at the end of my trip. Some of the ice on the trail can still be seen although much of it had melted by the time I took these photos

How I wished I had studded tires!

So today I took the plunge and bought a pair. I also bought a second pair of wheels so that I could leave the studded tires on the wheels and just switch them - wheel and tire - when needed. The whole set up - studded tires, wheels and cassette for the back - cost a pretty penny. However, the cost is minimal when I consider the harrowing alternatives. For instance, there was a terrible accident in Pullman last week when a biker slipped in the snow and slid under a bus. Slipping on ice on a bike is totally unforgiving. The two wheels slide out from underneath, and the rider is down in a heartbeat. I was fortunate that I went down on the trail away from cars, buses and other vehicles.

Wind Advisory

Last Monday when I biked to Pullman at 6am, the National Weather Service posted the following: Breezy, with a west wind around 29 mph, with gusts as high as 44 mph. Yikes! I was biking during a wind advisory - straight into that killer west wind. It was still dark when I started out from Moscow. I knew I was in trouble the moment I clipped into my pedals. The wind whistled through the spokes on my wheels, and I felt myself buffeted by the gusts. The winds were so strong that at times I was nearly knocked off the bike. The trip took me about an hour and left me completely spent. Fate was not on my side later that evening when I rode home. The winds had died down, and the beautiful tailwind I had looked forward to all day eluded me.

Tuesday's weather provided a biting, cold ride - Then came the snow. It started Wednesday and continued off and on through Saturday. I took a picture of the trailhead in Moscow and have included it in today's post. One brave soul's tracks could be seen on the trail. I chose instead to drive.

Some of my biking colleagues and I are experimenting with rideshare. It is a bit tricky coordinating our non-regular schedules, so we are trying to be flexible. I rode with a colleague on Wednesday, and I have promised to repay in kind after the Thanksgiving break. I have mentioned in earlier posts that we share a car in our family of four. Thankfully, Moscow has a couple of bus routes. We use the East Route to get to the University of Idaho. The bus trip back from the university passes through downtown, up Third St, and over on Hayes. We hop on the bus at various points along its route.

The rain and cold are here

It's been dark and cold when I bike to Pullman early (6:30am), and it's increasingly darker and colder when I come home in the afternoon. I can be certain that it will only get darker and colder as winter approaches.

I added a new bike light to my arsenal against the Palouse darkness. My old light has a broken high beam; the low beam does little to penetrate the blackness. I mount this to the handlebars as a back up in case my fancy, new helmet light gives out on me. This light is about 180 lumens and lights the trail nicely. Because it's mounted to my helmet, I can easily view up the trail or to the sides, catching any suicidal bunnies, quail, ducks or other critters laying in the grass ready to spring out at me. This week's video shows me biking at night with my new light. When I put my hand in front of the light, I get a monster-hand effect. Notice the night-rider: someone biking in total darkness without a light. You'll have to look carefully to see him. I didn't see him until he was right in front of me.

I also bought a product to re-proof my wet weather gear against the rain. I made the mistake of washing Polartec with regular detergent. The material no longer repels water like it did when the clothes were new. We'll see if I've managed to rejuvinate the water proofing. I almost look forward to the next ride in the rain. I won't need to wait long...

Celebrating super human efforts on the Chipman Trail

Joggers, walkers and bikers all share the Chipman Trail. Here's a video to celebrate everybody's efforts to stay in shape!

Breezy Day

There was a strong wind out of the west this morning when I started my commute to Pullman. It lasted the whole 45-minute trip to the office. I simply geared down and made the best of it. In today's video, I tried to capture some of that wind rustling through the tall grass along the trail.

Some folks have told me that they look forward to more video of me biking in nasty weather. I was thinking about that today as the wind howled in my ears. I don't mind rain, dark, heat, cold or even a little snow. However, a strong head wind is truly aweful particularly with rain and cold added to the mix.

On bike racks and backup plans

A useful piece of equipment for bike commuting is a good bike rack for the car. It's essential for getting bikes around town as a back up in case of emergency (bad weather, flat tire, mechanical problems). A bike rack is also useful as part of a usual day's commute. To illustrate, on Thursday I biked to Pullman. I had an evening with friends planned that involved a trip to Steptoe Butte. I hitched a ride with a friend to the Butte, and then rather than go back to Pullman afterwards (it was quite late by then), I got a ride home to Moscow, leaving my bike in the office. The next day, I drove to Pullman with the bike rack, stopping off on the way to pick up Luke's bike, which he had left at the building in town (the 1912 Center) where he does Karate. When I was done in the office, I walked my bike to the car, hoisted it onto the rack with Luke's bike, and drove home to Moscow.

Our bike rack fits four bikes. This past summer, we took a road trip out to Wisconsin to visit family. We hauled all four bikes on the rack and camping gear in the overhead carrier. I've included a picture of the car after it was all loaded up. I had to remove the seats and pedals, and I also loosened the handle-bar stems on the mountain bikes and rotated the handle bars 90^o. In this way, the handle bars lined up with the bike frames so that they fit firmly on the rack. I then stashed the pedals and seats with the camping gear in the overhead. We travelled over 4,000 miles round trip without any problem.

Some errands around town

I deviated from my normal route home today in order to run a few errands. I often stop at the Moscow Food Co-op. Today I made a trip first to the bank and then the computer store. I got turned around once, and I had to cross Hwy 8 a few times as it runs through Moscow. Otherwise, it was an easy trip.

As you can see in the video clip, I am either in a bike lane or on the trail pretty much the whole time. Running simple errands like this on a bike is so much more pleasant than in a car.

Cleaning up after the Route of the Hiawatha

We took a family trip with friends over Labor Day Weekend to the Route of the Hiawatha bike trail along the Idaho-Montana border. The trail has 10 tunnels, 7 trestles and breath-taking scenery. I've made a short video of our adventures along the trail.

The trail is pretty rocky and definitely not for slick tires on road bikes! I put knobby tires on my bike to handle the rough ride. The trail is also very dusty. Our bikes and our clothes were completely covered in dust by the end of the day. The dust on clothes was easy to get off, but the dusty bikes were another matter altogether.

I rode along admiring the beautiful views and accumulating ever greater quantities of dust on my bike. Then, it occurred to me that this same bike would be in my office at work in just a couple of days. Like many faculty, my office is not big. I have a great view of the Palouse but precious little space to advise students. Add a bike into the space, and it feels tighter still. I keep a towel in my panier to wipe down the bike after it rains; otherwise, I have a drippy bike and pools of oily water for students and colleagues to splash in. By the same token, a dusty, dirty bike is like having a horribly dusty piece of furniture in the office. Nobody wants to look at it or touch it for fear of getting filthy themselves. This wouldn't do at all! I spent Sunday morning "dusting" my bike so that I could have a much cleaner office the following week.

Takin' care of business

It's been a pretty quiet week on the trail. I haven't had any close calls with kids, cars or wildlife. The kids in Moscow started school today, so the roads were a bit more crowded. However, there were lots of folks walking and biking to school too. It was a cool morning, and it felt a little like autumn.

On Monday, I met a colleague on the trail. We had agreed to meet beforehand so that we could talk about some joint projects. She's an avid bike commuter as well. The trail seemed like the ideal place in which to get some work done.

The commuter bus community was also like this. I met many colleagues and friends on the bus, and we talked business, family, community and everything in between. Students, faculty and staff all interacted with each other on the bus. There was a lot of social and professional networking. It was a great community that really enriched our lives and the life of our greater Moscow-Pullman area.