The Grinding Ice Wind

Yeah........negative eight. Massive wind chill. No ridey bikey...

The sun came up today like an orange smudge in the Eastern sky. Accompanied by Sun Dogs. You know, when you see those apparitions flanking the morning sun, you know it's not fit for man or beast out there. Well.......unless you are this guy! I don't have near a tenth the knowledge or craziness he does. I mean that as a compliment and yes: Craziness and knowledge are both very important qualities to have if you are going to survive out there in that brutal world.

Craziness. You have to have it to be able to think outside the "normal", approved ways. Some might say its creativeness, but really...... If you are going to figure out how to survive to ride a bike in that atmosphere, that is crazy defined! Still, to be successful at that gig, you need one more thing.

Knowledge: All the craziness leads to things learned. If you can remember those things, recall them at the correct time, and implement them with surgical precision, you will survive. Knowledge is power, as they say.

Me? I haven't the "crazy" itch for that sort of thing to begin with. Some folks think I'm crazy for riding for 12 hours on gravel roads. Okay, so that's my "itch", I guess. Not everybody has that in them.

One thing I know, I won't be plying any frozen crushed rock roads this weekend. I'll just be watching that orangey smudge disappear into a black curtain of frigid arctic air tonight.