Year end snow

It snowed Thursday night. Lots of snow. Six to eight inches. It was a surprise as none of the forecasts predicted so much snow.

It is nice to have the white as it covered up the ugly brown and yellow. But I wish it would have waited a few days. I have a goal of riding so many miles on my bicycle for the year and I needed 29 miles to reach that goal. Snow - especially unplowed snow - will make that goal harder to reach.

I waited until Friday afternoon to ride my bicycle. I had hopes the roads would be cleared of snow. The highway and main arterial roads had some of the snow cleared, but the secondary roads and side streets still had all the snow on the roads.

The street that goes by my mother's house was unplowed. The traffic had compacted the snow and I couldn't make headway on the road. I had to ride the bicycle on the sidewalks in order to move. Fortunately everyone had cleared the snow from their sidewalk.

The highway was in as 'good of' condition as I had expected. The highway's shoulder had the snow plowed, but that was earlier before it quit snowing and I still had a number of inches of snow to ride through. Being virgin snow the bicycle tires were able to cut through, although at a greater effort on my part.

10 miles was all I rode and that was a workout. The temperature was colder with it being 14 F. I brought a camera along to take a few photos but that ended after a few photos as the fingers on one hand got cold after taking the glove off several times to operate the camera.

I needed both hands to grip the bicycle's handlebars to keep the bicycle on track while it cut through the snow so I seldom could shake my hand to get the blood flowing to my fingers. I could only sporadically slip my fingers from the glove's fingers and curl them against my palm for warmth as I needed a firm grip on the handlebars. That is why I only rode 10 miles.

19 miles left to ride.

Here are a few photos from my ride. Even with the snow clouds, it is a big sky out here.



This photo shows how under the snow one may not know where the road really is. This road was a one lane dirt track when I was going to elementary school back in the 1960s. Change occurs slowly in North Dakota as this dirt track was not made into a street and paved until the 1990s.

When I was growing up this dirt track was used to drive to school until a big snowfall came and buried it for the winter. Once dad was no longer able to "gun" his pickup through the snow, I was driven to school the longer way around.

I never remember dad ever getting stuck on this dirt trail, but I did have the excitement of potentially getting stuck before we reached pavement and a plowed street. The pickup's engine would roar and the tires spun as they dug through the snow. Each year the time we almost didn't make it signaled the end of using this shortcut.

This photo is of the highway north of town. I am standing on the highway's shoulder as I take the photo.

This highway goes to the air force base. Even though many of the air force personal are from places with no snow, don't you think it is a waste of money to have this sign telling people the road is slippery?

None of the other highways out of town have a similar sign.



Now today, Saturday, is another day. A couple of road graders came by late last night and plowed the snow off our street. By afternoon it was snowing again. I had 19 miles left to ride before the end of the year and off again I went.

The weather was nice by December North Dakota standards. It was 19 F but more importantly the wind was calm. Calm? Am I in North Dakota?!

Yesterday two streets where I had to ride on the sidewalk were clear of snow. Once I reached the street where yesterday they had been plowed, I found them in the same condition, partially snow covered. No matter, once I reach the highway the road's shoulders will be plowed.

Wrong again! The highway was in the same condition. I guess the State has decided to let the snowplow drivers have the holiday off work.

The highway was drivable as one could see the road surface where the right lane's wheel tracks were located. The left lane was snow covered and the road's shoulder had even more snow than yesterday.

On I rode.

It snowed heavily as I rode. The highway traffic was very light. What traffic there was drove far slower than the speed limit and mainly were in groups. Perhaps the drivers felt more comfortable driving near someone else in case of trouble. After all this is the countryside in North Dakota with little development around in case help was needed. Perhaps the drivers drove only as fast as the slowest driver as they were nervous about passing using the snow covered left lane. At the point of the "Slippery Road" sign I could only see one vehicle on the entire highway.

The quiet was the silence that comes during a heavy snowfall. It was primitive and a good feeling. Man and nature; where one must make an effort to accomplish something and where one needs to keep their wits about them and use common sense.

I rode further today. 13 miles. My average speed was 9.7 mph; a third less than my usual average of late. It took some effort to ride through the snow. Brakes were not needed as the bicycle would quickly slow and stop when I didn't pedal.

My mom had given me a headband for Christmas but I found yesterday that the colder temperatures and the breeze generated by my riding didn't keep my ears toasty warm. So today I wore my old ear muffs to protect my ears from freezing even if they are a fashion faux pax.

I also wore a pair of mittens so as to keep my fingers together and warmer.

Ear muffs and mittens... I am turning into such a girly-girl.

I also had to wear a pair of sunglasses as the bright snow was causing snow blindness on my post-cataract eyes. I didn't want to squint during my entire ride. Clint Eastwood can get away with squinting. A guy with ear muffs and mittens can't.

The ear muffs worked great. The mittens so-so. I needed my heavier winter-survival mittens as my fingers and thumbs were cold at times.

After I returned home I noticed part of my pants were wet from where the front wheel had thrown snow on my legs. Yup, I am a real fashion icon.

I had my brother take a few photos after I returned. I chose the one where I look the dorkiest as it makes me laugh and shake my head when I see it. Ah, well... I am warm and comfortable even if I look like a fashion disaster. You can see the snow falling as lit by the camera's flash.

I have six miles left to ride tomorrow to reach my goal. Hopefully it won't snow all night.

Here are a couple more photos taken today. Snow on the pine tree branches - a common sight in Montana; uncommon in North Dakota.




Finally, I included a photo taken a day or so ago of the Swan Range back home in Montana. Comparing this photo to the North Dakota photo, you can see why I live in Montana, don't you?