Some might think it's totally ridiculous to head out into the wild when inclement, unpredictable weather is 100% guaranteed to smash the motivation out of you. Others find it a character building experience to stretch your limits. A friend recently told me that he often acclimates to frigid weather by sleeping naked in his sleeping bag and only adding one article of clothing at a time until he can finally stand the temperature. He's the kind of guy who can go on a 22 day expedition with limited equipment. Us cyclists tend to be of a more fickle, needy nature. We seek out warmth wherever it appears and often wear EVERYTHING we bring with us on a cold ride. This often means that on multiple day rides, everything is soaked through with moisture and will be uncomfortably worn for the rest of the trip. Head over to Yonder Journal to read about Brovet #2: The Cumberland Passage Permanent. What was intended to be a chill leaf peepin' ride ended up intersecting with an early season snow storm. What ensues is of course was a test of even the toughest cyclist.
Three months after this ride attempt, Jon Woodruff (@twotoneatl) and I attempted to ride from downtown Denver to Winter Park, CO. In a foot of snow. Seriously, there was snow in the forecast and it accumulated for the entirety of our ride. It couldn't have been more than 10 degrees outside. We ended up abandoning our ride halfway through, as the sun was setting and we had just been pulled over by a state trooper after riding on I-70. If you're going to do what the Brovet crew and what we attempted, leave ridiculously in advance of your otherwise scheduled time.
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