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Category: Winter Sports

Articles relating to winter biking, snow biking, running, snowshoeing, XC skiing, etc…

Robert’s Winter Ride Challenge Series Wraps Up

Neighbor: You’re not going biking tonight, are you?
Me: Oh yeah. Can’t miss it. They take attendance.

That was a conversation I had with my neighbor as we were once again shoveling our driveways after the most recent snowstorm.

Winter biking is great fun. Pulling on layers of clothes, prepping your crusty bike, and being cold for that first mile is not fun.

What makes Robert (Herriman’s) Winter Ride Challenge Series (WRCS) so valuable is it motivates you to get out and get going even on the most wicked days. The motivation is he takes attendance. You get more points the colder it is. You also get bonus points for being on a singlespeed. If you can’t ride and just show up to see the group off, you still get social points.

This year there were three rides per week: two from Royal Oak and one from Rochester Hills. It started January 2nd and ended March 10th. The biggest rides had 22 cyclists, the smallest had 3.

As the WRCS progressed through the winter, Roberts tracked everyones points, ranked us, and posted the results on the WRCS blog. Group shots were also posted.

Awards will be given at an upcoming end of the series party.

We had some rough rides this year: icy roads, freezing rain, deep snow, sub-zero wind chills. Mother Nature certainly put the “Challenge” into the series.

So thanks to Mother Nature and Robert for pushing us through another Michigan winter of riding. Indoor trainers and gym memberships? Who needs ’em!

March 12, 2008
Mike Curiak: On his Own to Nome

Mike Curiak is the top dog in endurance racing. He doesn’t do the 24 hour loop-in-a-circle-until-you’re-a-veg. He does the endurance races that most think are simply impossible. Right now he’s riding the entire Iditarod trail at the same time as the Iditarod Trail Invitational race. Mike’s ridden the full 1100 miles to Nome before. He’s already won that race. This time he’s doing it fully unsupported.

Compared with most races and rides, the Iditarod is about as unsupported as you get. You can stop in cabins along the way and purchase a meal. Further along the trail you can stop in small villages and buy food. Mike’s won’t be doing that. He’s on his own and carrying everything he needs.

Just surviving on what you have is amazing. I just can’t imagine the willpower to ride past some of those cabins where they’ll gladly serve some hot tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Spending a day slogging through snow, eating just Clif bars and trail mix certainly makes you appreciate a basic hot meal.

The above photo is from Eric Parsons. Eric’s company, Epic Designs made Mike’s storage and handlebar mitts. His stuff looks absolutely bombproof and very well-designed. And I know Mike sets the bar pretty high for his gear. If the stuff didn’t work, it wouldn’t be on his bike.

February 25, 2008
Back on the Skinny Skis

I used to cross country ski a fair amount. I’ve done a couple races, including the VASA. But since I started biking more in the winter, I’ve hardly skied at all.

The dry spell was broken this year when Karen and I skied the Lake Ann Pathway near Interlochen. That was a great time.

I hit the trails again with Dan Harrison. Dan was good enough to let me borrow his waxless skis so I wouldn’t have to deal with waxing mine. We did a quick loop at Harwick Pines near Grayling, but not the main groomed trail. Instead we did the less used, more rustic AuSable River trail.

I need to put a plug in for my Patagonia Cold Track jacket, Windshield tights, lightweight balanclava, and All Season clothes. My hands were chilly at the start, but I was the perfect temperature after that and everything seemed to breathe just enough.

Again, it was another great time.

February 13, 2008
Screw Shoes for Running on Ice

The conditions for running in Southeast Michigan are about the worst it can get: dry, powdery snow on top of a layer of ice. If you’re lucky, someone’s shoveled the sidewalk and you can see the ice directly.

However, this is a great time to own some screw shoes.

I got the basic instructions on-line and bought 10 half-inch sheet metal screws from Frentz’s Hardware. I pre-drilled all the holes. Six screws in front and four in the back.

How did they work? Very good. They seem to work best when running directly on the ice. I did have slippage where compressed powdery snow was covering the ice. But, the slippage was pretty consistent so there aren’t many surprises. Nonetheless I did fall once, but no one saw me so that doesn’t really count, right?

I have run with these before in mixed conditions. They are not fun to use on dry pavement. In those cases I would probably take my chances with my regular shoes.

Oh yeah, these things are noisy when they’re hooking up. If people look at you funny, tell them you have bad knees.

Also, if I were doing this again, I would probably add a few more screws up front. I don’t see much of a penalty in doing so.

February 13, 2008
Too Cold to Exercise? Try Another Excuse

We don’t need no doctor, at least a doctor telling us what most winter cyclists already know. It can be done. But for the doubters out there, here’s a recent article from the New York Times:

Extreme cold can be safe for exercisers — that runs contrary to conventional wisdom. But in fact, said John W. Castellani, an exercise physiologist at the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, it turns out that even though cold can be frightening, more people are injured exercising in the heat than exercising in the cold.

Dr. Castellani was lead author of a 2006 position paper from the American College of Sports Medicine on exercising in the cold.

The big question was, “Is it ever too cold?” Dr. Castellani said. “The answer is no. People go to the poles, people are out there when it’s minus-50 degrees, people do incredible things, and safely. There really isn’t a point where you can tell people it is not safe anymore.”

Complete article

January 30, 2008