Tuesday 5 January 2010

The day of reckoning....

Well tomorrow may be the day i think as i write this at 10pm tues 5th,
Theres a blizzard outside after one of the coldest days i remember.
The UK as a whole looks like it may grind to a halt in the next 48hours.
It was -5-6C at my front door 7am out of the wind as i rode off up to work.
Never thought i would wear a face mask cycling to work here in East Lothian a mere 1-2 miles from the sea.
Sorry for blurred photo...


I rode up to work on solid frozen snowed roads that have been untouched since they were ploughed on Sunday. There is no roadsalt now. It hasn`t been admitted on the radio/news yet, why not?
I find it hilarious and lovin it but lots of folk arn`t like the elderly and people who rely on carers etc.
The Surly Pugsley just ate up the road conditions to work which still amaze`s me about this bike in these conditions, while i peddeled madly in a low gear to keep warm.
The cold air was unreal around my eyes exposed skin around my cycling glasses felt like it was burning.
I also felt very nervous when cars came towards me at what i thought was way too fast a speed for the conditions.
I went to the shops yesterday in my car for shopping, dropping the tyre pressures to 16-18 psi the grip was superb and made it there and back without drama so im stocked up for a big freeze/whiteout/armageddon with over a weeks milk (then onto powder milk), bread frozen too, loads of tins and most important plenty cider!
Seriously are you prepared if delivery's grind to a halt?, if we get powercuts-overhead lines here so possible i have an open fire for heat/hot water for baths, loads of logs, gas stoves, kellie kettle to boil water, and loads of bags of Ikea tea candles so no worries, bring it on!

The day dawned clear with an amazing colour blue sky once again...


Over a frozen snow landscape...


But the forcasted storm was offshore and already on the coast down in Northumberland, NE England...


Spending the day chainsawing logs to keep warm the sky above was full of geese landing in a nearby field.


Back at the shed we headed home as the first snow started...


Think we missed most of it as we only got 2-3" over the hour it fell, 6" fell down the road at my friends.
Still a nice if cold cycle home on now re-whited roads!...




The pugsley is in the kitchen full time this now where it thaws out on top of some old towels then gets its chain wiped and some more chain wax. It dosn`t know its living!


Be intresting to see what the next few days weather brings...

10 comments:

  1. Hullo Coastkid,

    Looks like you have the ideal mode of transport. The car isn't safe in this with the roads not having been salted. We have fresh snow over black ice around and driving back from hospital in Edinburgh at 8pm last night was the worst road conditions I have ever seen. A1 being closed as I got to thistley cross r/about at edge of Dunbar made me realise how lucky I was to get home at all.

    3.45am here and its snowing with a gale behind it so no doubt drifting snow off the fields will be a problem at first light.

    Al.

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  2. Now after your snow event, picture -0 temps for 5-7 days sometimes longer, and then more snow on top of what you already have, with plenty of -0 temps that seem to last and last............... With snow well into April. Welcome to my world my friend and everyone else that lives in northern Mn. Lol
    enjoy!!!

    Peace,
    Joboo

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  3. im just about to head off to work 7.15am alistair,its like antartica out there!...
    joboo ive wished for a proper winter for years..looks like i got it!

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  4. I could do with a mask like that!
    Far too cold out for me at the moment.

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  5. Welcome to Wisconsin USA! Oh...those pics are from East Lothian. You're getting the full experience coastkid. Seriously though, it does look like my neck of the woods. Keep warm, stay dry, try not to lose any fingers or anything to frost bite cause I know you're going to be riding around in the white stuff. Have fun and be safe (especially from people in coffins... I mean cars).

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  6. Excellent Blog....I'm loving your Pugsley, do you know of any for sale in the UK?

    I've just linked you to my blog too :-)

    http://retromtb.goatsurfer.com/

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  7. thermos has been very handy lately harri!...
    hi there neill, there was a pugsley for sale on ebay 4wks ago..that got no bids and hasnt been seen again advertised.. i mentioned it on mtbr fatbike forum ,scroll through and you will find the thread on the 3rd page..maybe worth msg`ing the guy see where it went..cheers

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  8. You must be one of the few still able to get around, the whole place has ground to a halt by the sound of it.

    Be careful out there coastkid and save the cider for "after" the ride.

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  9. Thanks Coastkid, I saw that one but I need a 20". I believe that one on eBay was an 18". I'm debating about diving in and building a new one, reckon I could do it for around £1500. I need to sell off a few bikes first though :-)

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