January 2022 Rides - Part One

I was a bit more active on this blog last year. It was a lot of fun posting pictures  of my bicycle rambles. The only downside was that I only got around to it about once a month... and by then it was a bit of an ordeal to add context and commentary to the pictures... or I simply forgot where I was and when, exactly...? 

I have decided to do two things this year. 

#1 - Ride 6000Km. I almost rode that much in 2021 (5679Km) - which was 2000Km MORE than I'd rode the previous year (2020) and 1000Km than I rode in 2019. 6000Km in 2022 means riding an average of 100Km/week throughout the year, plus an extra 100Km/week through 8 weeks in the summer. Doable... if I don't slack off in the winter. 

#2 Post pictures of said rides WEEKLY! I thought I'd try and set aside a little time every Sunday to post pictures I took from the weeks rambles and hopefully add some commentary to go with them. 

I actually took the first two days of the year off and didn't leave the house. The previous week had been BRUTALLY cold (windchills reaching -40°C and below!). It was actually MARGINALLY warmer on the Sunday (or maybe the Saturday?), but I needed a break.

I mostly stayed at home and watched birds at the bird feeders. 

...and took some pictures of them. 

Messy little fiends... 

I also started drawing and painting pictures of them... but that's a story for another blog:

Tim's Art Blog: Birbs of Saskatchetoon - Chickadee

Headed out riding again on the 3rd... and it was back into the Deep Freeze! 

Down at the end of the next block they had been digging up the road all week. Water main break? Seems absurd to be doing that since they spent all of last summer putting a brand new one in - blocking off all out streets!? 

Id waited to the late afternoon, hoping it'd get a bit warmer, but I waited too long and by the time I went out a winter storm had whipped up. So muc blowing snow, I coudln't see downtown from Gabriel Dumont Park!? 

By the time I was rolling home, it was getting a bit dark! 

The next day was also bitterly cold, but I needed to get some air (and groceries)!

Spotted some ducks on the river (Common Golden Eye?) 

And my first Magpie of the year  - Later, closer to Preston Crossing (and the grocery store I was headed to), I spotted a gang of about two dozen of them frollicking about in the trees. It was much too exposed and cold to get my phone/camera out  - and they were not staying in any one place long enough to bother...

The day after the snow storm everything was pretty and covered with fresh while snow and frost. 

Pretty. but COLD. 

Up at the Circle Drive bridge where I crossed. 

Looking downtown from Circle Drive bridge. 

The next morning I had to head out for an appointment. I was clear - but cold - and there was so much fog coming off the river, it was just magical. I could have spent all morning taking pictures... but then I'd probably have no fingers anymore - it was painful just stopping to take these! 

When I got home I checked the weather and discovered why... -49 windchill!? 

The next day.... Again with the -49 Windchill!? Decided I should probably just stay indoors as well... 

I do want to keep at the riding and NOT slack off in the colder months... but I also want to be reasonable about this and NOT go out riding in -40 (or below) weather if I REALLY don't HAVE to!? 

Friday I ventured outside again - making a trip to pick up a parcel from UPS (because their driver couldn't be bothered to knock the previous week... when ALL of us were at home...) 

Saturday I made a quick trip downtown to the library. 

I'm not sure if it was warming up... or I'm just getting used to the cold. 

Woke up this morning to see the green bars on Environment Canada's website indicating that a Weather Warning had been lifted - gone was the EXTREME COLD WEATHER WARNING - it had warmed all the way up to -27°C (with a windchill of a balmy -36!).

Of course, I didn't get out for a ride until somewhat later in the day. 

Strava still insisted on calling in an "Afternoon Ride", even though it was getting pretty dark 

New phone takes pretty good pics in low light. 

That's it for this first full week of 2022. 

I managed to ride 65.6Km. A bit shorter than the planned 100Km/week... but considering how cold it's been.... I'm okay with this. it's and AVERAGE of 100Km/week. I'll catch up as we get closer to spring!