Cleveland, Ohio, December 2007
I must say that you all missed a wonderful opportunity to bicycle several Sundays past, instead of spending time shopping for last minute Xmas gifts. We had a magnificent blizzard starting at noon.
Edie, I and Ann and Mary bicycled down to the Cuyahoga Valley to look for the Stone Rd bridge (which, we discovered, had been removed 30 years ago, but not from my old map).
We consoled ourselves with a modest pancake breakfast at Yours Truly in Valley View by Rockside and Canal roads, as people came in, saw our cycling outfits and commented on how brave we were. Having cycled through the slightest of drizzles to get there, we just chuckled and told them it was no big deal. It was not until we went outside again, that we discovered that it was a very big deal indeed and a 30 mph (with gusts to 50 mph) blizzard was raging in our absence.
We cycled up Rockside Rd to Garfield Hts and were probably the most stable vehicles on the road. Most cars, SUVs, etc. were slipping, swerving and wobbling, with a few vehicles having made it half way up and gotten stuck, unable to summon the traction to go further nor the courage to retreat. I can't say I blamed them as visibility was less than 100 feet.
We took refuge in the Marc's at the top of the hill in order to clear one of Ann’s fenders from the snow that was collecting between the fender and the wheel and slowing her to a halt. The 'wagon boys' at Marc's were very kind, letting us inside so the warmth would melt the snow and ice on her bike, directing us to barbeque skewers which we bought to dig out the ice from the small spaces by the fender, and to the last of the mittens, hats, scarves, etc. with which to sustain ourselves on the rest of the ride home.
Eventually we solved the fender problem by removing it entirely and taking it home in one of my panniers, and after thanking everyone in the store, struck out for home. We took the main roads, our only close call occurring when 3 snowplows in tandem blasted their horns to clear the traffic and we had to immediately retire to a nearby snowbank, still mounted on the bikes. When we dug ourselves out we found the road much more manageable and only had to watch for sudden gusts from the west, in open areas, that would send us flying to the curb. It was a true cycling day, and I only regret that you were not here to enjoy it with us. Maybe next time.
Marty
I must say that you all missed a wonderful opportunity to bicycle several Sundays past, instead of spending time shopping for last minute Xmas gifts. We had a magnificent blizzard starting at noon.
Edie, I and Ann and Mary bicycled down to the Cuyahoga Valley to look for the Stone Rd bridge (which, we discovered, had been removed 30 years ago, but not from my old map).
We consoled ourselves with a modest pancake breakfast at Yours Truly in Valley View by Rockside and Canal roads, as people came in, saw our cycling outfits and commented on how brave we were. Having cycled through the slightest of drizzles to get there, we just chuckled and told them it was no big deal. It was not until we went outside again, that we discovered that it was a very big deal indeed and a 30 mph (with gusts to 50 mph) blizzard was raging in our absence.
We cycled up Rockside Rd to Garfield Hts and were probably the most stable vehicles on the road. Most cars, SUVs, etc. were slipping, swerving and wobbling, with a few vehicles having made it half way up and gotten stuck, unable to summon the traction to go further nor the courage to retreat. I can't say I blamed them as visibility was less than 100 feet.
We took refuge in the Marc's at the top of the hill in order to clear one of Ann’s fenders from the snow that was collecting between the fender and the wheel and slowing her to a halt. The 'wagon boys' at Marc's were very kind, letting us inside so the warmth would melt the snow and ice on her bike, directing us to barbeque skewers which we bought to dig out the ice from the small spaces by the fender, and to the last of the mittens, hats, scarves, etc. with which to sustain ourselves on the rest of the ride home.
Eventually we solved the fender problem by removing it entirely and taking it home in one of my panniers, and after thanking everyone in the store, struck out for home. We took the main roads, our only close call occurring when 3 snowplows in tandem blasted their horns to clear the traffic and we had to immediately retire to a nearby snowbank, still mounted on the bikes. When we dug ourselves out we found the road much more manageable and only had to watch for sudden gusts from the west, in open areas, that would send us flying to the curb. It was a true cycling day, and I only regret that you were not here to enjoy it with us. Maybe next time.
Marty
Thanks to the intrepid and camera-carrying JN for her photos of Marty and Ann on Lee Road.
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