I\’m cooling my heels, along with the rest of me. This is one of those days when I\’m actually glad not to be riding! It\’s still cold; and the wind is still rather brisk. Early this morning the chill factor was below freezing.

Riding in cold weather isn\’t my favorite thing, and probably never will be. But if I want to ride when it\’s cold outside, I just have to do it. Suppose I wind up living where it\’s even colder than it is here, and with snow besides?

Dressing for cold-weather rides requires some thought. Plain old experience factors in; I try to remember to write down what I wear to ride on days when it\’s cool enough for me to haul out leg warmers and other cold-weather gear. I note whether I felt OK; got too warm; or was still cold. Even after several years of that, dressing for a ride on a cold day is still something of a guessing game.

Tonight it\’s not expected to be nearly as cool as last night, so I shouldn\’t need five layers for tomorrow morning\’s ride. Yesterday I really had to bundle up! You could say I was cooling my heels — and my legs, and my arms, etcetera.