Best Present



Dads Wear Smiths. These Have Done a Lot of Friday Night Runs Down Unlit Trails at Stevens Pass

The nicest present I got this year wasn't the most expensive. As a matter of fact, it was free. My darling daughters found my misplaced clear googles we used to use for night skiing in Washington State. Kowabunga! Now I can ride to work even when the temperature dips into single digits. For the new, v3 commute, I wear different items than last year - mainly I wear more work elements than I did at Alliance Airport where we had "world class" changing facilities combined with a long commute:

• Between 30 and 50F, I wear my heavy cycling gloves, work pants, a long sleeve t shirt, and my cycling jacket, with my headsweat do rag pulled down over my ears.
• Between 20 and 30F, I change to a heavy sweatshirt, my balaclava, and wear warm, woolen socks. I add safety goggles to keep my eyes from watering. It doesn't get below 20F very often around these parts. Today, it got down to 24F.
• Below 20F, I'll add a second pair of gloves, add longjohns, add a neck warmer, add a second upper layer, and use my neoprene shoe covers. If it's colder yet, I'll switch out the gloves for ski mittens and use the clear ski goggles (who needs tint when it's dark outside?).
• It never got below 11F on any rides I made last year, but I'll be ready as long as it isn't icy.

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