Snow in the west, biking forecast: mixed

I didn't ride on Friday, due to wet conditions. Could have ridden in the morning, but it was misting by 6 p.m. when I left work.

The forecast for the next 10 days is very mixed, and even has the "S" word in it. After my nasty fall in January, I'm very committed to no ice or snow on the street in order to ride.

Wet? I favor dry and try to avoid wet, but I will ride home in a mist, if the rain is not heavy.

Anyway, the secret to winter biking is to dress correctly. I have a surprisingly warm nylon jacket with a thin hood I can wear under my helmet. If it's 0 or below, or windy at all and below 20, the hood is not enough and I won't ride.

I also, on really cold days, wear many layers--2 pairs of socks, including a warm fuzzy winter pair over a regular white pair, either long underwear or flannel pajama pants under my regular pants--and only "heavy" regular pants, please. A shirt under a substantial sweatshirt over which I have the wind-cutting jacket and, of course, gloves.

Thus clad, I am not very cold even on cold days. Cold itself will rarely keep me off the bike.

Ice. Snow. Yes, those will create drive days . Sadly, we're entering a drive season, but I hope I'll still get some biking done.