This year I decided to take the plunge and bike to work all winter and I will definitely (or maybe defiantly) be doing it again! “Why?” might you say. Well, I shall tell you: Winter is friendlier on a bike. And this is why: everything and everyone is more beautiful in the cold. (Okay, okay! So, I have no idea what the actual people look like as they are all completely covered from head to foot… but spring is coming and I am sure they are gorgeous under all the fluff and stuff.) The following are a few examples of how my conversion to winter biking came about.
Sunrises: I have never realized how many kinds of sunrises there are. Glorious yellows and oranges. Fire pink. Soft blues. Gentle white and grey. Sometimes explosive and sharp, sometimes calm and graceful. But always beautiful, especially at -50c. What can I say, I’m in love! In fact, I have begun to think of the sky as some kind of ultimate man. He has a way of always bringing hope. He expands over all, but only in order to cover every dark situation with some kind of light. Be it the glow of the moon under traveling clouds, or the spray of color at mornings first light. He carries us all, wraps us up in his strong embrace and makes no stipulations on who his love will reach: “The sun shines and the rain falls on the just and unjust a like.” – Matthew 5:45
The river: What a beauty of a woman she is with her grand curves and ever shifting color. Somehow, I always assume skies are blue and white and so are the rivers that reflect them. And it takes going outside repeatedly, day after day, to actually start seeing what’s really there, instead of painting nature with my very dull imagination. In reality, the river reflects all the colors of nature, depending on the angle of the sun and the particular coloring of the day. There are greens and greys and pinks and yellows of every variety. There are days where the river shimmers as the wind ruffles up its surface waters, making it look like a playful dance. And then the next day she looks dark and deep and menacing and cold as steal. Faithfully reflecting all of us, the good the bad and the ugly – the important and simple – the happy and the sad – she is silently teaching us who we are, drawing out both our joys and sorrows. And all the while, she steadily carries abundant life and sustenance to every flower and king.
The people: turns out I am not the only one crazy enough to bike through the SK deep freeze! In fact, there are a surprising amount of people who I pass faithfully, even through the worst weather. I am pretty sure they were still out there even when I chickened out! In fact, there are quite a few kids who could not be beyond 7th or 8th grade who I see every day. Because I see them at different times in the morning I know they bike nearly as far as I do! As a rule, all the regular bikers are chipper and lovely. I feel quite safe knowing that if I ever got into a difficult situation, there would be a helpful friend to stop and help. However, there was one biker who would not smile back at my cheerful grin no matter how big a smile I flashed as he spun by… but I got him this winter! I seem to have finally grown on him and he now always gives a nod and a smile.
So now do you still want to hide in your temptingly warm car all winter? The worst part will always be stepping outside your door…. and maybe the occasional snow drift after a large snow storm. The north wind may have a bitter bite, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to stay warm in the loving arms of winter.
