We turned the page on a new decade recently, and it doesn't even seem like it. Way back in the twentieth century, it was easy. I remember switching from the 70s to the 80s. It was so obvious that we were going into a new decade. Going from the "ots" to the "tens" was not. If they hadn't talked about it on television, I would have never even known it.

People always make lists of events of a past decade. You know, the most important news story, or the hottest movie stars, etc. This time, it wasn't too interesting, or difficult. I mean, if you asked anyone what the most important news story was, there is no debate. The September 11 terrorist attacks, right? It was a decade of unprecedented events, including the election of the nation's first black president.

There are some things that are open to debate about the last decade. A couple of us were discussing what were the greatest inventions, or technical developments, of the last ten years.

For me, it was obvious.



DVR. Seriously, what has impacted our habits, and frustrated people in the advertising business, more than the digital video recorder? I rarely watch my favorite shows live, I almost always DVR them, so I don't have to put up with the commercials, and the "cliffhanger" effect. When Lisa and I are watching our shows, and we want to discuss something about it, we call "pause it." The DVR has totally changed the way we watch TV, and the way we respond to advertising. And I love it. The other day, I was chatting with a friend, and asked him if he had watched the latest episode of some show. His response made me smile. "I taped it."

There were other great developments too. Facebook, for example. What other development has done so much to bring people (back) together? If Facebook had existed twenty-five years ago, it is likely that I would never have lost touch with some of my closest friends.

We should also consider Craigslist as a great development. Wait a minute—advertising, for FREE? I have listed several things on Craigslist, and it works, better than any classified advertising that I ever paid for. Where else can you get a used couch, a bicycle, or a hooker, all on the same website?

Another important development is self-checkout at the grocery store. Not that I don't like interacting with the cashier. But after going to the grocery store regularly for a couple of decades now, I have had all the platitudes I can stand. I can usually get in and out of the store much faster using self checkout, and I don't have to make small talk with a teenage girl who would rather be texting her friends than talking to me.

Small, affordable, accessible GPS. I haven't gotten lost on my bicycle since I got the Garmin Edge 705. It is so much more than just a GPS unit. I can upload my rides to the computer, where it coordinates workouts with Google maps, and keeps a permanent record of mileage, heart rate, and distance. It is an easy way to log my progress.

There are others, probably many others, but I have to get to work. What are your favorite developments of the last decade?

"I wish I lived in Tucson" was the comment I made to Lisa last night. Cold weather is becoming less and less tolerable to me, and when I see people on television who live in warm weather states, I become a bit envious. Phoenix, Las Cruces, El Paso, LA, even Austin. Any place warm and dry would be okay with me.



Oklahoma can be a tough place to live, when it comes to the weather. I have always liked that we have four distinct seasons, but as I get older, it seems like we don't have four seasons. We have winter, which lasts about four months. Spring lasts two weeks. Fall lasts two weeks. And Summer hangs on for seven months. A lot of summer, and a lot of winter, with a little spring and fall sprinkled in there.

The best thing about Oklahoma weather is that you sometimes get a little reprieve in the middle of a season. It is not unheard of to see a 75 degree day in January. Or in July, we might have a stretch of weather with highs in the 80s instead of triple digits. When you live in the Sooner state, you never know.

The most important lesson I've learned about winter weather is that you just have to grin and bear it. It is going to be cold, and there's really nothing much you can do about it. And just because it is winter, that doesn't mean calories go into hibernation. It would be nice if our bodies were wired up to not get fat when it is too cold to go outside. But it doesn't work that way. We still have to burn the calories we consume, and since I hate going to the gym, that means getting out on the bicycle.

I've also learned to not complain too loudly, because it could be worse. I could live in Wisconsin, or Minnesota. Or Alaska. Not that those places are bad, it's just that the winter lasts forever there. No thanks. Oklahoma winters are more harsh than in Arizona or south Texas, but they could surely be worse.

Why is it so important to keep moving, even in the winter?

• Fitness.  Spring will be here before you know it, and it stinks to play catch up. 2009 was the first year I can remember where I was more fit when the cycling season started than when it ended the year before. It is a good feeling.
• Weight loss. Or, weight maintenance, as is the case with me. I usually start the spring off with at least twenty pounds to lose. 2009 was the exception. It is always easier to keep weight off than it is to lose it. Since I love to eat, winter riding is essential.
• Economics. Even though the price of gasoline is down from its high of 2008, it has gone up as a line item in many budgets. For me, that is because in the winter, I can't ride to work as often as I do in the warm weather. So I ride, to save money.

Riding in the winter is not as bad as people think. In fact, it really isn't bad at all, unless you're inside, where it is really nice and warm. And there is a game on TV, and a fire in the fireplace. Then it sucks. By that, I mean it is difficult to work up the motivation to leave a comfortable situation, to go outside where it is cold and windy. Right now, there is eight inches of snow on the ground here in Oklahoma. Personally, I try to avoid riding in the snow, for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I don't have the right equipment. I no longer have any bikes with wide, knobby or studded tires. Also, Oklahoma snow is different than snow in northern states. Here, we get snow, then the next day the weather will warm up, melting some of the snow. After the sun goes down, the melted snow turns to ice, making it impractical and dangerous to ride. As I write this, it is day six off the bike for me.


My street on Christmas Day 2009

I've read some really good articles lately, on the virtues of winter weather cycling. Here is a link to a site which talks about riding in snow and ice. Here is a link to the ICEBIKE website. Here is a nice story from the blog of Fit Chick, who had some interesting experiences on a winter ride. And here is a funny piece from Bike Snob about cold weather riding.


This is Matt. He is riding on a morning when the temp is -7 degrees.


Matthew lives in Ontario, and he rides every day, no matter what the weather does.

The bottom line is that the most difficult part about winter bike riding is making yourself get out. When you're warm and cozy on the couch, it can be hard to muster the stuff it takes to go out into the cold. If you do it right, you'll only be miserable for about five minutes.

Here is what I do to combat the cold.

• Layers. Usually that means a t-shirt, then a bike jersey, and a jacket or coat. Also, I wear a pair of bib shorts under a pair of bib tights. The tights I use are lined with fleece, and are very warm. For commuting, I wear a Columbia ski jacket, with the liner removed. It is really comfortable. The only downside is that the arms do not allow moisture out, so I often will get too hot, and even sweaty, even in the extreme cold. Also, because the jacket is only effective when exerting a great deal of effort, it might not be warm enough if you have to stop riding.
• Cover the extremities. Normally, my core will be warm, even hot, within five minutes of starting a ride. My extremities, on the other hand, take up to twenty minutes to warm up. On my hands, I wear Pearl Izumi gloves designed for riding in the cold, wet weather. If I had it to do over again, though, I would wear mittens. Mittens are much more effective at keeping your hands warm. On my feet, I wear shoe covers. Ultimately though, your feet are just going to suffer in cold weather. I rarely ever get my feet warm enough. When it is really cold, like, ten degrees, I will put chemical warmers in my shoes. You can get these at any hunting supply or sporting goods store. They offer some relief, but not much. I read somewhere that you can put plastic grocery sacks on your feet, under your shoes, and that helps. I haven't tried that one yet. On my head, I wear a balaclava made for snow skiers. The lower half is made of fleece that is think, and fairly wind resistant. The top is made from thinner material, so that it fits under a helmet. It is very warm. There are some downsides to it, such as moisture from your breath will begin to gather if you have to stop for very long. But it is an easy fix—either pull the mask down below your mouth, or start riding again.
• Move. The good thing about your body is that it is really hot. If you looked at the forecast, and the weatherman said that the temperature was going to be 99 degrees, you would call that a hot day. And yet, your internal body temperature is about 98.6. If you can figure out how to trap that heat in, you're going to be warm and fairly comfortable. Think about it. We drive in our cars when the weather is cold. And the inside of your car, if left alone, will be about the same temperature as the outside. It is only the heat generated by engine that warms the inside of the car. If you drive down the road with the windows rolled down, you're going to let all that heat escape, and you're going to be cold. In the same way, the heat generated by your "engine," that is, your body, will keep you warm, if you trap that heat close to you. The way to trap that heat is to cover up.

It is also important to light up during the winter, so motorists will see you.



The key is to keep yourself focused on the goal. Think about how much easier it will be in the spring, and your body weight is under control. You're in shape when the season begins, and don't feel like you have to start the year off playing catch-up.

You can do this. Let's go for a ride. As soon as this snow clears off a little.