The past couple of weeks of unseasonably warm weather had left us wondering if we were really in Colorado or back in Texas.  The other possibility was the Earth had broken from its orbit and was hurtling toward the sun, a prospect that wouldn’t be all that surprising given the way 2020 has been going so far.  

But yesterday we finally got a proper snowstorm.  We woke up to a light dusting.  By 9:00 a.m. the clouds rolled in and began dropping big, fat flakes that piled up fast.  By noon there were 3 – 4 inches of fresh powder on the ground and I could hear the fat bike calling me from the garage.  Time for the maiden voyage on snow!

And if you’re going to ride in the snow, you need riding boots from people who know the cold, 45NRTH.  Presenting – in the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger – The Wolvammers.

The first thing I noticed about riding in fresh snow is, it’s hard.  Everything is slowed down and there are very few chances to coast because you have to keep pedaling to overcome the resistance from the snow.  But it’s also crazy fun.  Like when you were a little kid building snow forts and pummeling your siblings with snowballs fun.  The snow combined with the fat tires makes the rocky trail feel smooth and floaty, reminiscent of skiing in deep powder.  And while the speeds are lower, once you get them rolling the big tires maintain momentum and provide a sense of confidence that has you looking for every opportunity to launch off snow drifts and buried obstacles.

The Little Rainbow, fresh and untracked!

All in all, it was a beautiful, amazing day.  It was so fun trying something that, while similar to what I’ve done for years, is in many ways completely new and different.