There seem to be a LOT of footprints in the picture for this time of the year (especially considering how slippery it is). Were there many people out walking on the sidewalk?

Cold water is a priority for me - got a laugh out of your water remark.

Many years ago, I commuted to work year round - studded tires and the whole bit. Back then I used a Camel Bak - it's no fun at all when the water in the hose would freeze!

I do agree that there is a sense of exhilaration to winter riding. I liked riding during a snow storm and hearing the snow crunch under the tires. Plus, it usually wasn't slippery in fresh snow!

A friend and I are working on a potential fall tour mostly on trails in Minnesota. I was wondering if you would look at our route and see if we've made any glaring errors - either in omissions, or picking a bad road. I don't think a link will post here. My email is: kelly.iniguez@gmail dot com - if you would have a chance to look at our route? Thanks

Sometimes I like to ride in the winter, too. Thirty minutes is usually enough, though. And if it's above freezing. I really do think you are a tough guy and love reading about rides I could never take.

Uffda! I am cold enough with our weather here, and you make me colder looking at your photos. Now — if only Santa had made his appearance at the very beginning, I could muster up some enthusiasm.

YOUR town does indeed light up the world! Also YOUR town is full of hardy folk to be out there at the first birth in the snow!!!!

Yes, I am just demented enough to also laugh at the Chuckie story. Thanks for sharing it.

Yup, the light was not in blinking mode.

I have considered the camping idea (for no other reason than to showoff) but can't quite muster the courage to actually do it. Again, I refer you to the first page of my "A Few Days in a Snow Globe" tour in which I discussed my aversion to winter camping.

It'll be The Reckless Mr. Bing Bong for this one. I'm not quite ready to subject Son of Bing Bong to the winter conditions yet--especially the salt on the roads. Maybe next year. And thanks for asking about the remodeling project. It is moving along nicely now, thank goodness. Hopefully it'll all be done by Christmas.

I'm really looking forward to this trip even more than the others, because it truly is touring differently. I don't think I've read a single journal yet about a winter tour and am really impressed, not only by the temperature, but by the fact that you biked to work for 25 years. Each Autumn, I seriously consider commuting in the winter, but then the temperature drops below 50F/10C degrees and I abruptly change my mind. Will you spend any of your nights in a tent? If you really want to show off, it's something to consider. But don't die.

Wow, totally impressed they even had a camel. Christmas light pics always make me think of the movie Home Alone... since I don't ever go out to see the lights here to form other memories (even though the weather is very conducive for it). One year here a church had a life-size nativity scene set up outside the church. The animals were all wooden cut-outs, Joseph and Mary were mannequins dressed appropriately and the baby Jesus was a baby doll. But somebody had come along and replaced the baby Jesus doll with a "Chuckie" doll (who still had one of those!?) holding a menacing knife. So inappropriate but also so very funny - I did have a good giggle when I saw the pic of it :-)

I love the timing to get the red on the rear blinkie, too, but of course, you could have the light on steady.

An impressive icicle for so early in the season! I know you enjoy that shovelling as much as the winter bike riding - though maybe you'll get tired of one or both about the time you start taking pics of buildings and not your tent at state park campsites :-) You have an impressive pedigree of so many, many years of winter riding though, that maybe you'll just need more layers of clothing/padding to keep going long after most would quit. Are you subjecting Bing Bong Jr to the crap or Senor Bing Bong? And sorry to see the container still in the driveway... I hope all the materials and labour are available and are steadily progressing renovations.

I'd like to have one of them too, but not for winter riding. That's a long way down if you slip on the ice.

I'm sorry to make you feel cold. Coldness is just something you get used to around here. If not, you'll be in for a very long, boring winter. And you don't have to keep saying I'm tough--I say it enough for both of us.

I was told there is a ranch down by Rochester that raises exotic animals and rents them out for events like this. Judging by its uncooperative behavior, I think you may be right about the camel being really cold.