Weather 1 - Brandon 0

It snowed last night. We had a generous 4 to 5 inches on the ground this morning. I shoveled and then I geared up for the ride to work. Sarah indicated several times that I was crazy. OK, well just once using so many words.

The ride began just fine. Then I left my shoveled driveway.

Did you know that car tires leave compacted snow behind? Did you also know that the compacted snow trail is thick in the center and tapers on the edges. Have you ever driven down a rutted road and felt your car being pushed from side to side as you cross the ruts? That is what occured when I left the driveway. Only I was on my BIcycle. BI...meaning two wheels.

I impressed myself with an ability to recover from sideways slides. In less than a second, the skills I acquired dirtbiking kicked in. I straightened out and got moving.

In the more traveled wheelpath the going was easy, but when I pulled off to let cars pass I had to cross the compacted "ruts". This required attention to verticality and it also required down-shifting to account for the deep snow I was entering. This was manageable, and even a bit fun.

I forged ahead breaking snakelike trails when cars were passing and enjoying the wheelpath when the going was slow between lights. I worried a little going down the big hill of my commute, but I was cheered to see a familiar runner giving the thumbs up as we crossed paths. I made it down the hill with no incident.

With the most dangerous parts behind me, I pulled up to a red light and moved over into the deep stuff. I down-shifted while pedaling, but something went wrong. The chain wrapped up around the small front chainring and then slipped down between the ring and the frame. Remember that I was pedaling? I was also pedaling fast. When the chain slipped down, it lodged itself tightly in that little gap.

Really? A stuck chain? Today? I pulled and yanked and cranked on it until finally it came loose. Unfortunately it suffered a separated link in the process. That link made it twice through the rear derailleur before it gave up completely. A broken chain...on my first snow day.

You win, Weather, but I'll be back tomorrow.