In years past, I might have been able to answer with confidence. You just do a gut-check: yup, feels like summer. So you take them off. Or you look to outside indicators: Fleet Week, Pedalpolooza, Rose Parade… and you take them off. But this spring it has rained like gangbusters, and it just keeps coming. It has soaked my intuition and drowned my faith. Times like these call for a new methodology. See if you qualify for fender removal below:

Picking up the Chris King wheelset and pink headset tomorrow.

1. Never underestimate the wisdom of the Happy Pack. This is and ingenious move on the part of Marci. A one-gallon zip-lock baggie dull of non-negotiable non-essentials. If one partner wants to bring post-it notes and it fits in the bag, it comes. Luxuries, when packing light, can actually be quite simple.

2. Tandems just freakin’ fly. Team Ramsland was no match for Team M&M. On their tandem, they were able to share the load of the trailer, be more aerodynamic, and Marci was able to administer in-flight shoulder rubs to Michael.

3. Know your trailer. This was Austin and my maiden voyage with our new BOB Yak trailer, a wedding gift from Mom. It is a real workhorse, but it turns put that they do not come fully domesticated and pothole trained! Until we got the hang of it, we were imagining ourselves as amateur bull riders. Our model has only one wheel for better off-road and rugged terrain handling and is only super stable when you get it up to speed; Team M&M’s Burley trailer has two wheels and handles about the same at any speed.

4. Never Leave Your Wingman. I wanted the first crack at pulling the trailer, but I don’t think that either of us was prepared to go toe to toe with a former pro cyclist and his partner on a tandem. That’s right Mav, you never leave you wingman.

5. One can never have too many water bottles. Team M&M had four bottles between them on the tandem (plus a gallon jug in their trailer on the way back!). Team Ramsland had one bottle each. As we arrived at our campground, dehydrated and a little rough around the edges, Marci said, “Okay, I’m going to play Mom here: you guys need to carry more water.” Mom knows best. ‘Nough said.

6. Plan for fun. This sounds like an obvious point, but this means in my mind a few things: clear the schedule (don’t let technical difficulties or logistical complexity get you down!), have the right toys (we brought a New Yorker with the funnies still un-read) and have the fun-time mindset (be ready for early morning skinny dipping and the joys of brushing teeth by the light of a headlamp!)

7. When it is triple digit temperatures, bring your goggles and swim with a buddy. We stopped twice outside of Estacada to swim in the Clackamas River, and it was so much fun. The real lesson here should be: When you are on a bike trip, it doesn’t matter what time it is. We stopped to chat. We stopped to swim. We stopped to eat burritos. We stopped at stop lights. It’s really nice not having to be anywhere but where you are.

So, where to next? I know that Marci is already planning another trip. As for me – I am up for anything!

4) Hat
5) Gloves
6) Torsowear
7) Booties

Recently Natalie came across a little bit of unverified lore: If your kidneys are warm, you are warm. I have no idea where she picked it up, but it does bring us to the most important part of winter riding – think about the core, keep the core warm. Keeping a hat on your heat will help you retain heat, but keeping your core warm keeps you comfortable.

The most important part about this is layering. The way I like to do it is by wearing something really close to the skin that wicks, then insulation (repeat if needed), then the shell. For you P Town riders, that shell should probably double as a raincoat.

What’s another word for pirate treasures? Booties. Surviving the cold is one thing, staying comfortable is another. Good booties keep the footies toasty. (I have a feeling that I am going to lose my blogging privileges.) Also, make sure that the gloves are both insulated and windproof. If you happen to knit your own, might I suggest the lobster glove? Requires felting.

Eyewear
9) Facemask
10) Wool German Army Knickers
11) Avalanche Beacon

O.K., these are for the most extreme winter riding. And yes, number 10 is optional. (But they are just sooo cool)

12) Exit Strategy

The exit strategy may be the most fun and important part of winter riding. For example, imagine the following:

You are three hours into a winter ride. You stop, and hear the crunch of snow when your foot hits the ground. You can see your breath, and you can smell how cold it is. You look around and see nothing but ice and snow. You think you see a polar bear in the distance.

“Want to go get some hot chocolate?”

Exit strategy. Very important.