The bike: an extension of your body

    My bike is a part of me. I have said this for a long time, and after riding it as my exclusive form of transportation over the past year and a half, I believe it more than ever.

    Nothing confirms this belief like a good snow.

    I woke up on Friday morning and opened my window to a beautiful scene: pure white snow covering the landscape outside my window. The streets were unplowed, the sidewalks unshoveled, and the pine tree outside my window held all of the snow up perfectly, offering it to me like a little child: "Look! It snowed last night!"

    We had a two-hour delay at school, so I took a lot of extra time to cook and enjoy the scenery. Of course, I also had to switch out my tires for something a little more snow-appropriate. When it was time to go, I threw on my gear and headed out into the storm.

    At first, the going was a bit sketchy. Every bump of ice underneath the snow worried me, and every time one of my tires slid or spun out I stopped completely to put a foot down and steady myself. I felt much the same way as I do when I walk on snow or ice for the first time.
    After a day of riding, though, I could feel my balance coming back to me. Every time my tires slipped instead of over-correcting and stopping, I continued to press the pedals and regain balance. I flew over deep snow instead of getting stuck in it.
    It took a day of slipping, but I have once again have my wheels under me again.