hoopdriver
Guru
- Location
- East Sussex
I used to ride all the time in frosty conditions - since I go out at 4:30am most mornings for two hour rides, in winter there is nothing else but cold, dark and frost. One morning I encountered a bit of black ice on a roundabout - and believe me, no amount of athleticism, balancing or bike handling skills will save you in such circumstances; you're down before you even know it. That was more than five years ago and the tendons in my right shoulder still aren't right. I swore I've never go out riding below 0ºC again and for years I avoided it. This past year, however, I have been working on a photographic project to shoot my morning rides in a series of cycling landscapes. I really wanted some frosty shots on the lanes and so one morning, when it was -4ºC and a heavy frost was on the ground I went out, heart in mouth and with a few grand in camera gear on my back. I knew where I wanted to take my shot and it was nearly a two-hour ride away on hilly, winding, narrow country lanes that were bound to be icy. I got there in good order, took my shots, and made it back home, feeling very lucky and not quite so keen on chancing my luck again. Here is one of the images: