Sitting here at 4:30 the week after the clocks fell back and it's already getting dark. Last Tuesday's ride was our first proper 'smash through ice on puddles and watch it freeze on gears and brakes immediately' ride we've had in ages too. Yes it was even cold enough we had to pee on a couple of bikes to get them working again - always a sure sign of a chilly one.
However if reading this has made you click the central heating upa notch and make you even more sure that the bike should be mothballed till spring then you're making a big mistake. This is the perfect time of year to be riding.
Let's face it, unless you got lucky a few times, summer 2008 was a complete washout. Winter 2008 is already cold, bright, crisp and crackling with the anticipation of good riding though. The latest cycling gear means you needn't suffer in winter at all either. Serious lighting rigs mean hours of uncompromised charging down your favourite trails and no worries about nocturnal exploring that was never a good idea with an old Ever Ready on the bars and a Petzl headtorch. Softshells, Merino base layers, windproof bibs and waterproof socks and shorts mean winter's worst will just be a gleam in your light beam and a rattle on the outside of your jacket.
Yes you'll fill your shorts with fear when an owl lifts off a post two feet in front of you, at some point you'll all sprint like schoolkids because of a badger heavy breathing or a fox screaming just behind you. Yes you will fall off a bit more than normal and your hands and toes will probably get really painfully cold a couple of times but the rewards are fantastic.
The ratio of skin of your teeth entertainment, LOL memories and wide eyed, slap on the back finishes you rack up riding in winter are way ahead of summer outings. A nip of whisky never felt better than after ripping up your favourite trails whe everyone else is vegging in front of the telly, and several trail centres have late opening nights nearer Christmas so you can even get a bite to eat afterwards.
So get your mates together, get yourself some lights, take some spare clothes and food for any stoppage time and unlock a whole new world of winter fun. We'll see you out there!
Guy