We got our first *big snow earlier this week. And since I love the cold weather I hit the trail about 5:30am the morning after we got dumped on. I hit the trail sporting all my winter gear. It was good times and I stayed pretty durn warm.

(* big snow in Virginia refers to about two inches of snow)

The Seal Skinz gloves are doing better on the comfort factor and they continue to keep the hands a lot warmer then normal cycling gloves. I also added the Seal Skinz Chillblocker socks to the mix. Things things are AWESOME! They’re super thick and come halfway up my shins. Kept my feet super warm.

I also finally sucked up my pride and pulled on the Louis Garneau Finland tights. The only other time I wore these was for the hardest 15 miles of my life along the rim of the Grand Canyon a couple months ago. They kept me a lot warmer then shorts (obviously) and I love the padding. So comfortable.

I was riding the Gary Fisher Cobia and although the bike has been performing well, the stock tires SUCK in the snow. Since I’m in Virginia and nothing can be consistent, the trail was kinda slippery mud where the snow had melted. So the tread quickly and consistently stayed packed with a snow/mud mixture and it felt like I was riding on a sheet of ice. Riding trails I know like the back of my hand, I felt like I couldn’t go over anything without spinning the back tire or having the bike kick out from underneath me on the roots and rocks.

So it was frustrating because I was riding in pretty cold weather and was really comfortable but it was just stupid to stay out to long. So after forty-five minutes of cursing I decided to duck out of the woods onto the paved trail and head back.

Well I was cooking along pretty well just spinning it out heading back to the parking lot. Low and behold I hit an ice patch and slammed down on my hip and slid for about ten yards. Hurt like a mother. This south eastern boy ain’t used to looking out for ice.

Here’s some pictures I snapped along the way…