Snow!

Let it snow.

It's been a fairly dry and mild fall this year, which is somewhat unusual. I'm not exactly complaining, as I don't mind having warm weather stretch to this late of a date, but it was a little odd. However, a change hit sometime early this morning. When I first peeked outside at about 7:00, there were a few inches of snow on the ground and an ongoing flurry. At that moment, at least a couple of us in the household knew of activities that the future held.

Scout trotting along. She loves snow and bikes, so she couldn't be much happier.

Any illusion of speed is just that. 

Why, look! It's Old Man Winter himself!

By the time of this ride about four or so inches of snow had accumulated. That's not much of a challenge for a Pugsley, and I could have done the same ride with many of my skinnier-tired bikes. Yet, the fat tires were noticeably different in inspiring confidence through excellent traction and stability. Just as in dry condition riding, the big tires took the edge off of ruts and uneven surfaces, and in the fresh snow, made it feel as though I were gliding on a cloud.

I'm not certain of the PSI in my tires right now, but I'd describe them as medium squishy. I'm sure that the pressure could go lower for even better traction, but I have no complaints. The surface under the snow was not slippery, so I didn't encounter any moments when I thought the bike might slide out from under me. Other than some increased resistance of plowing through un-compacted snow, I can't say that riding on snow with the Pugsley felt much different than riding on dirt.

Larry leaving tracks up front.

Endomorph taking care of business in the rear.

A couple of weeks ago I encountered another fatbike parked at the grocery store. Seeing another fatbike out in the wild is unusual enough, but this one was odder still, hitched to a trailer. It was a nicely decked out 9-Zero-7 in Pat S. orange livery (though it didn't have the color coordinated fork). As it turns out, I met up with the bike's owner on the way out, and discovered that she is affiliated with a local shop that is in the process of organizing fatbike activities. I'm not always much of a group rider, but I might check them out sometime.

Orange 9-Zero-7 in size tiny.

The snow that fell this morning was not actually the first snow that we've had this year, but it was the first of much substance. A couple of weeks back, we had a dusting of perhaps half an inch. Of course, Scout and I were out nosing around with the Pugsley. However, the amount of snow was so minimal that it didn't even seem like it was there while riding over it. I took a few pictures anyway for the novelty of the occasion.

An arm clad in rancher wear as we roll over a skiff of snow.

The requisite shot of tire tracks.

Today's snow is entirely different, and ushers in a new season with the Pugsley. It's been an outstanding dirt/exploration/fun bike, and promises to further burnish its talents as we move into the season for which the design was originally conceived. I don't think of my Pugsley merely as a snow bike, because the term is too limiting and doesn't accurately describe its capabilities. Yet, I am eager to test it in winter conditions. During our ride, Scout and I sighted a rusty orange fox calmly watching us from a field, which I will take as a good omen for continued snow riding.

Scout the snow dog.

Fatbike tire tracks in fresh snow.

For no reason other than cuteness, here's a baby in sunglasses.