Never Too Cold For Riding On Ice

By Bud Wilkinson

Winchester Lake in Winchester, CT was the place to be today for riding on ice. At the invitation of friend David Gelerter, RIDE-CT.com/Ride-NewEngland.com played spectator while a group of guys did some. The temperature was probably in the ’20s but the breeze made it feel colder. Despite the studded tires, there were a few wipeouts as traction was lost on the slick surface … but no injuries thanks to protective gear.

A full report will appear in next Saturday’s RIDE-CT column in “The Republican-American.” But it will lack first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to ride on ice. It wasn’t for a lack of interest but two loaner bikes that I tried were just a tad too tall to attempt riding on ice. Having to tippy-toe (picture below) made me worry about not about the riding but about how I would be able to come to a stop without the bike falling over. Unable to figure out how that might be accomplished made me, yes, chicken out. Maybe next time.

Did shoot lots of pictures, though, as well as some video, and had a blast watching the action. Here’s a snippet of the bikes on ice…