First off, hi! Long time! How have you been? Uhuh... yeah... how 'bout the kids/dog/fish? Some winter we're having, eh?
Speaking of the winter that refuses to end, I have been riding my bicycle in it. I had a spell where I kind of stopped, but thankfully I've been back on the saddle for a few weeks and loving it as always.
Anyone who has come across the right bit of gear can attest to the fact that it can make a big difference to your enjoyment of any physical activity. In my case, I got tired of being attached to my pedals in dicey icy snowy kooky road conditions, and I've gone back to a cleatless, "normal" shoe and pedal for winter riding. Finding just the right thing proved very easy. Like so many romantic comedies prove, sometimes your heart's desire is right in front of you the whole time... you just need to see it!
So what is "essential" about an old pair of shoes? Nothing, of course. Because nothing is essential other than a bike and some attention to what hurts. If it freezes, cover it up. Whether you cover it with the sweetest bit of expensive bike gear or a chunk of tape don't matter none. That is essential. If you get my drift.
Yer Pal,
R A N T W I C K 