Originally Posted by
Hiro11
Oh good, a chance to whine about this winter in the Midwest.
Let's see. Here in Chicago this winter we:
1. Set a record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in Chicago. This is Chicago, it's cold here. Setting a record for cold is a big deal.
2. Set a record for the most consecutive days with precipitation at 34 days. The previous record? 19 days. We didn't just set the record, we destroyed it. It f^&*ing rained or snowed measurably EVERY DAY FOR 34 DAYS STRAIGHT. Commuting was a mess. Every. GD. Day. Cycling was completely out. Everything was dirty and gritty for six months. The dog didn't want to go outside. This is the first winter in maybe 20 where I haven't done any winter mountain biking of any sort. It simply wasn't possible... ever.
3. Having said
#2 above, it never snowed enough for good fatbiking conditions. It would snow/rain/sleet/crap half an inch (every day) and then refreeze overnight. Eventually everything was a ice skating rink. Cold temperatures don't dissuade me from riding. I'm more than fine with real amounts of snow, 6" of fresh snow is great for fatbiking. The one thing that prevents any type of cycling or running outside is the one thing we had for six months straight: epic amounts of glass smooth glare ice.
4. This spring has been no better. Constant 28 mph soul crushing headwinds are a given here in the spring. I can live with that, it gets you in shape for the summer. But... we've had not one but TWO giant snow storms in April. Sure, it snows here in April, but not SEVEN INCHES like we had two weeks ago or EIGHT INCHES like we're supposed to have today. This is not normal.
This combined with the taxes makes me seriously question my life choices.
OK, you're right.
I'm about 300 miles to the west and north of Chicago, and we had similar issues (though even a bit colder). Cold, ice, snow, melting, very cold, very icy, very snowy, *melting*, more cold, more ice, more snow. I have no idea how people were even driving anywhere - my town just gave up maintaining side streets. Commuting was the only riding I did, and it was gnarly. I purchased a trainer.
Fatbiking was kind of a sad mess, because every time they finally got the trails groomed, something would happen to mess it up. The snowmobiles had an OK season, though it was a bit too cold, and there were a few weeks of decent ice fishing from what I can tell.
I work in higher ed, and for the first time in five years, my university closed. For three days straight: first for snow, then for cold. Public schools had a few weeks where the kids barely went. The students and staff at my university are still all kinds of messed up; people missed time from work when everything shut down, and students are behind on everything from trying to deal with the challenges of getting through the winter (not just schoolwork, but missed days of work, broken vehicles, and trying to get to campus on days when it should have been shut down, but was not.)
Sure, it's the north, but this was a bit excessive. Relocation seems like a viable option (though I'll still take this over excessive heat.)