DQRider 

Did the quintessential Minnesota winter ride on Sunday morning; rode my Peugeot U08 "Velo de Ville" 22 miles on icy trails to meet non-riding family members at "da Moose (club)" for breakfast.

We've had quite a thaw in January, but this trail has many tunnels and overpasses, so the ice lurks in the shadows where the sun never reaches. And I still don't have my studded tire - it's on a slow boat across the Atlantic - so I had to be very careful on my Conti Tours, unclipping every time I went across a puddle.

A hint for those in a similar situation: It may seem counter-intuitive, but stand up to cross these slippery spots. It keeps your weight down low on the pedals instead of up high on the saddle, so you're less likely to end up on your arse.

No photos this time, my camera battery was almost dead. So was the scenery, btw - a black and white bike in a world of dreary, dirty grey. Still, at least I got out there. I only saw one other bike, a Huffy, and that belonged to a guy who was standing at the freeway offramp with a cardboard sign...