On the 109th Day of January 2022...
(Update from Fort St. John - Peace Region)
by E.W.(Wim) Kok

Just in case anyone is/has been wondering why all is so quiet on the northern randonneur front, here is the reason. A cold air mass has settled in with nightly temps around -10C and the dailies barely above the freezing mark over the few last weeks. If cycling in those sub-arctic conditions is manageable with extra clothing and some sort of an "antifreeze" in the water bottle, this morning's sight is one to behold. The calendar says April 19, however a friend referred to it as the 109th day January. I concur. The calendar is stuck and the weather acts accordingly.

The picture is a view from our living room window this morning. There is another 5-10 cm in the forecast. Environment Canada shows snowfall warning on the red bar in its forecast. I call it code WHITE. No cycling on the road under those conditions. Two alternatives: (a) shoveling snow as cross training works well, and (b) back on the rollers in the basement for more clicks, enjoying YouTube videos with indoor cycling training. The cols in the Pyrenees, Alps and Norwegian mountains are inspirational. Add a bit of music and the session goes by quickly.

Luckily, things may be looking up for the coming weekend when the 2nd 200k brevet is scheduled. What about the first one (PR Early Bird 200, April 9), you may ask? Due to the marginal conditions, that one was a no go. After all safety first.