After the Blizzard 02/03/11

Starting Tuesday evening, 20 inches of snow fell in 24 hours.  Here’s what it looked like yesterday:

My work closed yesterday and today – I didn’t know Chicago ever had snow days!  By this afternoon,  I was itching to get out of the house and do something.  This was my agenda:

  • Movie theater to watch Blue Valentine
  • Thrift store where I scored a beige jersey dress with two big horses printed on the skirt
  • Record store to look for the new Decembrists on vinyl (no luck)
  • Bookstore to buy my fave magazine, Lula
  • Drug store to drop of film for developing

Luckily, all of these businesses had re-opened already.  I opted to ride my bike, not from a sense of adventure, but because it made the most sense.

I wanted to get to a certain area and didn’t want to walk 3 miles roundtrip or deal with public transportation.  The ride was fine.  While the side streets are drowned in snow, the main routes have been plowed and cars were nice enough while going around me.

Pretty cool, right?  I enjoyed my first blizzard.  :)

How’s everyone else dealing with the weather?

« « Previous: Creative Commuting
Next: Post-Blizzard Bike Ride Details » »

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Pingback: Tweets that mention After the Blizzard : Let's Go Ride a Bike – life on two wheels: simple. stylish. fun. -- Topsy.com

  • http://carolynsflightoffancy.blogspot.com/ Carolyn I.

    Wow, you had lots of snow! Sounds like you had a nice couple of snow days though. I wish that we had those here, no matter how much snow or how cold it gets, they don’t even close the schools. Thankfully, we haven’t had a big dump since the one we had in January, so the roads haven’t been too bad.

    We did get some new snow today and it looked bad. But after work I tried biking in it and it was great, not as bad as it looked.

    I had my ‘jerk’ moment this morning, a guy in truck honked at me while I was riding to work. What was his problem? The road was bare, there was two empty lanes and I had my helmet, and plenty of lights on, so I wasn’t doing anything illegal. Oh well!

  • http://bikinginheels-cycler.blogspot.com/ cycler

    Sigh, I wish my office had snow days….
    If the T is running, we’re in business- although we are allowed to cancel any meetings that require driving if the mayor has declared a snow emergency.

  • http://www.tuttletattle.blogspot.com JTuttle

    This was the worst blizzard we’ve had in years. Gypsy and I had a blast playing in the snow. I walked to CVS on Southport, which was open, but it was a slog through all the unshoveled snow on the sidewalks and the streets hadn’t been plowed yet. By the time I got home I was exhausted. Still had fun, though.

  • http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com Sigrid

    I am pleased to say this storm completely missed us (for once!) and not to be competitive, but you beat our record of a few months ago by a mere 3 inches. Welcome to our existence. ;p What a fun day you had…snow isn’t all that bad sometimes… :)

    • Iyen

      Oh you know you’re being competitive.

      • http://myhyggelig.blogspot.com Sigrid

        okay, i admit it.

        • Kevin

          And I hasten to add, Sigrid lost.

  • Iyen

    Dottie, you’re crazy to bike in weather like that! The only thing crazier than that that I can imagine would be to walk or drive in it or wait for the bus in it! :)

  • http://urbanadventureleague.blogspot.com adventure!

    You go Dottie! I am impressed with you riding in 20 inches of snow! I’m impressed with everyone dealing with the snow Back East.

    I think I’m in one of the few places in the country NOT affected by this weather craziness. It was 50F and partly cloudy here in Portland. I mean, we’re warmer than Houston! Yet further north than Minneapolis!

  • http://Girlsandbicycles.ca Miss Sarah

    Way to go! Man, your plows must be impressive. Our residential streets were murder, but like you said, the arteries are pretty good. I think the biggest factor for me not getting out is Dexter. Towing him in a trailer just seems like more work and less fun:(

    But when I have some child care? Then winter bike and I can enjoy some time together! For now it’s take care of baby, teach, then sleep. Wah!

    Keep having fun, it’s nice to see snowy bike adventures:)

    • Thom

      Just keep thinking about the time in the future when Dexter will be towing you in a trailer behind his bike!

  • http://www.amandasproject26272829.com *amanda*

    Good for you for getting out there. I didn’t even see any grey sidewalk or blacktop in any of the pictures you posted! HOW DID YOU RIDE??!!
    As far as I go:: I’ve been a COMPLETE baby about the snow!
    :/ *whomp*whomp*

  • dukiebiddle

    I just want to point out that last year when we had 3 20″ blizzards in the lower Mid-Atlantic your mayor and your snow removal coordinator went on record in the media calling us a bunch of girdle wussies for having to shut down for a couple of days, and insisted they could have handled a similar storm without closing schools and everything would have been business as usual. Where’s the flinty?! ;)

    • dukiebiddle

      “girdle” was a typo. Meant to be “girlie,” although I think I might prefer girdle.

    • http://freckleddiaries.typepad.com Catherine

      +1 dukie! And today, btw, is the anniversary of the 2nd (and biggest) blizzard, which lasted 2 days and was followed by another after two days off. In Alexandria, the total for those two (which really was almost more like one great big one) was 41.4 inches. Ahh, the good ol’ days.

      Looks like I never got around to posting the post-Round 3 photos. But here’s Round 2:

      http://freckleddiaries.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/02/snowbound.html

      I wish we could have done it again!

      • http://freckleddiaries.typepad.com Catherine

        Well, here’s one from after Round 3–there really are cars under there! I still can’t believe the politicians who got all ruffled over the government’s closure actually thought those blizzards were anything but a real and true natural disaster of epic proportions, particularly for a place ill-prepared for anything more than 6 inches of snow!

        http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4137782&l=d56eda3019&id=517871783

  • nowhere

    The rain here in Vancouver was getting me down until I saw those pictures! Now the grey drizzle doesn’t seem so bad.

    I adore the fact that one of the things that got you out in the snow was a mission to buy an LP.

  • http://www.rideofsilence.org/chicago E A

    yup… back to work for me yesterday — Lincoln Ave was fine but very few of the side streets were plowed. One street was actually plowed in!!! Ha! By the time I rode home, I saw more side streets cleared but still treacherous. I like seeing pavement when I ride so I stuck to the arterials. Only a few honks coming home (all fine going).

    Wish I could have enjoyed your 2nd snow day with you… photos + thrift shop + biking… ah… awesomeness. Now it’s TGIF and it’s SUNNY too. :-) Enjoy the commute.

  • http://cris.livejournal.com cris

    I had meetings in the office so couldn’t work from home during the blizzard, but when the first wave of snowstorms hit us in January, I had a couple of work-from-home days. I totally got cabin fever on those days too and would get the bike out to go run errands, like pick up and drop off dry cleaning or get some flour and yeast for bread. People generally seemed amused to see someone out on a bike.

    The most recent blizzard introduced a mix of snow and ice and local plowing was not keeping up, so we opted to play it safe and just take the T on Tuesday. Friends of ours had planned a dinner party later that evening; and without our bikes, that journey required one T and two bus transfers then a taxi home. Goddamn, we missed having bikes then.

    The storm tailed off yesterday, and plowing had caught up to the conditions, so after leaving work I rode over to the MFA to meet the girl and check out a couple of exhibits on Chinese ink paintings as well as pop my head in the new Art of the Americas wing, then rode home through the Fenway. That was nice.

  • http://bikesinmotion.blogspot.com SM

    What a great way to spend a snow day! Love that you still buy vinyl and can’t wait to see the skirt with the horse prints. My snow day was not as fun and exciting and I ended up working from home for part of the day and shoveling – which I do not mind.

  • Aaron

    It was a bit nippy down here in San Diego too. I went on a mtn bike ride and I had to wear a flannel shirt at the beginning until I warmed up. Shot a short video to promote my friends punkrock mountain bike ride series.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfpEtdHdIkk

    Jokes aside. I am jealous. I moved here in the end of November from Virginia and feel like I missed the winter.

  • http://lovelybike.blogspot.com Lovely Bicycle!

    Aw, looks like Boston! : )

    The employees here have been really good about allowing “work from home” days. Not as much fun as snowdays, but at least they make the roads safer.

    • Iyen

      “Employees”. Heehee.

  • http://pittiesincity.blogspot.com/ Two Pitties in the City

    Your photos make it look so beautiful. We were shocked that they actually closed CPS. They NEVER close school in the city because so many students depend on the schools for a warm place and a meal. We liked the community aspect the blizzard brought out in everyone as all our neighbors were working to shovel out alleys and help clear the sidewalks.

  • http://www.inspiredcyclist.wordpress.com Maureen

    As usual, your photos capture the beauty of the nature and nature and the moment! Glad you had the opportunity to go out and enjoy the movies, just remember to be cautious of ice patches!

  • Jennifer

    Did you like the movie? I found it almost unbearably sad.

  • http://velo-city-girl.blogspot.com/ Lady Vélo

    WOW!

    That’s some serious snow!!!!