I #LoveMnWinter. Today, I love popcorn.
By Patrick Weber
The past few weeks I have been trying to figure out how to sum up my first winter bike season. Popcorn. The smell of it as I heat up my hand warmers in the morning, and get ready to ride out at 5 a.m. in the darkness. I look forward to my morning commute — it’s quiet, still, and always a new adventure with how the road conditions will be after a snowfall or a frigid night bringing icy roads. I enjoy dusting off the snow on my bike, and watching others on my street dust off snow on their cars and pre heating their vehicles as I heat up my own community with my own body. I keep in the back of my mind how the streets were so later on the Grease Rag road reports I can let my community know what to expect.
Winter season views are the most beautiful, and I get to enjoy them more as I bike past the glitterly lights and snow. Stay calm and beautiful, Minnesota.
After opening my coffee shop for the day, I get to enjoy a latte or earl grey tea, and warm up slowly and watch people as they walk through the building trying to stay warm, and I remember not too long ago my fingers were almost frozen while the rest of my body was overheating a bit from an extra layer.
Always fun to see who else joined me with biking on negative degree, snowy days. Some days, my bike is forever alone.
Going home for the day, I put my hand warmers in the microwave at work. Smell popcorn in the air, and ponder what I am going to do for the rest of the day. Maybe bike to a friend’s house. Enjoy the sun a bit more by talking a walk to get food. I get home and take off my gloves and popcorn smells remain on my hand and a smile is brought to my face.
Shout-out to Juice So Good for providing me daily ginger shots! Honestly without them I may have gotten the winter crud five times by now.
Popcorn. A simple treat, just like winter biking. You can add more flavor to it, or keep the it at the basics of corn and butter. I chose to keep things simple this year, and ride my normal commute bike, just with some winter flare. People view me as a badass, while I view myself as someone who is just living their life, and enjoying a new adventure with new friends and old friends.
Oh yeah. Lookin’ good.
Thank you Grease Rag, and thank you to my big sister Carolyn for showing me the world of winter biking through community support, open shops, and sending me supplies. I look forward to riding out the rest of the season with you all, and enjoying that first day of spring together. Maybe we can have a group ride to an outdoor movie and enjoy some popcorn together.
Tweet your own loves: #lovemnwinter @greaseragmpls.