20-degrees in Long Lake today. Wind out of the NW at 10 mph. I wore 5 layers on top but it was still pretty damned chilly in the saddle.

I'm not so great at selfies, especially when my fingers are frozen solid. 

It was about twenty-degrees today. Despite layering capillene long johns, jeans, tee shirt, long sleeve microfiber top, 2 wind vests, one Patagonia fleece and a zip-up windbreaker -- not to mention a lame-looking face gaiter and a cap, and a pair of leather dress gloves:  I was cold, cold, cold after half an hour on the Giant this afternoon.
Here's the thinking -- not very rational.  Since the sun was shining bright.  And we'd had tons of rain in the past few days. And the gloomy skies that go with it. And I was driving home in my KIA, heater blasting, I thought I felt warm enough to get out on the bike.

So I suited up in plenty of layers, pedaled north up Tamarack, then headed east on Hwy 24. I planned to ride to Starbucks, just imagining how yummy a chai latte with soy would taste when I got there. 

By the time I was a couple of miles into the ride my fingers were tingling from the cold, going numb -- gloves clearly not up to the task.

So once I passed Holy Name Catholic Church, and turned north again to take me over to Medina Road, so I could then turn west toward home, I wasn't having much fun.  And the wind was slamming me on the nose -- making those frigid fingers feel like they were going to break off.

Back home I limped, and glad to get here I might add. Temp is headed into the 40's over the next couple of days.  I'll try again and let you know about that latte.  Thanks for reading this post.

PS - you've surely had cold weather riding experiences of you own.  Please let me hear from you and I'll tell YOUR story here on the Poppy Blog.