Baby, it's cold outside!

 Today the temperature was around 15 degrees (or -7.1 C for all my Dutch readers out there). I dreaded riding my bike to my house I was scheduled to clean today. While I appreciated the sunshine today, I did NOT appreciate the cold and the wind. I felt like it was appropriate to try and paint a picture for my readers about what life without a car in the wintertime here is like. 

1. Get a good, warm coat. Preferably one that does not only have one button and flies open when you ride. Trust me. I know from experience that pea coats are great for the average America but for the Dutch, bike riding expat, not so much.

2. Get a nice, long, thick scarf. 

3. Warm gloves that will keep the wind out.

4. Long underwear is a necessity. I do not have any yet and everytime I ride for more than 5 minutes, my legs are thoroughly frozen by the time I get to my destination--which also makes getting to my destination more painful because it is surprisingly difficult to pedal a bike with frozen legs. Who knew?

5. Leg warmers. That is right my fashion-ista American friends, they are back. Or maybe they never left, at least for practical purposes. These are great if you want to wear a skirt somewhere because the leg warmers will keep your legs a lot warmer than just wearing your tights. 


Once you have compiled this list, you are ready for a warm adventure out on the cold streets of Leiden. You can really make do with just a coat, scarf, and gloves but it will not necessarily be a "warm" adventure. 


Now, onto the actual experience itself. You will unlock your bike from the cold, lonely alleyway, brush the snow off your seat and get on your bike. The wind will be the first thing that hits you, followed by a cooling sensation on your behind as the snow you didn't quite get all the way off starts seeping through your pants. Then you put the pedal to the medal(figuratively speaking of course) and start pedaling. 


There will be a sense of urgency to get where you are going quickly because the cold is setting in but your legs won't pedal much faster because they are starting to freeze. 


BUT WAIT. A weird thing is happening. . .you are sweating! That's right, underneath your bundle of clothing, you are sweating. Freezing, but sweating. It's an odd situation, but that is what happens.  By the time you arrive at your destination, you are hot AND cold.  Your legs are frozen but there is sweat running down your neck. It takes you a few minutes to adjust to your new, indoor surroundings and just as you sigh with relief that you made it, you realize that you will eventually have to ride home.