With all the discussion about cool weather clothing in the last couple of days, there’s another aspect of our changing seasons that passed by almost unnoticed. That’s the switch from Daylight Savings Time back to Standard Time. I’ve decided I don’t like it.
Now, I’m a grown adult. In fact, I’m probably older than most of the readers of this blog. I’ve dealt with the switch back to Standard Time for years and years, and it’s never affected me negatively before. Until now.
Tuesdays have been the midweek day when I’ve been able to squeeze in a ride after work. My schedule allows me to bug out at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, and I can get home, get changed, and be on the bike by 5 most of the time.
Even though I knew it would get dark an hour earlier, today I still thought I could rush home and get an abbreviated ride in — maybe do 12 miles instead of 19 or 20. That would still be nice.
But after a quick stop at the store to get some essentials, and a detour to our community mailbox (it’s located a couple of blocks from the house), I got home at 5:20. Sunset today was at 5:41. No time for a ride. Bummer. It looks like my riding will be confined to Friday afternoons and Sunday mornings for the rest of winter. My mileage will drop precipitously.
I hate Standard Time.
I look at it the other way – daylight savings is an anachronism that should have been tossed a looooong time ago. Then there wouldn’t be the contrast to mess hard working cyclists up.
Lights for the bike?
It’s a tradeoff. Since I commute early in the morning going back to standard time makes my morning commute not quite so dark.
Light the bike up, get some reflective clothing, and just go ride. Darkness does not preclude bicycling.
Another vote for lights!
I do 8 miles a day in complete darkness since I get off work at 7.
I love it… I leave for work riding along as the sun rises. And I return from work riding along just before dark. At least before the days get too short, its the best time to bike commute. The cool air, orange and red skies, and autumn leaves are the best. Its my favorite time of year.
In the past, I’d always considered the time-change to mark the end of my outdoor season.
Which is probably why I look forward to the spring time-change so much. 😉
Bush signed a law to change the dates of the time changes, effectively ‘shortening’ my ‘indoor season’
Either way, it’s all about making it to Dec 21st, when the days will start getting longer again.
I don’t get a lot of joy riding around the country in the dark, but I like Standard time because I get light back in the mornings. I wish the country would just pick a time and stick to it.
I just set up my bicycle with a xenon strobe, a 7W LED flashlight and LED light strips. I have found that regular LED blinkers are very dim and only direct light directly behind you. With bright lights riding at night is a lot of fun.