Grandstanding

Why do I bike-commute in cold weather?

It's certainly not for fun, fitness, cleaner air, reduced dependence upon foreign oil, or to save money. The risk of skin exposure and frostbite is very real. Extra clothes are a nuisance (both on the bike and hanging unprofessionally in my office to dry). I carry an extra coat (in case I have to stop to fix a flat). Visibility is an issue (foggy goggles). Car drivers don't expect to see bicyclists as much in the cold, and cars have their own visibility issues (ice on the windshields). So why do I ride? It could be that I love being outdoors, and the 10-mile ride renews my saddle calluses a little. But that's not enough. There must be something else.

Perhaps it is being able to park my bike on the rack outside my office building before everyone else arrives, and the resulting comments I get throughout the day. Or perhaps it is the ability to post blog entries like this one, along with snarky thermometer photos. Could I be grandstanding? I wonder...