Ice bike racing and five more ways to have fun riding your bike in the winter

I didn't ride this weekend. I was busy and it was too damn cold.

Scratch that. I could have made time for riding, but I was too damn cold. But now I'm feeling guilty.

Mike (a reader and former co-worker) e-mailed this article in the New York Times to me about Ice Bike Racing. My first reaction was that Ice Bike Racers are just a bunch of loons with too much time on their hands. You'd have to be crazy to get out there on the ice in Minnesota, Alaska, Ontario, etc...

Then I thought about it a little. Some of my most memorable times on a bike came in the winter. I can recall this quest that I embarked upon several years ago, this tomfoolery after a blizzard hit the area, and several other occasions I didn't write about.

I think the thing about winter riding is that you cannot expect the same things out of it that you get from riding in nice weather. Instead you have to go with the flow. Improvise a little.

I started this piece by saying that I felt guilty. It's not because I need to try to stay in shape (that's true, I do), but rather it's because I missed being on my bike - and no, being on the trainer in the basement is not the same thing.

So what I think I'm going to do is do like the Ice Bikers. Improvise a little and come up with a new way to think about cycling in the winter. It's just not that fun doing the same thing that I do in warm weather when it's cold. So if you're like me and need some inspiration to get your fat ass off the couch or maybe in your case your fit ass off the trainer here are some ideas:

• Go on a quest. If your regular riding buddies aren't up for it find some new ones through your local mountain bike club. The quest should be something that will take the entire day and push your limits. Ride the full length of an incredibly long or difficult trail, for example.
• Ride in the snow. This will make you feel like a kid again. Don't worry about the cycling gear. Put on some snow pants, boots, and winter coat and just get out there. It doesn't always have to be about the exercise.
• Go night riding. Yes, it's colder at night and hard to see, but it changes your perspective and makes old trails seem new. Plus, you warm up faster since you have to concentrate doubly hard.
• Challenge a friend or neighbor to ride to Starbucks. Bundle up in your parka and wool hat, throw some cute mittens (ladies only, please) on if you must, but wouldn't it be a more memorable cup of coffee than if you simply drove.
• Make an event out of riding. Ride to a museum or other point of interest. These guys invented the Tuesday Night Swill ride, bringing bikes and beer into a weekly occasion. So what if the hair in your nose freezes up all dry-ice, Snow Miser style.

Do cyclists in Minnesota, Alaska, and Canada sit around spinning in their basements to stay fit in the winter. Noooo....they get out there and make the most of it. "Why not clear the ice and put some spikes on the tires and race roller derby style like a bunch of loons?," they say.

And the experience is worth writing about.

Photo by T.C. Worley for The New York Times.