Biking in the cold - where motivation counts.

Waking up and seeing my iPhone app tell me that it feels like 34 degrees outside doesn't exactly make me jump out of bed with glee, but I do it anyway. Why do I do it? Because there are some things that motivate me to ride. First, there are the Mission Cycling A.M. Headland Raiders who keep me company in the morning. They are a great bunch to ride with and once I send that "in" e-mail, I really feel like a bum if I bail. And to my surprise, as the temperatures dropped, the number of morning riders has grown dramatically.

Here we are basking in the sunrise on Hawk Hill

Great company is just that - GREAT. But there is more. As the sunrise times continue to change throughout the year, every week the ride offers a slightly different perspective of what the nature around us looks like. For example, today we reached Hawk Hill just before sunrise and the ski was lit up in many magical colors.

Beautiful sunrise over San Francisco

Finally, on a cold day like today, it's always nice to relax with bike buddies over a cup of coffee and talk some bike talk before pedaling home and diving head first into the workday.

Velo Rouge Cafe serves up a great cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage in a cyclist friendly atmosphere.

So on those days when the weather to ride is less than ideal, think of things that motivate you to ride and get in that saddle. I promise you'll be glad you did.