The Inuit have a whole load of terms for snow. This is mainly because they have an awful lot of it where they live, and also because, as a people, they are fans of weather-based fact-books and like to ensure that they feature in every one (possibly). Bearing in mind the weather we’ve seen recently I’m now surprised we don’t have more words for different types of rain. I mean, I know we do, but there are hardly enough. I would like a word for the type of rain that makes every manhole cover and painted line about 40 times more slippery than other rain, and one for the rain that hardly seems to get you wet at all, despite falling on you a lot. I have a word for the sudden torrential freezing rain that falls on you 10 minutes into your ride to work, but I can’t tell you as children might be reading.
Here’s hoping we’ll have to use one or many of the Eskimo snow-words soon to describe a ride to work. It’s a nice step outside the ordinary when your route in becomes a tricky, slippy challenge, rather than the usual, although it makes you wonder, for a day, whether some modifications to your bike (like perhaps ski-stabilisers?) might be a good idea.
Talking of modifications I like the attitude of the Bike Bloc in Copenhagen who are reclaiming abandoned bikes from the streets to build into new bikes for use in a critical mass type protest. Whether or not you agree with the outcome I still think the idea of reclaiming unused bikes is to be applauded.
If you’re feeling like a bit of a decent bike rider have a look at this video from Dave Mirra’s recent competition. That’ll soon cut you down to size.
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