early season commuting in Minnesota

Here in the Midwest, riding in the Spring-time can often mean completely different wardrobes at different times of the day. This not only means one must own a broad assortment of riding clothes but it has the potential to make dressing and packing for a single weekday's commute notably challenging. Morning temps can start at 3o-odd degrees while an afternoon can top out in the 60's or even 70's.

I find a light packable wind vest, arm and leg/knee warmers as well as toe covers to be indispensable accessories this time of year. Full-finger gloves and some sort of a hat, too, of course.

Nevertheless, some people manage to pull off Spring-time riding in Minnesota with a single get-up for the entire day. These folks seem to err on the light side, putting up with morning chills in order to avoid over heating in the afternoon. I am not one of these people but I'm certainly not about to tell him or her how to dress.

Others, take it in an entirely contrary direction.

Though this photo may not do him justice, the guy up ahead on the receiving end of the "thumbs up" chose to don a full-body, safety-orange skin-suit. What makes this scene all the more precious for me is knowledge that none other than famed Italian bicycle component manufacturer, Campagnolo, at some point in time, produced this gem.

Priceless.