Cycling in sub-zero temperatures is not much fun.

Factor in the wind chill at my normal riding speeds of around 25-30 km/h and the whole experience is positively unpleasant.

Of course it’s the middle of winter when most normal people resist the temptation to cycle recreationally unless absolutely necessary.

However, having recently moved to Heerlen in South Limburg, the urge to get out and explore my new environment is certainly ‘essential’ in my mind, as is the need to keep exercising.

This morning it was minus 1 outside so I decided to take a walk instead of cycle, mainly to avoid the wind-chill.

I had no real plan. I’ve already walked to the local supermarket a few times, about 450 metres away, so I took that familiar route to start with.

Then I just kept going, intending to stay out for about an hour or so.

I live about 4 km from the centre of Heerlen so I thought, maybe, head that way then loop back on a different route.

This was before the light flurries of snow caused a rethink and after a few right turns I could see the apartment block again and arrived home after just 2.6 km.

I used my Ride with GPS cycling tracker to record the walk and hopefully the next excursion, preferably by cycle, will be considerably longer.

The image above, from this morning, was taken from my 8th floor apartment looking west towards Heerlen centre.

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