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My bike buried under snow in Geneva

Geneva, Switzerland – The 30cm chute de neige of the past 3 days has left me nostalgic for the snowbound days of my youth, when a good storm could leave you holed up for days in a home tens of miles from the nearest convenience store. Often there was nothing to do but break out the board games, and enjoy whatever company you were marooned with.

Resignation to nature’s whim was a reality; I remember some winters making the 3 km walk up the hilly road to our house, when cars became just so much metal, your legs were your best asset.

Aside from the inevitable accidents this windfall has brought, I have enjoyed the slowed pace of the city, and the forced reliance on foot traffick when even public transport has been forced to a standstill. For me, the slow down has meant moving from two wheels to walking through the carpeted city.

Last night though, I made a valiant effort at biking home. Actually, it was less dicey than I imagined, with traffick stalled I was the fastest thing on the road and the above freezing temperature kept the ice to a minimum. The slushy ride conjured up images of my sister who rode her bike all through the winter in university, bundled up like the Siberian grandmothers she was studying.

The bigger casualty has been the absence of motorcycle transport, my default for longer commutes year round. Genevans are intrepid if not very pragmatic when it comes to getting on their scooters and motorbikes in inclement weather; I am always amazed at the number of cyclists I see creeping around town with their legs extended to the icy roadtop to avert any sudden loss of traction. But really, there is no finer locomotion than a pair of good walking boots in this weather.

Leave the motor, and dare I say it, the wheels at home and enjoy a stress-relieving walk to work this week.

Two wheels are better than four, but sometimes two feet trumps all.

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