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Rains arrived recently, so riding has been touch and go. As summer cooled off, the past several weeks were spent preparing for winter setting in. Outside the back door is a thermometer with a wind chill chart. It shows when it's 40°, it can feel anywhere from 20° to 10° when you're traveling 15-20 mph.

I began planning during summer, visiting Lands' End. Their Extreme Squall Jacket offered a 10° temperature rating when worn over a light layer. It is built with a synthetic down insulation and a waterproof, windproof and breathable shell. The seams are sealed, with waterproof pockets and zippers.

While shopping for the jacket, I discovered their Thermacheck 100 Fleece. I brought in a couple of them. They're very lightweight, yet warm; and they're antistatic.

While shopping at the Goodwill Store, I found a pair of Nike wind pants for three dollars. No insulation; they're just a nylon windbreaker shell and have zippers near the ankles to get shoes through them. For an internal layer, I found a pair of polyester thermal knits. They are thinner than the cotton ones, and wear comfortably under the slacks when I need an extra layer.

The gloves were an office gift at Christmas last year, probably found for around $10. These are a 40g Thinsulate Fleece with vinyl across the palm and thumb. They work really nice when temperatures are in the low thrties.

A $10 bomber cap with a fleece scarf worked pretty well, but I knew it wasn't going to be enough when winter really set in. Lands' End had a great deal on a Fleece Balaclava ($12.50) made of the same Thermacheck 100 material as the fleece.

While using the bomber cap, I tried a $4 pair of work safety glasses. It really made a big difference, but there was a lot of lens fogging. After considering ski goggles, I discovered the Scott motocross goggles. It was the same cost to purchase at a local motocross shop as to purchase online, and the opportunity to check fitting over glasses before purchase.

The Scott 89X Tubroflow worked out really well. The tinted lens would be too dark, so a single clear lens replacement is in while a clear double lens is on order. The double lens is designed to deter fogging, but the foam behind the goggles is the biggest difference from the work safety glasses.

Winter hasn't totally set in yet. Temperatures will drop at least another ten degrees on some days, especially clear skies when nights are chock full of stars. Winters in Southern Oregon are considered generally mild compared to more colder parts of the nation. It's more comfortable to bundle up when biking through it.