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Having 3 courses already scheduled to measure before April, has me wondering just when I might be able to get out there and measure them. Hate to wait too much longer for nice weather to suddenly appear, the race dates are March 12, March 19, and April 3. Naturally this time of year the snow is flying around here in Rochester, NY and day time temperatures are generally below freezing, especially early in the morning when measuring to avoid traffic is best. What are your thoughts and considerations when it comes to winter weather measuring?

Is measuring when temperatures are below 30 F just a matter of bundling up and staying warm or are there a few issues to deal with that change our normal measuring procedures? I know from my years in Texas that the temperature extremes from the time you might calibrate in the morning and the time when you re-calibrate could fluctuate 20-30 degrees, which throws a big wrench into the measurement numbers. Yet, in Texas it was almost always warm weather, rarely cold like in the North.

Your comments are most appreciated.

Kevin P. Lucas
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As far as I am concerned cold weather measuring is just like any other measuring, except it's a lot less pleasant. Calibration change is taken care of by using the larger constant. I've found that my winter calibrations change less than do my summer ones.

The only thing that has ever kept me off the roads in winter, when I had a job to do, was snow or ice on the road. Can't ride or paint on it. Also, I've found that I can't think as well once I start to get cold.

You might want to keep your can of spray paint inside your jacket to keep it warm. I do that or it doesn't spray worth a hoot.
Agreed, Pete. I rode a marathon course in Pensacola a couple of weeks ago in very cold temps (wind chill probably in the low 20s) and found the constants changed little, compared to a handful of feet difference and *very* minor constant change (.0002) on a 50-degree, drizzly day last week.

Thinking was the hardest thing...fortunately, we had two vehicles following to mark the locations and measure the particulars, leaving the RD and myself to freeze on our bikes.

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