Riding After Dark
I used to have a strict rule when cycling: I would have to be back under the light of streetlamps before dark. My thinking was that I would not be able to see country roads at night, and thus I had to be back in an urban area by sunset.
Then in Dec 2023 I rode down to Brantford and mistimed my ride. I was still in Brantford and it was getting dark. I knew I would not be able to make it back to Cambridge in time. So I went to a Dollarrama and spent $6.50 on a cheap LED headlamp and batteries, strapped the light to my head, and hoped for the best as I cycled back home. Unfortunately, it worked. I was able to see the road, other cars were able to see me, and I made it back to Cambridge (and eventually back home) safely.
Since then I have often ridden my bicycle on country roads after dark. This has had some advantages and many disadvantages. Advantages:
I have been able to see stars for the first time in a long while. I had seen stars before, but not very many. I still do not see that many (far fewer than I saw when I was on a trip to India decades ago) but I can often see several and make out some constellations.
I have seen junebugs/lightning bugs for the first time.
I have seen how bright the moon can be.
I have heard coyotes howling to each other at night. (At least, I presume they are coyotes. I don't think wolves live in this area.)
I am less constrained on when I have to leave for home on my cycling trips.
Here have been a few of the many disadvantages:
I am less contrained on when I have to leave for home on my cycling trips, which means I often start on those cycling trips later than I would have before, which makes cycling less fun.
Cycling in the dark is boring and sometimes scary. I can see the road immediately ahead of me, but there is little scenery and not much context. Sometimes I do not realize I am biking uphill until I am huffing and puffing.
Oncoming cars have lights that are far too bright, and they blind me as they approach. It is very unpleasant, and usually when there is oncoming traffic I have to slow my pace to a crawl.
Overall I cycle more slowly at night than when there is daylight, which is terrible since I am already incredibly slow.
Nights are colder than days, which can be okay on hot summer nights but is deeply unpleasant in the winter.
I have found that the key to cycling at night is visibility. Modern LED bike lights provide enough light to see the white lines marking the road shoulder and the yellow line marking oncoming traffic. I have to be careful to be visible as well, with strong lights on both the back and front of my person.
I wish I did not ride at night as much as I do, but I am probably stuck with it now.