Hi all and thanks! The cold period did not last long this time and we're back at about 0 - 1 temperatures. Good thing I had a few days off so I could go out on a colder day!
We use engine (or block) heaters up here. Most of them are electical, so parking lots are lined with electric outlets. Gadgets like that are a must in a climate that we have.
Electric outlets for block heaters are common here, too, Jarmo. However, most folk (including ourselves) rarely use them because their cars start, with maybe a few grumbles, in temperatues down to -35 to -40 C not counting wind chill.
Some intrepid (or silly) souls ride pedal bikes with motorcycle-sized tyres throughout the winter. They're called "
fat bikes" because of the tyres that provide good traction in snow and ice. Here's a photo of a Surly fat bike made in Minnesota. I'm told that Surly was the company that pioneered these bicycles. Fat bike racing in snow or over sand dunes (in Australia) became quite a fad.
I bought a fat bike during the summer and ride it happily in temperatures down to -10 C. Here's a photo of me and my fat bike taken during the summer. I don't have a picture of riding it in the snow. Cheers, Mike.
