As we continued to climb an unpleasant sight unfolded in front of us. Black ice and snow were on the road. It had snowed the previous week, and although the great majority of the road was clear and dry, those parts of the road that were in the shade during the day were icy and treacherous. You can not cycle on black ice. The riders who slipped and fell because of the ice can attest to that.
Black ice is snow melt that has frozen on the asphalt or concrete road surface.
It is very hard to notice, and it provides zero traction. Although we were on a secondary road, there was a surprising amount of traffic, and the traffic contributed to the increased danger of the roadway. I tried an innovative technique. When there was ice ahead, and a car coming up from behind, I stopped riding, dismounted and waited for the traffic to pass. That night we stayed at the Pine Valley Community Center.