Two snow rides in one day

In an attempt to ride/hang out with people I embarked upon two separate snow rides yesterday. Both at the same trails. Both the same route. However, both rides were very different.

The morning was cold. Real cold. The "feels like" temp was 7 when I got back into the car after the ride. There was just a little snow and ice on the trails.

The night ride was, well at night, with lights and such. It was also about 10 degrees warmer. Weird, right? It was also snowing, giving the trails about 1/2 to an inch more snow than the morning ride. I forgot my neoprene booties and somehow I lost a front brake pad before the ride started. Only rear brakes for me for an hour and forty minutes! What's worse is that I didn't actually lose the pad!

When I got home in good light I checked it out closer. I couldn't see the outside pad in the shadows of the parking lot and because it wasn't moving towards the rotor no matter how much I adjusted it, I assumed it gone. My best guess is that the brake got moisture in it from the first ride which then froze during the drive to the second ride, therefore not allowing the 4 year old beat up BB7's to function properly. I'm such an idiot!

It was a good day and the most trailbiking I have done in a long time!