Is It Really Spring Now?

We've had some glorious weather around here for the past few days - highs in the 50's and even a 60 yesterday. The snow is gone. All that's left are the dirty ice berms, the remnants from the snow plow's work on the sides of the street.

This time of the year always appeals to me more than just about any other time. The days when the snow is melting and the sun is out take me back to Paul's Lake when dad would finally get the bikes out from the basement. The promise of riding bikes around the neighborhood after a few months of trudging through snow, and the idea that summer was not too far off always gladdened the heart.

It may seem odd, but I find the angle of the sun at this time of year simply lovely. The light is filtered through more atmosphere and that atmosphere is bit more dingy so there is not the blast furnace effect of summer or the cold clarity of a January sun. (I like fall for the same reason.)

Spring also makes me think of the end of the swim season. From 8th grade through my sophomore year in college, I spent many winter mornings and every winter school evening in the pool, often getting to school before dark and then leaving after the sun had set. The beginning of March was always State Championship time, so the taper was in full effect and one felt invincible in the pool. After months of hard, hard training, coming out into the light of spring in the best shape of one's life makes an indelible association of weather and physical well being.

Unfortunately, I won't be getting the same spring rush this year as I have in the past. The last couple of years I've been riding my bike through the winter, as much as practicable, so the warm weather and lack of ice on the streets in the spring were a source of excitement. This winter was more harsh than the last two, and I kinda fell off my bike, as it were. Now that the weather is warming up, I'd like to start riding to work again. My commute is down from a 27 mile round trip to about a 16 mile round trip, but since I start at 5:00, it would mean getting up at around 3:30-3:45 to get there on time. We'll see. I need to figure out just how long it will take me to get there and plan accordingly.