Spring or winter?

On Monday, it was 68 degrees for the high temperature at the house.  Upon rising this morning (Tuesday), it was 20 degrees and snowing.  Enough of this "springtime in the Rockies" as the local saying goes.  No opening day for the spring time trial season on Wednesday with a forecast high temperature of 30 degrees and a near-zero wind chill.

What do I think of winter at this point?

You know it is spring when ...

the birds are singing.  Robins are singing well before dawn searching for a mate.  Meadowlarks (my favorite bird tune) call to each other as I pass them by.  Are they warning each other about the funny looking dude on a bike?  Or are they looking for a mate too?  I heard several blue jays raising a ruckus in the yard two days ago.  I walked outside and saw six in one of our pine trees.  What were they so concerned about?  I looked down and a hawk was having a blue jay for lunch.  It was a lot like Puddy Cat though as there were only feathers laying about by that time.

It is also spring when the number cyclists I see out and about skyrockets.  Today was a warm day and I  saw more than a hundred riders.  Contrast that to Tuesday when the weekend's foot of snow was down to six or so inches.  Only two other riders that day during my 25 miles.

Daffodils are ready to pop out.  Perhaps tomorrow for Easter!  Of course, spring means spring cleanup around the yard and gardens of the house.  There is lots to do pruning last year's perennials and raking out the leaves thatwe  let lay in the garden through the winter.  Robin talked tonight about hiring someone next year to do it.  Only because her knees were talking to her.  My legs were talking to me too today but that was after a hard set of interval training and then straight into the yardwork.  Take a break next time, Tommy D!

I did some spring training in California and Arizona.  Three weeks of warmer cycling suited me just fine.  Although, I still needed tights and long sleeves in the early morning on the coast AND in the SoCal desert.  If it would only be so cool when I am in Indio in six weeks.  I met some former CR riders and it was good to catch up with them.  Also my buddy Joe from high school who may join me for the first few miles of the CR ride.

Another sign of spring--six more weeks until the next batch of CrossRoads cyclists takes off from the Manhattan Beach pier.  Robin and I will be there to support them during the next 48 days to Boston.  It is hard to believe that it has been eight years since I took off from the pier for the first time.

Tom Massoth and I in Newport Beach (above).

Jim, Ira, and I near Marina Del Rey.

  Near Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale.

From our friends' home in La Quinta, just four miles from where we lay over in Indio.  Could it look any moredifferent from what we think of as Indio?

A grown man cries

I did not cry because I had crashed my bike. Robin and I became grandparents in September when our daughter Lisa gave birth to Amy. Lisa and Brian gave us a photo that mimicked one I had taken of Robin and Lisa 34 years earlier. They found the same spot in Boulder and Lisa struck the same pose with Amy. Upon opening this special gift on Christmas Eve, I was overcome with emotion and had to leave the room to cry by myself. I told them my experience the next day. Having children and grandchildren is wonderful.

Road Music

Staying in a different hotel every night for seven weeks sometimes induces panic. My first instance was when I noticed that my heart rate monitor was not registering. I felt my chest and the monitor was not there. Did I leave it in the hotel? I called the staff who had just left and asked him to check my room. After a couple of minutes I found the monitor secured snugly around my waist. Had I lost weight or had I not moved it to around my chest?

Or, where is the bathroom in the middle of the night? To my right or the left as I get out of bed? I really need to go! To my surprise, I have no idea where I am in the middle of the night for a week after getting home from these long trips.

This past year, I did not have my wallet in my jersey at some point during day. I was more rational about it though figuring it was in my duffel. It was.

I have been researching music for the road to put on a mix CD for our SAG stops next year. This YouTube video will be a hit at the route rap in Riverside. For the un-initiated, we start the cross-country bike trip in El Segundo. Have a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WILyWmT2A-Q

Was that funny? Staff will be doing a sing-a-long.

All things are temporary

Cold weather does not last.  Today it is in the mid-50s and the outdoors became my playground.  My cold tolerance is about 30 degrees but the day will have to be reasonably devoid of wind.  Sunshine makes it more tolerable.  The roads also have to be free of ice.  They were not on Monday and Tuesday.  I did have one slushy spot to go through today.  Thankfully, I know that snow and ice linger in that spot so I rolled through it with no problem.

Congratulations to Barbie.  I wish you a love of life and a long life full of love.

Winter at last

This was the longest Indian summer that I can remember. But it has finally turned cold and for a few days, the workouts have moved indoors. At least, I have a few options. Rather than wearing my bike out on a trainer, I have a nice spin bike. Mr. and Mrs CrossRoads gave us a treadmill. Larry is leaving running behind as have I. Robin and I will use it to walk.

I do have mixed feelings about the colder weather and snow. It was a very dry year and all of Colorado can use the moisture. I just do not want it like 2006-07 when I could not take the bike outside for six weeks for the icy roads.

What I feel

Why do I spend so much time on a bike?  Looking at a hot-air balloon this morning with "Freedom" on its side brought to mind the freedom I feel on the bike.