Monday, March 26, 2012

Spring. And punching a dog in the nose.

This past weekend, I got 100 miles in on my bike in three days. Beautiful days to ride, and I only wore long sleeves one of the days.

Friday, going east on Co.Rd. 27 to meet Rachael and David, a black lab chased me. At first I thought I outran him, and had started to ease off my "dog-fleeing sprint," and suddenly, he was right beside me again, snapping at my thigh! I usually grab my water bottle and squirt a chasing dog in the face with gatorade. The sugar/electrolytes don't hurt the dog but startle him and probably sting momentarily, enough for me to get away. This time, the dog was so close, I was sure that if I reached for my bottle, he would indeed get a piece of my leg! So when he lunged for me, I punched him in the nose! He stopped! Who knew? That's a first in my cycling career.

Usually March rides mean full winter gear, fighting biting winds. Riding in shorts was a treat. Can it last? Are we going to get hammered with snowstorms in April? Or will we get the rain we need and slide seamlessly into full-on spring and summer? Who knows!

This morning, the wind is howling outside my window. Freya and I went out and played  "catch me if you can," which is only the precursor to tug-of-war, which is all she really wants to play. I had to come back inside for a stocking hat, it was so chilly. The overcast sky hangs gray and deep and threatens rain--if it were any other winter/spring transition, I'd say the sky threatens snow, but this year, rain seems the only logical outcome. We need moisture, however we get it.

This is the first day all month that feels like March. Strange, strange, strange.

The robins have been back for some time, and the bluebirds arrived last week.  The trees are silver-green against the sky, already popping their buds. It's spring, and it's only March 26.  I love it, but the earliness of the season fills me with some unease.

And now? I have to go do my taxes. Blogging is procrastination. Onward.





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