Buds !

This is always a fascinating time of year for me. When fall comes we are buried in Cyclocross as the leaves fall, and the grass stops growing. My T-shirts get pushed to the back of the closet and I start living in fleece. My prized beanie collection gets to work and the memories of summer fade into the shadows.

Sometime after Christmas I settle in to cold weather habitation. Summer is a long way off and the short, dark Northwest days force us inside. I ride with Paulo at lunch and my spin class is done before the sun comes up. Getting up in the dark is okay and driving to the gym in the dark isn’t so bad. Leaving the gym to head for the office when it is still dark is demoralizing. Leaving the office and walking to your car in the dark is likewise a reminder of the latitude. Whenever I ride I have three times as much laundry as I do after summer rides.

Then every year at about this time it happens. I notice that I drive to work without turning on my headlights. I see buds on the trees. We take Lily for a walk and I unzip my jacket because it is warming up. Birds are singing in the morning. I put on my sunglasses when I’m driving home after work. All of these things catch me unaware.

I look at the pictures in back issues of Velonews and riding in the sunshine looks so fun. I begin to realize the winter won’t last forever and that spring is knocking at the door. We will get more cold weather, but my mind can at least fathom the thought of summer.

What intrigues me is how much of a surprise it is to me when I make this sudden realization every single year.

We have barbequed every month since we got the grand machine, but over the winter it has clearly been by exception and we eat the resulting product indoors. When summer does come we will be living on the deck and enjoying everything I have forgotten about. On a warm July evening when we have had yet another great meal on the deck, my memories of this winter will be hidden beyond the long shadows.