Spring Has Sprung

Spring Has Sprung

It's late March now, and there's a feeling of spring in the air.  If the nights are clear they are still cold.  Not the icy, penetrating chill of deep winter, but chill enough to be thankful for putting on that extra jumper.  Yet if the day remains clear the sun shines bright and the day warms to a pleasing mid-teens.  It's strange to see the sun in full bloom and to feel it's warmth.  It's also very strange to wonder whether I really need 2 jumpers and the lumberjack shirt, or will one just do.  It's good to feel my mood clear a little too.  It's good to feel the heavy weight of winter's grasp slowly releasing and to see people out and about, to feel like there's hope for the future. 

It's also become a pleasure to ride the bike again.  This winter's been a harsh winter and there have been several times where I've asked myself if its time to give up this stupid dangerous cold and tiresome mode of transport.  After 21 winters I've ridden in most kinds of conditions it's possible to ride in, several times.  I've had my eyes freeze open, been so cold I've shivered for the whole day and been so wet and miserable so far from home I've cried inside my misted-up helmet.  I'm getting older too.

Then at last that first day of spring.  The first day when the road is dry, the temperature is tolerable, maybe even warm, the bike has had all the salt washed off and there's a pretty girl walking down the street.  It's only then can I remember why I ride bikes.  It's also amazing how quickly the pain, cold and suffering are soon forgotten. 

It's difficult to remember how to ride on a dry road.  After 3 or 4 months of roads either being wet, frozen or both, I've become used to cornering carefully, accelerating gently and braking in plenty of time.  So when I gingerly pitched the bike into the roundabout it comes as a surprise to feel the wheels still solid beneath me.  I leant a little harder, then a little harder and still no sensation of the world slipping away from me.  At the next roundabout I'm still not convinced that the road and rubber will support enthusiastic riding.  It's taken me a week of dry weather to learn to corner...yet again.

Of course we're never out of the woods.  The spring showers will come soon, the summer will be wet of course and autumn will be upon us before we know it.  I can handle all this though, as long as the temperature remains above finger numbing.  Here's to another wet and windy but hopefully warm summer.

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