Thursday AM commute

With the training camp in Solvang, CA fast approaching, I decided it was time to get some long days in instead of the short but painful trainer workouts that have been the meat and potatoes of this snow-less winter. What better way than a bike commute or two? And the weather cooperated! When I left the house Thursday AM at about 5:30, it was 60F (!) and not a cloud in the sky. The Big Dipper was right overhead but where were the Belt of Orion and some of the other constellations? It was not the same sky as I was used to looking at in the early evening from the hot tub. With the air being so warm and the rivers I passed still cold, I passed thru many belts of fog, some of which I could see over the tops of. And the warm temperature got all the creatures out of bed early. I live in the midst of farmlands and the deer were out in force that morning. And many were trying to figure out what it was that was approaching them. My twin headlights were blazing but I was not making the sort of noise a car or motorcycle would make. So they stared and stared, perhaps curious, perhaps dumbfounded, till I started whistling and shouting at them to get them to move on their way before I got close enough to panic them. The robins were out early also, both time of day and season, doing their best to chase other robins away from territory they wanted for prospective mates. The cranes were active, clattering and calling and as the sky lightened, I saw a flock of sand hill cranes, 11 or 12 of them moving unhurriedly across the sky. Unfortunately, the warm temperatures also aroused the raccoons who seem to insist on crossing the road at just the wrong time. No mishaps but I have had a raccoon slam into me once (fortunately a small one) and I no better than to count on their eye sight or their innate intelligence. The sun was coming up just as I got out of farmlands and into the more populated areas closer to work, painting all the houses a rosy glow.
The ride home was like a day in late May - low 70s. Shorts weather! I had just enough sunblock in my desk from last season to cover my lily white legs. I expected to see a lot of cyclists out and was not disappointed. Everyone seemed to be taking advantage of the crazy warm weather. If only it is this nice in Solvang! This year, we are certainly not escaping the cold and snow!

Jim Merrifield