Well, actually, that's what I would have said last week (and what Seals & Crofts said in 1973). This week? Back in the saddle and dry feet, friends!
We had a pretty cold snap in February, where it didn't get above zero for something like 10 days. And then it was sunny and in the mid-30s. And now the past couple of days the low temp has remained above freezing and the daytime temps have been warm, which means that almost all the snow is melted in our yard, streets are dry, and any stubborn ice patches on bridges and trails are pretty minimal (except those that were never plowed all winter and are in the shade by the river).
What does this mean? I've been on my road bike the past three days and it is glorious, just glorious, despite the fact that my recurring back issue is pretty, uhm, currently present. My back hurts because I haven't been stretching as much since we got our dog Haley on New Year's Eve. First, she'd prefer to sit on my lap when I'm on the floor. Second, I get covered in dog hair when I try to stretch. Then, I think poor body mechanics due to bracing one's self on slippery winter surfaces combined with hunching over to train the dog to walk on a loose leash combined with being in the car for a big road trip last weekend set the stage for discomfort that has not magically been alleviated by being on my bike. Weird.
Anyhow, last weekend! I'm so grateful that we had the means and opportunity to skip town to go to Gunflint Lodge last weekend. We stayed in a cabin on the side of the lake that isn't in Canada (although Dan walked across the lake, and technically was in Canada for a few minutes), and I took Haley for a lot of walks on the eerily booming lake as well as in the surrounding woods.
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| Haley's first car trip with us, not in a kennel. |
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| The trees were really sparkly in the morning sun. |
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| I didn't even know I was kissing her at the time. I was just putting her in a headlock for a photo. |
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| She's always on the edge of thin ice! Ha. |
I've told people in the past that I could freelance as a "justifier." You make a decision, pay me, and I'll tell you all the things that justify your decision. This weekend, I realize I have a related skill: rule bending. More specifically, bending rules for myself.
An example: on Friday, I took Haley for a walk and tried to go up the "High Cliffs Trail." It was too slippery and steep and she and I kept on sliding backwards, despite the fact that there was a rope "railing" for a stretch that I was using to try to pull myself up, while holding on to her leash with my other hand (essential since she ran away the night before - - more on that another time!). We skipped that trail, but I went back the next day by myself. I hate ice and I'm tentative on going down rocks and trails even when they are dry. Anyhow, I'd make a rule for myself about the conditions I was willing to endure crawling up on my hands and knees on the ice on the "High Cliffs" and "Lost Cliffs" trails. And then change the rules about the conditions I was willing to endure. Finally, near the final last bend to the topmost point, I couldn't figure out how to climb up and was trying to plot it out but couldn't get a good starting point. I finally reminded myself that if I can't really find a way up, going down would be impossible, and maybe I just hit the end of my adventure.
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| Friday's view of the bluff I'd climb up on Saturday |
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| View from the Lost Cliffs Trail |
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| View from the Lost Cliffs Trail |
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| Either way, there's some terrain! |
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| The last leg of the High Cliffs Trail. I made it almost all the way there! |
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| I got snow up my sleeves, up my pants legs, and apparently in my pockets, when sliding down on my butt. |
As it was, I (along with others I met earlier in the day, according to their accounts) ended up sliding down most of the trail on my butt, where it was covered in ice versus rocks or snow. It was like a water park flume and was pretty fun (and quick!) except for the two parts that were near a cliff edge. That was a little more sweat-inducing, although I was able to rely on that rope railing thing a bit and aim for a tree to stop myself.
This experience illuminated for me how I've ended up in some weird biking situations (like riding with Matt through thigh-high water, next to fish and ducks, and then climbing on the outer edge of a bridge to continue on our merry way). I don't think this is a flaw, necessarily, but it is good to be self aware!
Anyhow, we got to experience one last weekend of a not-cold version of winter up in the woods, and it was a welcome change of scenery from our house where we've spent oh-so-much time in the past year. And now, it is spring.
The past few days, I've been putting on my BikeMS team captain hat and getting things situated for this year's rides. They're a little different than in years past due to COVID (the two-day, 150-mile ride will be a 75-mile ride and the five-day, 300-mile ride, will be a two-day, 100-mile ride). The extent to which I do them (or train) with a group will depend on when I get vaccinated, but I will do some version of them - either the exact route or my own replacement rides - again this year, in conjunction with a personal goal that I'm trying to settle on.
Regardless, I'm focusing all of my fundraising efforts on one ride again this year: https://mssociety.
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| Our sweet girl, scared of the fireplace, thought that when I was "finishing" some bacon from the restaurant that wasn't crispy enough for my liking, she heard a crackling fire. She sought comfort from me, not realizing I was the source of her anxiety. |
