Sign of spring

I was riding back home from work on Friday when I saw something rather startling. Coming towards me was a woman riding a comfort bike, complete with riser handlebars and the large comfy seat. It was a clear sign of spring.

Except for the fact that it was -10 degrees outside! She was bundled up in a thick coat with a scarf that covered most of her face, and she was doing her best trying to remain upright on the bike as she rode over a thick covering of ice and snow with her narrow tires. To her credit, she was successful in her efforts, but the sheer concentration required was completely at odds with the relaxed nature of her bike.

It must be noted that spring had officially arrived a couple days before, and so you can imagine how disappointed the residents of Edmonton are now that we have returned to full winter conditions. I wondered if this woman was trying to change the weather through a sheer act of will. Bring out the summer bike, and the temperatures would rise accordingly. The very definition of wishful thinking.

This reminded me of what my wife did many years ago. She absolutely hated having white legs and arms, a natural result of being indoors and covered up during the cold months of the year, and at the earliest opportunity, she would bring the lawn chairs onto our back patio and suntan as often as possible in the spring, developing a nice (healthy?) tan base that would last her until the autumn.

But there were times when she was a bit too optimistic. She would see a bright blue sky outside, and the rays streaming into our house were warm and inviting, and then she would tell me and my youngest son to go out and get the deck furniture. We were not foolish enough to question this (since there was still snow on the ground!!), and so we did as she asked. Then, when she put on her tanning outfit, grabbed her phone and headphones, and went out onto the patio, she would immediately see that the weather was far colder outside than she thought and she would immediately retreat back into the house. To her consternation, she would then have to wait for weeks until the weather cooperated enough to allow her to go outside with skin exposed. Mother nature is immune to our entreaties and operates on her own schedule, and she is not to be moved.

Which, I will let you know, is just fine by me. I am now at the start of spring break, and while for most people, this conjures up images of scantily clad young people in Fort Lauderdale and vacations to Maui, Edmonton is covered in snow and entrenched in temperatures that are falling to -15 degrees. Now I enjoy warm weather as much as any other person, and possibly even more than they do, but this extended winter has me smiling.

Why?

We did not get much of a winter this year. Snow did not accumulate until well into December, and during Christmas holidays, it remained dry and cold. It was awful and I had to spend quite a few of those days riding indoors on the stationary bike. In fact, I did not get in as many fat bike rides this winter as I would like.

This late winter blast is giving me a second chance, an opportunity to right this terrible wrong, and to get more fat bike riding in. And let me tell you, the conditions are amazing out there right now. About 10 cm of snow have accumulated on the ground, which means that it is a beautiful white paradise straight out of a Hallmark card and there is plenty of traction, so the riding is really fun.

Spring is about youth and rebirth, and I think I am actually experiencing it. I am riding virgin powder and the process is making me feel young again. Strangely, that works.