A surprise snow squall greeted me as I left work. But there was nothing to do but unlock my bike, dust off my seat, and set off homeward. Snow was accumulating fast and for a moment I was scared, worried the path would become slippery, especially during a long descent mid-way through my ride.
But then I opened my mouth, tasted the snowflakes, and smiled. Without eye protection, the horizontal snow plastered my face and melted. leaving me dripping wet. as rivulets soaked the edges of my balaclava. It's been a long time since I've been caught out in a blizzard, even longer since I've embraced the snow in such a visceral manner. April weather is often fickle, yet I began to relax after a time, winter nostalgia wrapping around me like a blanket of comfort.
I reminded myself that there is a reason why I ride a fat tire bicycle. For stability, for comfort, and with lower than normal tire pressure, it's fairly safe at slow speeds in light snowfall. April snow showers will be fleeting. Might as well enjoy what's left of winter.
I always appreciate that late March and April snow usually melts quickly and (at least generally in this part of the country) isn't too deep. It's the time of year I actually don't mind riding in a bit of snow. It feels a bit more relaxed for some reason.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely image of nostalgia as a warm blanket. I used to live in western Michigan and was used to a lot of lake effect snow. About a decade ago I moved south where we rarely get snow. I miss it. There is something mesmerizing about watching snow fall. It's like watching flames dance in a fireplace. I never did get tired of it.
ReplyDeleteFunny story: last week I was in Chicago for a conference when it started snowing. I was in a room with floor-to-ceiling windows and wasn't listening to a word the presenter was saying because the snowfall was visible through the windows beside him. At a certain point I realized that he thought I was enthralled by his talk because I was sitting there with a silly, contented grin on my face.
April snow is different than January or February snow. We've been having snow most everyday for the past week. It snows, it melts, it snows, it melts. Each snow is like the first snow of the winter.
ReplyDeleteHi Doug. Similar snow showers here. Morning snow melting into afternoon sunshine. Hiked early afternoon today. Beautiful in the woods with spots of snow, quite pleasant!
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