Is It Spring Yet?

This billboard went up along I-15 last week, right after that short thaw followed by another snow storm. I pass it every morning on my way to work. I feel like it's taunting me. Cruel.

But there are signs of Spring, if you squint and have an active imagination (which I do!). I've been out on some dirt recently, and mostly it's been good, but not always. Such is the early Spring riding gamble.

I got out for a nice short ride with Mark yesterday after work. I was going to ride at lunch, but got a call from a friend who was up this way and we went out for lunch. As work was winding down I resigned myself to just going home and taking it easy, since I'm tired from not sleeping well the last few days and I think I picked up the cold my wife has. That would be the sensible thing to do. But Mark saved me. He called from home just as I was wrapping up the last few tasks. I jumped at the opportunity to ride - it was so nice outside. Sensibility is not really my forte anyway. I rode toward him, he rode toward me on 13th West and we met and had a nice hour ride - east on 123rd, south on the frontage road to the prison, west on 146th, then north on the Jordan River parkway trail (just to mix things up), then we parted. I rode back to work, changed and drove home. The ride was invigorating and relaxing at the same time, and it improved my mood for the evening. Ah, the simple joys of cycling.

I'll be riding at lunch today - gotta squeeze in a ride before this new cold front moves in.

Update: I did ride at lunch and ran into (not literally) Todd. We rode a few miles and had a good chat along the way. Along Highland Drive, near the Chevron, a little dog that was with some kids ran over and gave chase but I warded it off with a big shot from my water bottle - hit it square in the face. It was funny to see the dog stop in it's tracks and close it's eyes as the big blob of water hit it right between the eyes. I'll probably never had such a perfect dog shot again. At the Chevron Todd split off to head home via Suncrest and I zipped down the hill back to work. It was a bit windy, but nice and warm.