The last day.

November 17, 2001

It's the middle of November and it's been extremely warm in North Dakota. Temps have been in the fifties to mid sixties lately. That's quite unusual. But it looks like it's going to cool down tomorrow. The radio informed me that this is "the last day" of warm weather. Possibly for the year.

What could I do but get on my bike and ride? It's Saturday today, but I woke at eight o'clock just the same. I couldn't sleep. The sun was just coming up and the prospect of sitting in the apartment was unpleasant. At that point in the day, the temperature was only in the twenties so I was forced to don my stocking cap beneath my helmet and to wear gloves. This time of year, it's always a debate on how much clothing is required for a ride. Should I wear the lycra shorts? Jeans? Will I need a jacket ? Today I dressed just right. It was cool in the morning.

I chose to ride a path through the golf course near my apartment. Everything was covered in a layer of white frost. The sun rose a few degrees above the horizon and burned away that frost, sending it airborne. Almost instantaneously the area filled with fog. The sun's light glinted off the small moisture particles. The ground steamed where the sun struck it and a small layer of white frost coalesced on my gloves.

The morning ride was almost dreamlike.

Later in the day, I rode again after it had warmed up to about sixty degrees. It really was a perfect cycling day. It's sad to think that this may have been the last day.