Back on the Cruiser!

That's right—it's cruiser season! My commuter is in the hands of a mechanic for the week getting what I refer to as her spring makeover. New chain, all new cables, a healthy cleaning and beautiful, celeste bar tape. Can't wait to zip around town when she's back!

In the meantime, I'm riding the cruiser for the first time in about four months. I forgot how FUN it is, too! Yesterday I rode in my wedges. Today I rode in and snapped a few panda shots along the way—with the college kids on spring break, my commute is mostly free and clear of pedestrians.

Ding ding!

Nothing like ringing in the new season, a full moon and a FRIDAY like a beautiful, warm bike ride! Cheers! 

Sweet Sunday

The familiarity of home just hit me—except it is missing my favorite golden fluff head.

Jazz, our family's golden retreiver, was put down a few weeks ago. I knew he hadn't been doing well in 2011. In fact, on our family snow run on Christmas, his feet were dragging all the way back home.

But this morning at my parents, when I woke up to only two squeaking pups, both eager to go on a morning walk, I couldn't help but think of Jazz's warm, kind puppy spirit. Damn that dog had a good life.

Yesterday's nearly all-day downpour left me excited about spring. B and I went on a quick trail run just as it was raining, and then I crumpled on the couch for the rest of the afternoon with the remote in my hand. Not many times I can say that! So I took full advantage of my evening of dogsitting at home.

I awoke to an absolutely haunting dream earlier this week. Vivid dreams are not out of the ordinary for me. In fact, they're quite the norm. I called my Mom to tell her about it—she has memorably weird dreams, too—and she helped calm me down. I think the action represented a distance between me and my family, namely my sister and my grandmother. One is another world away, one distanced by about 20 miles and a lack of transportation on both of our ends.

There are worldly rumblings today, if not outside on Crestwood then in my head and heart. Maybe once this rainy goop dries up and the temperature rises five degrees, I will take the puppies for a helluva run.

Is it true? Have I survived yet another blustery, dark winter of cyclocommuting?

This morning, which marks the first day of March and inches me closer to spring, I racked my bicycle in the downstairs of my building. The wind chilled my ears on my ride in, but not enough to necessitate an ear warmer. I wore knickers, long sleeves and gloves. The sun now peeks through our 7th floor windows and will warm our office to an uncomfortable state by later this morning.

But I made it! I MAAADE IT! Gone are the multiple layers of pants/jackets/gloves/Bar Mitts/scarves, at least till next winter. Even an early spring freeze can't deter me at this point. These mornings have me falling in love with Chattanooga and the South more and more each day.

I'm silly and in love, and I made it through another season of hibernating, dark beers and inside activities. Yesssss.