Tom Skilling has predicted a high temp of 92 today. And its May 24. Wow. We are on a streak of really hot ones, yet it doesn't quite feel like summer YET. If only it was going to be this hot over the Memorial Day weekend, the pool would open on schedule and then it would feel like summer. But Tom predicts a big drop in the mercury and forecasts a cool, cloudy, possibly rainy holiday weekend. Such is the way of the world. Like my old running buddy Dan Danileson said "the weather is the weather." And is not going to stop Saint Stephen and me from running two loops at Water Fall Glen on Saturday. In fact, being cooler will be great for the run, just not for the pool. Ryder will be the one who is the most disappointed if the weather prevents us from initiating the pool season on time. Only 90 some days to enjoy it, afterall. We are getting psyched for our up and coming journey west to Fort Robbinson, NE for the Held family reunion, camping in Yellowstone, then a brief visit back home in Colorado to visit the folks and see my family. Traci is poised to move to Virginia, leaving her mountain home behind. For the same reason I left. To get a job in academia. And her grandkids live there, not to mention her husband is working there now. All is good for the move, except leaving Colorado behind. I mourn the day I left, over 20 years ago, to move to the Midwest. Though I really do love living in Oak Park and enjoy life at the foot of lake Michigan and the city, it pales by comparison and I vow to return to live out the rest of my days in Colorado and just hope I can do so before I retire.
Hot wind describes riding to work and back home these days. I connected with Paul at Kedzie and we really suffered riding west. He has a hybrid and rides upright, like a sail in the wind. I sure do appreciate my drops, but last night rode up in soladarity. We just peddled along and chatted and voila, soon were in the land of tree lined streets. The contrast between west Chicago and Oak Park is rather dramatic. Cliff calls our route the big ugly. I call it the way to work. Though once we get west of Cicero, it starts to feel pretty relaxed. Riding west on Congress with rush hour heading home trqaffic is a bit tense. Though we cover the distance much faster than the cars. Last night when we rounded the bend at Kostner back onto Harrison heading west, the big wind roared across the empty lot. woosh, like a big hot heavy hand pushing us back. Of course riding in this morning the wind was in my face. One of the really remarkable things about the wind in Chicago, no matter which way you go, it always seems to be in your face.... Fortunately though during March, April and early May the wind was off the lake making it cooler and faster for the ride home. The summer winds from the west make us earn our way back home to OP, melting the pounds away. Approaching 475miles for the year. I need to get some long rides in.
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