Punxatawney Bunny

 I missed riding in yesterday's warm weather so I was pleased when we were treated to day two of Springmaggeddon.  It was 64 degrees for most of my ride home. I was wearing bike shorts for the second time this year.  My panniers were packed mostly with bike clothes that I didn't need.  Oh, the weatherman said it would be really nice this evening, but, this time of year, if he's wrong, the consequences can be most unpleasant.

Approaching the Roosevelt Bridge on the Mount Vernon Trail

The ride in started in a light rain.  It was in the low 50s and I broke out my tweener gear.  That's my long fingered gloves, arm warmers, and my Buff head gaiter.  The holey sweater stayed home.  So did my boots.  Once the rain stopped it was pretty nice.

On the Boardwalk under the Roosevelt Bridge

The ride home was way better. I wore a jacket over a light base layer. I stashed the tweener stuff and broke out my normal bike gloves. Then I took off. What can you say about 64 degrees, no rain, and a light tailwind?  And I had fresh legs from taking yesterday off. My legs said, "Let's boogie!" and so we did.  I covered most of the first half of the ride into Old Town Alexandria going about 17 miles per hour. I NEVER go that fast on the trail. 

Once I started encountering runners and walkers, I slowed my roll. It got dark but the temperatures stayed around 60. What an excellent ride. Then two lights bounced just ahead of me.  A bunny! In February.  It was the legendary Punxatawney Bunny.  As the story goes, if he gets caught in your wheels, we get six more weeks of winter (and you get a trip to the ER).  Fortunately, I was too alert and he was too fast.  So winter is officially over.  Feel free to thank me with a cup of Joe or a cold beer. 

Riding up to Washington Street along the Great Wall of Beltway

Actually, according to the news tonight we are benefiting from a jet stream that is stuck along the US-Canada border.  The same jet stream dips south in Europe. It's snowing like a bitch in southern France, central Italy and the Balkans. And its 20 below in the Ukraine. And I'm in shorts.

Of course, now that I've jinxed us, we're screwed.  Sorry about that.