Leap Day, plus two

March 2 in Lubbock

Back in Lubbock since Tuesday morning (after fog required my last flight Monday night to turn back around to dump us off in DFW for the night after traveling already for 24 hours), I've almost become used to the incessant wind that is a harbinger of spring. Or maybe it's just a fact of life here in the Hub City. According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (yes, that's the name of our local newsrag), Thursday's highest measured wind speed was 31 mph, and the highest gust topped out at 40 mph.; on Wednesday, it was 28 / 32; on Tuesday it had been 43 mph and 56 (!!!) mph. And yes, the afternoon skies have been brown, and yes, riding in this kind of crap every day has not been pleasant. But neither is being fat, so I trudge on.

Dust, sand, and leaves on my back porch

With the weekend looming, I am looking forward to maybe doing a few things around the house (yeah, right, as if that's ever going to happen!), cooking myself a decent meal or two, and riding the bike with buddies instead of by my lonesome self. Spring really is just around the corner, as evidenced by the blooming bushes and trees in the neighborhood and the occasional higher-than-normal temperature—yesterday we hit 80 degrees, or about 26 Celsius. No worries, there's always one last hard freeze that kills off the blossoms.

Spring is springing

It does feel good to be at home, for once. I enjoy my bed, I enjoy my music, and I enjoy my hot tub. I've been selling a few more items on eBay, some of it for friends and some of it my own stuff. Every day I walk around the neighborhood "tank," as my buddy Wes in his West Texas ways lovingly calls the pond in the neighborhood park. I've been reading, and I've been preparing for the upcoming races this month. The dermatologist found only two small pre-cancerous spots that he iced away during yesterday's routine annual check-up. Tax time is nearing, so I've been working on that as well. So, overall, life's quite all right. Maybe I'll treat myself to a glass of fine cab with tonight's goulash.

Trees next to the drought-ravaged "tank"

Enough musings—time to get dressed and ride a few miles. Enjoy the weekend.

Jürgen

PS: Maybe it helps to bitch about the wind. Today's conditions were near perfect, with just a bit of wind from the NE, making a joke out of today's forecast that had called for the same as in the past three days. The result: I rode 40 beautiful miles, and then another six to the store.