A Little Madness In Spring

A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King.
—Emily Dickinson 

Yesterday, in the afternoon of that gloriously overcast, 52º first day of spring, I went for a fabulous, long ass trike ride.  Overcast is the best for riding since my eyes are ridiculously sensitive to the light (more fun with Nf2 surgery side effects). Even on the most leaden of days I’m wearing the dark glasses, looking all heroin-dabbling hipster-ish.

In any case THE RIDE! Last winter we had a measly 10” of snow all season. Though it was bitterly cold, I could ride nearly every day. This year, there were stretches lasting as long as three weeks (!!!) at a time when my poor trusty steed was buried, under its tarp, under the ever deepening snow and ice.

The Amazing Bob always tells me to monitor how I’m feeling, to remember that I have to  get home too. Mostly I do. OK, on occasion I’ve been known to ride smart. Yesterday was NOT one of those days however.

Mind, I’ve routinely gone on much longer expeditions but not since last autumn or, maybe, early winter.

The spring came suddenly,
bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room,
with a laugh and a shout and hands full of flowers.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 Camera in pocket, I zoomed off, thinking, 'eh, legs are a little rough. I'll make this a short ride.'

Hah!

I got to Edgewater Drive Beach and figured 'hmmph, I can get up that hill and then maybe over to the marsh.'  Once there, that stretch of beach with the lovely view of the city was just a wee bit farther. And what about the lane along the marsh, through that slim bit of forest?

That wooded path along the marsh was heavily rutted, in some spots still muddy from snowmelt and one patch had eroded clean away—dropped off into the water below. The ride was rough, bumpy and, in parts, a bit worrisome BUT, all the same, it was tremendous. I was giddy with the thrill of it.

By the time I got home, my legs had all the strength of a pair of gin soaked gummy bears, my back was giving me 99 kinds of shit and I had to reintroduce myself to TAB. 'Hi, my name's Donna and I'm the triking fool you're married to. 'member me?'

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want…oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!
—Mark Twain