The walls are closing in on me

And it only took a week.

'Tis growing season, after all.

So for those that have been following along, I've been surreptitiously cutting some single track trails on the company property around my work site over the last 6 months. The site services folks have been kind enough to lay fresh crushed rock on all the service roads, rendering them both more difficult to ride and dumbing them down almost to the point of "what's the point". By laying this fresh crushed rock at the beginning of the rainiest part of the year, everything in the mix that would normally pack down and bind it all together was washed away, so now it's just a 3" deep moving surface of dig-in. Don't turn too sharply!

ANYwho... The new trails are the new, better playground, lacing their way through the woods that are only sparsely cut by the service roads. I figured that once spring rolled around I'd need to do a little maintenance.

Following the wettest months on record with a nice sunny week, during which I did road rides or was otherwise disposed during my workday and couldn't ride, nature did a little push-back.

It's amazing just how much happened in one week. Scotch Broom not only in full bloom, but in many cases a good foot plus closed into what was open space. MY TRAIL! I swear I could actually SEE them growing as I rode past, each lap getting narrower and narrower...

So instead of cutting new trail, I'm going to need to spend a couple days widening the existing trails. Again.

But I will win.

And considering that all these trails were cut in the last 6 months, giving a few extra days to keep them open is a small price to pay.

Can summer be far behind?

It seems like it's already here. At least for a few days.

The mercury is inching up past that eight-oh mark.

I dig this. Entirely. I know, it's only April. Global warming? Bring it.

I love warm, nay, HOT weather. At least what passes for "hot" in these parts. Upper 70's to mid 80's is my happy place. Riding in it is joy.

Don't get me wrong, I sweat. A lot. Follow me on a ride and you'd swear we found a rain squall. You look up searching for that errant grey mass, only to realize the source is much more terrestrial (and... ew!).

I did a long ride yesterday, starting in the still-a-bit-chilly hours and ending in the it's-kinda-warm early afternoon. Just over 4 hours in the saddle, most of which was a local charity ride that winds south into the Cascade foothills and back.

Oddly, the Daffodil Classic ride, at least the longer loop, doesn't pass by any of the daffodil fields.

On today's ride I got to bypass the morning chill and go straight to sleeveless jersey. By necessity I had to take it a little easier. But I didn't mind one bit.

And it seems like the wimps are already complaining. "It's too hot." "It's so muggy." Never happy...

Anyway, there's a couple more days in the forecast in that oh-so-perfect weather to enjoy before we get back to what makes this the Pacific North-Wet.

I'll do my best to enjoy it.