Summer Is Over

Regardless of what the calendar says.

This past week I noticed that not only am I leaving the house in the dark, I'm also getting to work in the dark. Well, not pitch-black, when I get to work, but still dark enough that I wouldn't ride without lights.

So, the long lazy days of summer are gone.

Of course, the 45 degree temps as I leave in the morning feel more Fall-like than Summer-like, also.

Now, I've never really liked Autumn. Everybody always talks about how pretty the leaves are, and how nice the crisp autumn air is. I've always just seen the impending descent of Winter, the loss of daylight and the inexorable march of time. Fall made me feel sad... and old.

That's whay I'm a little confused, this year. I'm actually digging the changing weather, and I sorta like the dark ride into work.

I don't know. Winter-time drove me crazy, last year, with all of the snow we had here. I'm really hoping we don't have a repeat of that. But, for right now, I'm just enjoying the nice weather while we have it. I'll worry about Old Man Winter when he gets here.

I hit 1350 commuting miles, last week. Seventy some-odd days of riding back and forth (though I now have a loop I ride, rather than actually back and forth). That may be one reason why I am not hating/dreading the weather. In a strange way, I am looking forward to riding to work in less-than-ideal weather.

It's a challenge, I suppose. And that makes it fun. I don't do a lot of mountain biking, nowadays, because I just don't want to drive my car somewhere in order to ride a bike. So, I don't have that form of challenging riding to keep me interested. Riding in the dark/rain/snow/wind to get to work turns riding to work into an adventure of sorts.

I guess, for me, the adventure makes up for the crappy weather to come.