August 5, 2010

Where did summer go?

I guess, officially, it'll be hanging around for at least another six weeks - but, still:  the kitchen table is loaded with school supplies again, and people are already wondering when the public pools will be closing.... didn't they JUST fill those up??  Time flies when you are:  

A) having fun
B) busy as ever
C) getting older
D) yes

and, so I find myself in August again, somehow - and riding a bike back and forth to work, looking MIGHTY sharp heading out of the office in the afternoons in my blaze yellow and tight pants.  I finally succumbed to the self-imposed modesty police, and started wearing baggies on the walk into the building.  I can't wear them while riding without having them randomly un-mount my frame-pump for me - usually at the worst possible time, like when crossing an intersection, or climbing a hill.  I may just suck it up and stick the smaller "mountain-bike" pump into one of my panniers, and save the frame-pump for the weekend tight-pants rides.  I dunno.  I can deal with the looks from people, but I can feel the human resources noose tightening lately at work, and I'm not in the mood.  It's a blessing in disguise, really:  I like the way baggies feel on a fast downhill, even though they tend to be awfully warm in weather like we've had lately here in KC.  Rivendell was marketing some "MUSA" pants at one time, but I can't afford their wares, generally.  I'm still saving up for that wicked-awesome Boure wind-vest that has the back pockets.  Among other things.

Hot.  And Humid.  Yeah, yeah.... compared to Florida perhaps it's not that bad, but it's been cooler in recent years until a few weeks ago.  I don't think we've touched 100 quite yet on the official thermometer at "the airport", but the digital readouts around my house say otherwise, and the heat index was barely OUT of the 100's earlier this week.

Still, I'm smiling --- good riding lately, despite the morning mop-up after arriving at the office.  Six weeks, however, and thoughts will turn back to knee warmers, perhaps.  It can still get hot in September around here, but there is always that mystical 24-hour period where summer finally folds and throws down the cards.  It'll be 102ºF when a front will move through, it'll drizzle for three days, drop to the mid 50's... and that'll be all she wrote until Winter comes.  Watching it happen is pretty cool.  Watching the leaves change afterwards is better.  Watching both happen from a park bench along the local trails is something special.  The warm glow from an Octoberfest ale in the garage afterwards wraps it up nicely.  

... it's the thoughts of which that keep me cool on these hot, bright, sweaty summertime rides in the plains.

Stay thirsty, my friends.




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