Spring has sprung

I hadn't planned on riding today, as the local TV weatherpersons had been forecasting heavy winds (and an accompanying dust and pollen storm). Halfway through this morning's dog walk, I realized they were full of baloney (the broadcast meteorologists, not the dogs - I don't give lunchmeat to my dogs) and that it was going to be a nice day. I momentarily considered filling the bird feeders and planting myself in the yard with binoculars and then thought something a little less sloth was in order.

I threw the Chameleon into the truck and went over to Sweetwater. I parked in the new lot, which for better or worse (I think worse) was built on top of what little sidewinder habitat there was. On the plus side, it was also built on top of what had been the Tucson's second biggest pile of sidewall-slashing broken glass (Reddington Pass is far and away the largest). Veelz's rig was there, and soon enough, he popped through the gate on his newfangled carbon front-back-boing bike. He said he'd done some of the southern loops in the opposite direction from the way we've ridden them before. It sounded like a swell idea, so I did the same.

I've dialed back on the bicycle commuting but instead of biking more often for fun like I'd intended, I instead ramped back up on the weight lifting. And while weight lifting is by no means fun, it's damned fatiguing. Anyway, I was surprised to find that despite aching all over and having a lessened mileage base, I had pretty decent leg strength. I rode all over the various loops, going clockwise where I'd previously gone counter-clockwise, and ended up putting in a little over 13 miles by the time I left.

I see now that the breeze is picking up, so maybe we'll have a dusty day after all. The additions to my front-yard bird list will just have to wait for another day.