Training Log Archive: Swampfox

Could be in danger of setting a record high for the date: the old record is 58F, and it's already 56F; there are enough clouds around that one could slide in front of the sun in the middle of the day, and put in some shade, so it will be close.

Biking could be iffy, as it is another big wind day; already the power has been knocked out twice by something wind related.

While skiing and starting around the Summit Loop, I heard some crackling overhead, and when I looked back, I could see a tree was in the process of falling. However, it didn't seem like I had been in any real danger, as the falling tree got stuck--somewhat precariously--in a much smaller tree.

By the time I had skied around the loop, about 5 minutes later or whatever it would be, the tree was smashed on the ground. Timing may not be everything, but sometimes it's something.

Large amounts of snow disappeared today wherever the sun could strike at it--the biggest melt day I've ever seen at Happy Jack in February.

Mild, sunny, and very, very windy? Sounds like bike riding weather! So I hopped on my bike and tested my bike riding skills--limited to trying to keep the winds from blowing me over. I succeeded in that, though at times I may have incurred deductions for style. In parts of town the gutters had been transformed by meltwater into small raging streams. While I didn't notice anyone kayaking, maybe I just needed to have waited until classes let out at UW.

The same conditions were to be found at Happy Jack, and up there the main transformation was that of the ski trails from winter conditions to total spring conditions. High school racers tomorrow will be prepping their skis for slush, I suppose. Should still be good fun though, as even with soft conditions trail coverage remains excellent, and better than that to be found in Finland--according to reliable rumor.

I don't know if there was anything to the newspaper advert I saw averring that today was National Bagel Day or not, but it seemed as good an excuse as any to buy some bagels this morning at my favorite bagel place in town. I was somewhat surprised to see the following sign on display: "Bad sex is still okay, but a good bagel is delicious no matter what room you have it in."

Surprised to see that the big winds only put one tree down across the ski trails, though several more were down across the running trails I was on, and quite a few more were down in the interior of the forest. Snow was dry and fast, where I had been expecting wet and slow. Very slippery underfoot while running across some of the harder packed sections of trail, and stayed upright the whole time anyway.

The forecast for today called for good chances for snow and mildish temps. I glanced outside in the early afternoon and didn't see any snow, so my thought was: a window of opportunity! I changed clothes, hopped on my bike, and ventured forth in another quest for dry road free of ice and snow(slush). Not bad. Pretty good. I forayed over to the west side of town and rode through the zone where progress has gotten underway for a new viaduct across the railroad tracks, with accompanying new road routing on either side of the viaduct. It is the biggest road project in town since I've been here. Probably if he found out about it, dishonest Trump would try to take total credit for it, which of course would be as ridiculous as all the other ridiculous assertions he continues to make.

The gods of the winds must have taken note of my sneak ride, because later in the day, as I was skiing, the skies grayed considerably and the winds started coming up bit by bit. By early evening they were a total roar, and they were sweeping all through the night; these were the first quite strong winds we've had since Christmas and I will guess that at least a few trees were toppled up at Happy Jack. Good timing, what with ski races up there this weekend!

Sidenote: looks like the same windstorm knocked out power to Jackson Hole, closing the ski resort. If I had known that was going to happen, maybe I just would have gone for a walk instead of biking, but it seemed like such an innocent thing to do.

Feeling a little bit like one of Noah's doves, I slipped out of the house in the early afternoon and took a quick ride around SE Laramie to test the roads. Except for some water and ice on my own street, once I got on the main roads, everything was dry. Though it was important to watch for puddles which could be concealing devastating potholes--many streets were showing fine numbers of fresh potholes, which will keep a good many road workers employed for a while, once they start doing repairs. Did a short ski and did some running from home, too.