February Sturm und Drang-not.

I grew up in hot to mild weather environments where a warm, sunny day was the default setting- NW Mexico as a kid, So. Calif and the Bay area as an adult. Not having experienced much inclement weather, the variety of weather conditions of the PNW held an attraction dismissed by foul weather refugees as the product of inexperience. Well, 14 years later, I'm still here. My attraction for the variety the PNW offers is leavened by the close relationship one develops with Mother Nature when you commit to spending large chunks of time outdoors on a bicycle. During much of the Fall and Winter Her message is, if not "fear Me", certainly "respect Me". As with other temperamental entities, it's a relationship that can be rewarding, but demanding. I say demanding, but not irrational- Alaska and the upper Midwest come to mind as a frame of reference.
So in the dead of winter, I was bracing for a cold, wet and windy Permanent. I was twice daily looking at the weather forecast that at the start of the week predited a partly sunny weekend. As the weekend neared, I allowed myself to anticipate, if not expect a dry permanent. I can imagine randonneurs in more temperate climates puzzled over someone getting psyched about a "partly sunny, lows in the low 30's and highs in the low 50's" forecast.
I met Lynne at the parking lot and commented what a pretty morning it was. She replied it's 32 degrees right now. We then joined Cecil and Andrew at the Coffee Cottage and embarked on a thoroughly pleasant day.

The temperature warmed quickly, wind was minimal and the route very benign and scenic. I'm familiar to many of the roads on the route, but usually in the context of difficult weather or a more demanding pace. Since Mother Nature was in a kinder, gentler mood it was a good opportunity for photos.

3 Prairies Feb. 08

Nietzsche, schmietzsche- after the last two Permanents, I needed a ride like this.