I had time for a longer ride on Wednesday, and I couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful spring day. I did my work from home, some grading, some meetings, some this and that, and then I had a block from 12:45-2:30 with nothing in it. I slathered myself in sunscreen for the first time in a minute and left the house with bare arms for the first time in many moons. We are so close to me taking off my tights, too, and I just can’t wait. But as soon as I can do that it’ll be too hot and I’ll be complaining about that, so, there you go. My dad always said there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, but really hot and humid is, in fact, in actuality, in truth, bad weather. For me.

But it’s not bad weather yet, and this ride was perfect. I headed east, north, east, south, hit Lake Montebello, a ride I have done a zillion times. I did the two halves of the loop that will hopefully connect again someday before heading down the path into Herring Run Park. So many Baltimoreans don’t know about this place, or about this trail, and I want them all to come out for a bike ride along it. Come enjoy it, y’all!

I did my usual zip east on the trail, dinging my bell, saying my how-you-doin’s, telling all the dogs they are the best lil pups in the world. I side eyed all the drivers on Harford Road who refused to slow down and let me walk my bike across the street, exclaimed to numerous strangers that it was a beautiful day outside–they agreed–and then turned to head back. I waved at people I’d already waved at, pedal pedal pedal, and I wished I could do another loop, but alas, another meeting was waiting for me at home.

I took this picture when I stopped to change the podcast I was listening to on my tiny clip on bluetooth speaker. The sky was just so perfect, that piercing blue, the wisps of white, the fluffy clouds, and the green grass–perfect. Closer to Lake Montebello it was carpets of yellow flowers. I am not a person of faith, but it was one of those days like in the summer, when I bite into a perfect peach: I don’t know if there’s a God, but if there is, she is knocking it out of the park with this stuff. What I saw riding my bike around was weather perfection. I hate the summertime, but it is spring, mostly, and I am in love.