In Which I Must Find My Winter Jacket

Earlier this week, bike in rack behind Warde Hall.

Rode to campus early on Wednesday, using mountain bike due to chance of rain. It sprinkled on the way in, one of several times I experienced water on my rides. Bike (above and below) on campus shortly after 7 a.m.

The scene this morning: I drove Thursday due to rain, but today was determined to bike to work. But Thursday had been a long day, with me having to do some class work after I got home at 9 p.m., so I was not early to bed.

But I had to be early to rise. That’s not very wise.

Oct. 22—and something is new this morning. It’s our second frosty morning this week, with the frost being far more widespread. So, despite being a bit pressed for time to get to an early class, I had to move the shoe rack in order to open a closet door.

Time to dig out the biking jacket and some gloves.

I dreaded opening that closet door. I am terrible at finding stuff, and hate the process of looking. Of course, I “solve” that problem by putting it off as long as possible, for that wonderful combination of doing something I’m not good at which always takes too long when I don’t have time.

Quick Sunday night ride to Milwaukee Road bridge.

Moon reflected in C Avenue Pond during late bike ride home.

Well, this morning the bike gods were with me. I scooted the shoes, opened the door, and the white stripes of my blue biking jacked were clearly visible, right in the middle, directly in front of me. And gloves were even easy to find in a bin on the top shelf.

It’s been a decent biking week, even if some rain had me driving Thursday. Friday’s ride was cool and windy, but I’m fine with my jacket on.

This afternoon, as I was packing for the bike ride home, I got a text from my wife. “It’s raining,” she said. It was. I checked the radar, and it looked light and like it might end soon.

Don’t always trust radar. With the jacket, despite getting a bit damp on the way home, I managed to stay warm. And the rain was never heavy, although it sure was more persistent than I expected.

And so it goes. You find the jacket and a cold rain finds you miles from home.

All in all, I would still call it a win of a week. And I cannot complain about finding my jacket—I am not thrilled by the deepest cold of winter, but frosty weather I can dress for.

And no biting insects!

And to finish off this post, four morning views of the C Avenue pond at Collins Aerospace.