Easter has come and gone in delightfully beautiful spring fashion, and there are irises pushing up in my garden.
But to me, the most telling sign of warmer weather’s arrival is the proliferation of bikes.
Both motorbikes and bicycles are my preferred mode of transport, but they are also both fairly weather-dependent.
While my more determined friends would say it is not true and riding in all weather is just fine, I find myself less inclined than I was to bundle up enough to ride the bike in subzero temperatures.
But now the weather is truly calling me to action, lighting the fire under my feet to get on the pedals and make some two-wheeled tracks.
Longer days of light energize the population, and people are out in numbers on the streets and trails to get some fresh air and their long-delayed doses of vitamin D – those who aren’t already sporting goggle tans that is.
I feel the energy and spirit rising in me to get more involved and get moving, something a long winter, even with snowboarding when I can, doesn’t see enough of.
The shorter days of winter make nighttime pursuits after work more difficult and less enticing, the cold and dark seem a lot less fun than sunshine and less bulky clothing.
While the mud and the painful in-between season on the trails makes things a little difficult at times, it is an exciting time to pull out the bike, tune it up and oil the chain to get rolling, just to get back in the old iron horse, so to speak.
There seem to be a lot of bicycles on the road these last few days, and I’m sure as the streets get cleaned up and the air isn’t fully of dust, there will be even more.
One of the things which sets apart most North American culture is the fact the entire society has been founded around the prevalence and convenience of the automobile, but a beautiful thing about Fort St. James is the town is small enough and compact enough most things are easily reachable by bicycle.
The advantage of this structure may become more apparent as the price of gas increases, predicted to reach new heights this summer driving season.
I for one am grateful for the ability to bike or walk to most things in the community, and am looking forward to a great season of biking around.
I hope this attractive advantage in the community is built on and a less car-dependent society is encouraged.
Then perhaps we can all still afford a summer road trip or two.
Happy biking, walking, running or sunning everyone.
