SpringBoard

15 Apr, 2006
Posted at 20.47 PDT

Friends of mine have heard me say more than once that Florida has only two seasons: Summer, and Not-Summer. And though much the rest of the country may find it hard to believe, it’s already Summer in Florida. Daily highs are pushing 90°F and the humidity…well, let’s just say being outside is like walking through a big wet sponge. I speak from bitter experience.

You grow up there, and it doesn’t seem the least bit odd, naturally. Now that I’m here in Seattle, I appreciate Spring, but it still throws me for a loop. I look at the calendar and think I should be in shorts and a tee-shirt, not throwing on a jacket every time I leave the house.

Still, Spring is obviously in full swing here. Despite the need for a light jacket, the temperatures are definitely on the rise, and the plants are simply going batshitinsane. It’s a glorious time to be here, especially considering you can taste the anticipation of shorts, warmth, and three months of gloriously cloud-free skies. I love summertime in Seattle, and am practically stamping my foot with impatience for it to get here.

Which makes tomorrow’s planned adventure seem decidedly odd. For while Seattle is drowning in flowers and getting warmer every day, the mountains to the East are still—once you get high enough—quite chilly. And this weekend the region has seen a weather pattern develop unusually late in the year that is dumping crazy amounts of powder on the slopes.

So as described in an earlier post, I’m heading out snowboarding. In the middle of Spring. Très étrange. Last time I got out on the slopes I was so eager to test my limits and my new board, I ended up taking a nasty tumble that knocked my memory of the morning clean out of me, twisted my knee, and left my ribs either cracked or severely bruised. Needless to say, though excited, I am anticipating tackling the mountainside this time with considerably more…reserved…enthusiasm. At least I can count on the twinges in my ribs to remind me to curb my desire to push so hard.

Still, it is terribly exciting to be going out one final time this season. Tomorrow is the last day until next Winter for most the ski resorts around here, and it’ll be nice to get all my new gear out for one last hurrah. See you on the slopes.

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