Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Summer: Oh Where Have You Gone?

Soon All This Green Will Be Brown
My kids started school yesterday. I don't know about you, but mentally, I still associate kids going to school, (whether it was me in the past, or my children now), with the end of summer.

And another thing- this time deal, it goes by faster and faster the older I get. Weird.

So it is with a wistful look over my shoulder that I notice the days drawing to a close more quickly, the flowers disappearing, and things turning brown here and there. You'd think I'd get used to it by now after all these trips around the sun I've had, but for some reason, it doesn't seem to be any different every year. I always get a little verklempt when August rolls around.

And what the heck have I gotten done this summer? Heh! Not a whole lot. (Well, if you could see my "mental to-do list", you'd understand!) But in terms of cycling, it has been a pretty darn good year for me. It didn't start out to bad with coming off arguably the best winter and spring riding I've had in years, and summer was looking great. Then I bashed my knee in while riding in Texas.

That could have been a really bad deal. I was close to a disaster there, and after getting out of the desert alive, the recovery could have taken a long, long time. (Thinking about my left shoulder here, which still isn't a 100%!  That was over a year ago.) I'm happy to say today that no trace of that injury back in June haunts me now but for a small scar on my knee cap. No doubt I'll have that reminder for the rest of my life.

So, in the end, I am grateful that I had an awesome summer of riding at all. Big deal if it was short, at least I was alive and well enough to enjoy it. And Fall is just around the corner. I sure hope to keep the good rides coming.....

9 comments:

BB said...

If you use the Summer Solstice/Fall Equinox dates, summer officially started on June 21st this year, and fall will officially arrive on September 23rd. So we have had 49 days of summer and there are 46 more days of summer to go. So we are only a day and a half beyond summer's 1/2 way point. Don't miss out on your 2nd half of summer. ;-]

Of if you follow the unofficial Memorial Day to Labor Day (71 days down, 28 days to go) or the academic school year calendar, then your "summer" is - as you say - drawing closed

A lot of leaves have been falling off of the trees around Indianola the past 2 weeks due to the extreme heat we went through, and a lot of grass browned up and went dormant due to the heat. Sort of a false fall that is about 7 weeks early.

Steve Fuller said...

Started school yesterday? I thought that the local schools starting during the State Fair was early. What reason did they give for starting now? That said, if summer is ending, that means that fall is getting closer and we're going to be getting into the best season for mountain biking (IMHO)

George said...

August is the Sunday of months

mw said...

our singletrack has stayed mostly rideable thru the summer, and that's nice, and a bit different than the usual weed bashing session. otherwise the gravel has been early and the air has been moist and heavy.

Doug G said...

you guys start school early out there....early aug??? poor kids! Yep don't give up on summer quite yet. I usually don't start getting all melancholy until mid sept.

Guitar Ted said...

@Bruce Brown: Yeah- whatever dude! When it's 75-80 degrees in May, that's not summer? And conversely, when the air cools off in early September, and the leaves start turning, that isn't a sign of Fall? You can look at the calendar all you want. I'll use my senses. ;>)

@Steve Fuller, @Doug Idaho; Yep, started already. We're lucky/unfortunate enough to be living in a district that has several "Schools In Need Of Assistance", which means we get to go extra days than everyone else. Scheduled to get out May 24th, 2012 if there are no snow days. (Not likely)

@George: Exactly!

BB said...

Hey, didn't mean to rain on your more northerly "fall is here" parade.

Enjoy...

Ari said...

I am just glad those mosquitoes will start dying off. Summer does go quick when you spend it locked up in a bike shop wrenching on Huffys.
Ari

john said...

My "feelings" about the seasons is that it is all good/great until the beginning of Nov. and usually good until the first of the year. And of course, with he start of the year - we get to start all over again.
But this year things are"looking great" well into Jan with Nationals and Worlds X Championships being held in our area.