We hold these truths to be self-evident

No, actually I have no intention of probing into the Declaration of Independence here.  Watch out though, there may just be a political jibe.  Just for fun.

No, where I am going is that at this time of year it is self evidently true that a predominantly north wind is chillier than a predominantly south wind.

The sun was out again today, it was nice.  From inside the house it looked a lot like yesterday, sunny and a little too windy.  Turned out it WAS a little too windy.  AND it had shifted directions.  Yesterdays SW wind produced a call of 70, nice and warm.  Today the wind was NW and I am not going to call even 60, at least not 60 during the time I was out there, windy and quite cool.

But I have the gear and 57 or so (Heinz reference designed to appall known conservatives) really is not a problem.  I wore a different jacket.  Yesterday I had on my new mostly orange Specialized that I got in Michigan.  Today I donned my new mostly orange Castelli that I got a really good deal on from Bike Tires Direct.  Yeah, go figure, a close out on jackets at Bike Tires Direct.

Orange is the new orange.

The ride went OK though, and as I expected it was a bit easier today.  I actually got all the way to the total of miles I rode yesterday before my shoulders started to complain.  At one point I was riding at a speed greater than 20mph.

Progress.

And progress here too.

The same car radio segment that yesterday produced information on yesterday's high temperature informed me that average ice out for lakes around here is April 17-19.  I would not really expect lakes to be clear earlier than average given that as we all know this past winter was the WORST EVER.  But I rode by that pond and the ice is in significant retreat.  It really isn't a lake though, it is a pond.

The big news though is this.  On my second ride of the season I came across the first street sweeper.

That particular street is nowhere near where I live but it fairly obviously is within riding distance, even my pretty pitiful early season riding distance.

Last season I got my lowest total ever on my spring larger and lower pressure tire bicycle partly because I had only been out on it a few times before the streets were suddenly swept clean.  It is starting to look like another low mileage year for the spring bicycle.