A Golden Morning

Driving rains ended our outside miles early yesterday. We went to bed at 8:30, woke up at 4:30. A bit of reading, a stop at Big Dave’s Bagels when they opened, and we were on the trail by 6:15. How gratifying it is to start the day early, put in our five-morning miles in solitude, and be home by 8:30 to start work.

It was chilly this morning, made cold by a strong wind out of the east, and our first mile was heading into it. I wore my winter hat and moderate gloves. By the time we made our turn at the river, the wind was at our back, and I could feel its icy breath on my neck. Another half mile and, while we walked along the river, we were in the trees, and my hat and gloves came off. By the time we looped back east, sometime later, the wind had slowed to a breeze, and my fleece top was too warm for that last mile and a half.

These are common challenges of spring in northern New England. It is often close to freezing in the morning, but mid-fifties three hours later. Wind can make it…