"These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things" -Rodgers & Hammerstein - Not My First Frozen Rodeo - CycleBlaze

December 5, 2023

"These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things" -Rodgers & Hammerstein

A Song Burrowed Deep Into My Brain

After yesterday's epic five-segment chapter, I had no intention of posting anything else until there was some kind of significant weather event worth writing about.  Unexpectedly, that event came during the middle of the night.  I woke up to a one-inch blanket of snow.  That was all the motivation I needed.  A couple cups of coffee later, I layered up, dug my bike out of the garage, and hit the streets.

I should mention this wasn't our first snowfall of the year, but it was the first one in at least a month.  Most of the previous snow had melted, as you probably noticed in my celebrity endorsement video and in the picture of me modeling my moderate winter weather clothing.

I was starting to worry that our snow drought would extend into January.  Snow is the best evidence that winter has arrived.   Without snow, it would hard to convince anybody that I am riding in the dangerous month of January and not October.  

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One of my favorite things about a new snowfall is being able to see tracks in the snow.  I saw the tiny tracks of a bird on the railing of my back porch as I headed to the garage to retrieve my bike.  On my driveway, I saw rabbit tracks.  At the local park, I made tire tracks.  

Bunnies seem to love the area around our house. I think that might be related to The Feeshko's garden.
Heart 5 Comment 0 Link
Virgin tire tracks. That reminds me of another one of my favorite things--the sound of fresh snow crunchchchchchchchchchch-ing under my tires.
Heart 6 Comment 2 Link
Keith AdamsI hope the bike came to rest in that position under controlled circumstances. When you coupled fresh snow tih "hitting the road" my immediate reaction was "Well yeah, snow can substantially increase the odds of that happening." But not in a good way.
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5 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Keith AdamsYes, I came to a controlled stop, dismounted, and laid the bike down. I don't use a kick stand, so if there isn't a wall or fence to lean the bike against, it gets to lie on its side. I take pictures like that at all times of the year, but I can see how it might be more concerning to see it in snowy conditions. Rest assured, however, that I'm a pretty safe and experienced winter rider. At some point, I'll probably write something about the precautions I take when riding in ice and snow. Despite those precautions, I usually do take a couple falls every winter though.
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5 months ago
Another one of my favorite things is when the snow sticks to the utility wires, the tree branches, and the crabapples.
Heart 6 Comment 0 Link

By then, the "My Favorite Things" song was firmly embedded in my head.  Then it spread to my vocal cords and lips.  Yup, I was singing while biking.

It seemed strange to have such a song as my earworm.  Usually my earworms are COOL songs, not songs from Squaresville.  Rock music, not show tunes.  Clash songs, not Julie Andrews songs.  Still, I know how it came to me.  One of my dad's favorite movies was The Sound of Music.  I've seen the movie with him, and I've seen it performed on stage with him.  He is to blame.   

Snowy and traffic free streets are another favorite thing.
Heart 6 Comment 0 Link
Building snowmen is a favorite thing.
Heart 8 Comment 0 Link
The Mississippi River is a favorite thing for photo opportunities.
Heart 6 Comment 0 Link
Birds are one of my favorite things too. If I was better at bird identification, I could join the Cycleblaze bird nerd club. I think I got this one right though. Bird sighting #1: Pigeons
Heart 4 Comment 2 Link
Scott AndersonSure they’re not flamingos?
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5 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Scott AndersonI did consider that they might be flamingoes, but I ruled that out based on the shorter necks, the lack of pink feathers, the stubby legs, and the smaller beaks.
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5 months ago
My snowman was still there when I passed the park on my way home.
Heart 13 Comment 2 Link
Steve Miller/GrampiesWhich one is the snowman?
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5 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Steve Miller/GrampiesI got your joke, but for everybody else, the actual snowman is on the right.
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5 months ago

Hope to see you next time.

Today's ride: 7 miles (11 km)
Total: 7 miles (11 km)

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Comment on this entry Comment 1
Bruce LellmanI understand everything you are saying - the crunch sound, tracks in the snow, snow sticking to branches - it's all very beautiful and I remember it well. I do love it, I really do, I just don't want to live in it anymore. The seven months of winter was just too much for me. But I love that you love it and are getting out in it.
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5 months ago