New Wheels and the Art of Falling

 Keira got roller skates the other day as an early birthday present. There were some available at a local shop. They happened to be her size. Seems roller skates, like bikes, are in short supply these days. So, we just got them and since she'd gone to try them on, we figured there was no dense in hiding them away for a month... I mean, the kid, who had barely left the house this past year, is STOKED about them NOW! 

Riding home from Escape Sports - new roller stakes balanced on the handlebars on the back of our tandem. 

I mean, LOOK AT THAT SMILE!? 

Keira wasn't excited about going out on her own while trying to learn... As I wasn't allowed to buy new roller skates, I decided I should dig out the unicycle that I bought.... oh... almost 20 years ago and I'm not sure I've even bothered trying to ride it since my initial catastrophes... 

There were falls... 

Like, both of us. But there weren't any pictures of any of my spectacular spills! 

By the end of our first session, Keira was doing pretty good. 

Went out again today. I am feeling sore. but actually starting to get the hang of it... 

I actually went much further than I've ever gone before - which was pretty surprising! 

Maybe if we keep this up all summer I'll get the hang of it... I mean, I'm not expecting to be the next Kris Holm, or anything... It'd be nice to be able to start without having to hold onto a pole and actually be able to ride the length of a block - ideally not looking like a flailing maniac about to crash at any second. 

Keira seems to be getting the hang of it. 

MORE Crocuses

 Went out this afternoon to see if there were more crocuses blooming - and went a bit further north along the river to where I know there are more patches of them. 

Dragged Minion #2 along with me on the tandem.

Crocuses

 Last week I'd seen this on the Meewasin Vally Association's Instagram

and I was all like "WHAT!? ALREADY!?" It seemed early, but, despite the early and very heavy snowfall, we had a pretty ild winter and an early melt... it could happen. I wanted to get out to the spots where I'd usually find them, but as we were heading into a long weekend, I was also somewhat reluctant to do so as there would be HUNDREDS of people out on the trails. I was a little worried I might miss them!

I have since noticed it was an April Fools joke... 

Well played, MVA, well played... 

You got me... 

I did get out to one of the trails where I usually see crocuses Monday morning. 

I was relived to see, I had not missed them! 

Indeed it looked like they were just starting to bloom. 

I find them in a few spots along the east river bank of the South Saskatchewan River. 

Lots of buds just poking up. 

Lots and lots of them. 

There are no crocuses in this picture. I just liked the look of the lichen on the rock. 

Another one! 

Ice breaking up on the river and getting stuck at the weir. The greens and blues looked very pretty in the noonday sun. 

I'll probably make some more trips later this week - and head a little further north - to were there are usually larger patches. 

March

 It came. It went. I got out a bit more for a bit. Then didn't. It was very much an in like a lamb, out like a lion kind of March. We had a greadually warming temperatures throughout the month... then a blizzard on the 29th, and I didn't leave the house for four days. 

Beaver! This was earlier in the month and a bit of a surprise to see one out and about this early - when it was still fairly cold! 

Despite the snow and ice in my backyard, by mid month the roads were all dry and so I wanted to get the Salsa set up for riding. I needed some new tires and found these Shawalbes deeply discounted at my local bike show - $10 each!? So I thought I'd give them a try! 

Got Keira's summer bike ready for riding as well! 

She needed the seat adjusted and I ended up breaking the damned thing... 

She rode all the way to the store with her seat all the way down, thinking we'd pick up a new one and carry on our way... but they were CLOSED and she had to ride all the way home. 

Luckily, I'd gotten the tandem road ready, so we went out with that, instead. 

Eight years ago, on the first day of spring we had a blizzard. It took a WEEK for the city to get out and clear the paths near our place, and this is what it looked like when they did. The snow lasted well into May. It is the reason why, when we get an early melt in February or March and people start saying "looks like spring is here early" - as they were doing this year - I say "WAIT FOR IT!"

Sure enough, on the 29th we had a blizzard - not as bad as 8 years ago... but it was brutal enough that no one was going anywhere for a couple days. It's mostly all melted now, though.