My northern latitude friends, quite reasonably, expected warmer weather by the time of the March equinox. My northern latitude cycling friends perhaps mark the arrival of spring by the running of the first Spring Classic bike race of the year. Milan – San Remo. Raced this year on 17th March.
Photo courtesy of Graham Watson at grahamwatson.com
Things didn’t improve through the rest of March. It was only 3° C / 37° F in Den Haag at 10.00am on Saturday 30th March. It was even worse for the Not Possibles on their morning ride. Out in the 21 kph / 13 mph wind gusts it felt like -1° C / 30° F.
To the relief of cyclists and non-cyclists alike, spring seems to be finally making its appearance in Europe. It promises to be 10° C / 50° F this Sunday for Paris – Roubaix, the last of the Cobbled classics. My Not Possibles friends will be hoping the warming trend continues to the first of the Ardennes classics on 14th April. The Amstel Gold Race. They will be joining 12,000 like-minded cyclists for the Tourversion the day before the professional race.
Here in the tropics we think in terms of wet and dry seasons rather than in terms of winter, spring, summer and autumn. However there is some evidence around of the spring concepts of renewal and rebirth.
Photo courtesy of Rodrigo Sala at tcktcktck.org
We saw lots of mums with new babies during the ride to Genting Sempah last Sunday.
Despite being 35° C / 95° F at the foot of the climb, it was much cooler in the breeze at 639 meters / 2,100 feet. Almost springlike!
Photo courtesy of They Wei Chon
* With apologies to William Shakespeare.
Old Roots, New Routes 
Will miss you this year in Limburg.
I will miss you and the rest of the crew too. Have fun.
“Fun” is not really the word that is “Springing” to mind at the moment. Snow flurries again this morning.