Nothing quite like it

Heavens to Betsy, if I had a foot-tall yard gnome, I'd set him next to this pile of grading so you could see that it is, well, one foot tall.

But I'm fresh out of yard gnomes, which is bewildering to me considering all of the lawn ornaments my friend, G, has left me over the years.

Soon I will be plowing through my *large* pile of grading with sweet summer within arm's reach. Until then, I have some blogging to catch up on, because I haven't finished writing about my trip to Washington.

After my speaking responsibilities were over, I was free to enjoy two glorious days of rare spring sun and warmth.

So I threw on my leather,

put on my riding face,

and hopped on the back of G's motorcycle.

It was the perfect evening for a ride. The air smelled like my childhood, and the snow-capped mountains towered tall and stately on the very clean, smogless horizons.

We cruised through all the best parts of my hometown, reminiscing about the days when we didn't have any wrinkles and our triceps didn't wag. Okay, when my triceps didn't wag. G is in no danger of that happening anytime soon. Some people have all the luck.

Just as the sun was setting we pulled up to my high school track, and hopped off. Some of my best memories were made on that track, and I wanted to revisit them slowly.

So we ran down the hill looking like bobble-heads,

and starting snapping sunset shots.

And oh!, the smell of that track. There's nothing quite like it.

The next day, Brosef (who'd just flown in from Virginia) and I threw some bikes on the back of the car and cruised through the countryside to a beloved bike path.

There's nothing quite like cruising through the countryside with the windows down and the music blaring.

Twenty minutes and 30 kleenexes later, I remembered that all you allergy-prone Washington folk daily pay a price for all that green, green, green. *AAAAAaaachoooo!* I'm beginning to realize the benefits of living in a not-so-green state.

All the sneezing was worth it though. Because that bike ride was one of the most breath-taking I've had in the last decade.

I wish my pictures did it justice.

But they don't.

So the next time I trek north and hop on a bike, you'll have to hop in my suitcase and see for yourself.

One of the highlights was a detour my brother and I took to the creek.

Isn't my brother handsome? He's single ladies, and ready to mingle. However, I am not ready for him to mingle. He's hardly old enough, after all; it was just yesterday that we were pretending his outie bellybutton was an elevator button that carried us to the seventh floor.

Yep, there's nothing quite like riding through verdant countryside with the sun on your back and your hilarious brother at your side. Nothing.

I'm ready to go back for another visit.


© by scj