Compulsive in creeping

It's not a long time ago that I was thinking that this abysmal winter weather would never end, then we set the clocks forward for daylight savings, and Voila! Spring is upon us. There have appeared those brilliant, fresh green leaves on all the deciduous trees and the sun has some warmth.

I have now managed three rides without armwarmers, and my arms are looking less like white pipecleaners than they were a week ago. I have mixed feelings about tanlines.

Given my bit of Tangata whenua I tan easily and quickly, but that's only on the skin exposed. I'm also a touch leery of skin cancer (although not really enough methinks), so rarely expose my torso, or upper arms. The net result, come mid-summer, if I do make poolside is a picture of a man who is wearing a hairy, short-sleeved white wetsuit.

I do also enjoy having brown limbs, there's something vain in that idea, but it's tied in there in my thinking as appropriate to summer cycling, along with strong negative views on sleeveless tops, the place of tea in society and wearing polka dot jerseys.

Today I rode along Tamaki Drive in the early afternoon. The bays were crowded, the beaches were busy, and there were even people standing in the water. Given that yesterday I stood in the water for several minutes after dusk waiting for the tractor to return to haul the vessel that I was hanging onto out, I can vouch that the water is still nippy. I think they were a trifle optimistic, or were engaging in an act of self-sterilisation. Yesterday, I was only knee deep, I wouldn't want it any higher, and the thought of voluntarily letting water of that temperature caress my nether regions makes me pucker.

However, Spring did yield a pleasant surprise, albeit a foolish one, but pleasant none the less. As I rode townward on the bus and bike lane under the shading pohutakawas I could see a figure roller-blading towards me in the buslane, she was lithe, tanned and clad in a pair of white Daisy Dukes and a string bikini top. Dressed like that, I felt my need to chastise her for rollerblading against the traffic was a touch churlish, so I let it slide. It was a lovely sunny day after all.