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Mid March is a trying time in Minnesota. As an auto or motorcycle enthusiast the temptation to hit the road grows as the temperature climbs. The bitter cold of winter starts to loosen its grip. Snow melts. Birds chirp. The road beckons.
Forecast temperatures have you planning that first drive. Even still, patience is required. Roads are still salty and sandy until a cleansing rain rinses the grime away. We find winter trying. The MN roads have it even worse. This becomes apparent as new potholes and cracks make themselves painfully known. At last a day comes when the weather cooperates. Depending on the vintage of your vehicle, the first start of the season can be a source of anxiety. Questions race through your mind. Did the battery tender work? Is the fuel still be good? I did add stabilizer, right? What about the starter? You turn the key. The engine cranks and starts. A sigh of relief. A few minutes to get fluids circulating and it's time for a quick wash. The sun still doesn't hang around for long this time of year. You'll do a full detail later. Finally, the open road again. The sun is shining. The air is crisp and fresh. The actual temperature doesn't really matter. It's above freezing. That's warm enough. Just you and your ride. Possibly someone special riding along. Or likely in their own pride and joy just behind. The windows are down. The wind invigorating. You remember again why you love this. The way your car feels. The way the gear lever goes from gate to gate. The revs and sounds and smells. Each immediately familiar. You feel at ease, at home. The signs of spring are sparse. The trees are bare, the earth still brown. Little patches of green exhale from sun facing slopes. Inevitably an obstacle presents itself. Melted snow meanders across the road. There is no avoiding it. You quickly assess the situation and aim for the smallest, least wet looking spot. You sigh in mock frustration as water sprays on your fenders. You knew it was bound to happen. Clutch in, drop a gear, clutch out, pedal down. You've forgotten about the water already. You're windows are closed again. The temperature drops as the sun descends to the horizon. You pull into the garage and turn off the engine. Lingering for a few minutes, you listen to the clinks and pings of metal cooling. You breathe in the perfume of fuel, oil, and exhaust. You climb out, close the door, and sigh. Everything is right in this moment. You start walking away. Glancing over your shoulder, you can't help but smile. You give her a wink. Tomorrow. Definitely doing this again tomorrow. You check the forecast. Your heart sinks. Tomorrow it will snow. The day after that is even colder. Patience you remind yourself. Spring is coming. This, after all, is Minnesota Motoring. |
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March 2017
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