When will it leave?!?! By the end of January here in Spokane, Washington it looked like we'd be getting an early spring. All the snow from December was gone and while the rest of the country was getting smacked with blizzards, we were looking at warm weather for the month and possibly an early riding season.

Then February hit. It was officially the third snowiest February on record. This is what it looks like out my front door today --->

It's going to take some seriously warm weather to melt all that! It can happen, but it doesn't look likely as this morning's 17 degree temperature bears out. I know, I know - I live in the Pacific Northwest where we get normal winters with snow and everything. I've lived here all my life, so yes I get it. But for the past 20 years or so, by March spring is well on its way and my thoughts turn to the new year's riding season. Where will I go? What trips will I take? Who else has rides planned? It's hard to think about when there's that much snow out.

I love planning trips. I guess it's the anticipation of interesting places to see, great twisty roads to ride, or awesome mountain trails to climb. It just gets my blood pumping with excitment. I have a couple trips planned already. Another trip into Canada over Memorial Day weekend and a circumnavigation of Washington State later in the summer. You sit down at the computer and pull up Google Maps and start getting a rough idea of where you want to go. Then you do some research on the specifics: road conditions, camping spots, interesting out-of-the-way things to see. Suddenly the trip takes shape right before your eyes. You make sure you have maps ready and maybe GPS tracks entered into your Garmin or other GPS device. Then you just have to wait for spring.

I'm still waiting. As are my other riding buddies. I've already re-watched the "Long Way Round" and "Long Way Down" series, as well as a lot of Lyndon Poskitt's "Races To Places". Tonight my brother and I are going to a local bike shop for a little food and then watch "Why We Ride", probably commiserating with other riders over the snow.

Yes. I'm whinning. But you have to admit - it's justified!!!