That Would Be Enough

Yes, I rode to work today.

And . . .

It was a mostly gray dreary day. There was some rain mid-morning, not much, but enough to make a few puddles.

When I walked out of the Courthouse after work I noticed a fragrance. It was similar to the scent that fills the air after a nice rain, but it was not quite the same. My Grandpa used to say, "It smells like rain's on the way." I didn't know what he meant, but a sense memory was planted in those moments. Now, I've come to remember, and I believe the awakening of this memory is a direct result of my daily commute on my scooters.

I think anyone who is a serious rider becomes a meteorologist of sorts. When you spend much time exposed to the elements you begin to pay much more attention to them. Grandpa was a farmer, first with horses and later with tractors, but not the kind of tractors with air conditioned and heated cabs. He weathered the weather season in and season out. Now, I'm riding and weathering the weather season in and season out. One of the payoffs is I've come to notice when, "It smells like rain's on the way." There are lots of reasons I ride, but if learning what rain on the horizon smells like was the only one, for me, that would be enough.

• 60F/ and mostly overcast for the ride to work.
• 72F/ with light on again, off again rain during the ride home.