Weekend For Biking

Farmland near Lengnau

This weekend was unseasonably warm here. While Friday was a little warmer than usually, Saturday and Sunday were unbelievable. I even found myself cleaning off the patio furniture so we could sit outside and enjoy the balcony.

On Saturday I spent and hour and a half cleaning the planters on on the balcony. I made a little progress but there is still a long way to go. Sunday we enjoyed lunch on the balcony. I was actually sitting comfortably in the short sleeve shirt and jeans. It was really pleasant.

Since the weather was so great it was also the perfect opportunity to get the the first outdoor bike rides of the season. On Friday evening I started with a ride up to Baldegg. The ride to Baldegg has a good ascent, this early in the season I wasn't sure I could make it all the way up the hill, but with a little persistence I made the climb. After reaching the top I spent another 30 minutes enjoying the forest trails, and then the very fast 10 minute descent back to town.

On Sunday my wife and I took a leisurely ride through a few of the smaller towns up the valley. Erendingen and Lengau were in the travel plans. The farmland in that area was amazing at this time of year. I couldn't believe how green things were despite the fact that is is still February.

Some of the farm fields were freshly plowed while other were full of thick green grass. This surely doesn't seem normal. I would venture a guess this area is really being effected by global warming. Who would have every thought I would live 45 minutes from the Alps by train and I would only see snow in my village on 2 days over the past 2 winters.