Someday it will be Spring!

It snowed this morning.  April 11th.  Cold, wet, icky snow.  It's kind of funny to watch everyone freak out about it, as if snow in Minnesota is a rarity.  History belies this belief.  Once in every ten years we get over 4" in April.  Once in every five years we get over 2" in April.  I have always said that the problem with Minnesota is that there is no Spring.  We have Winter until sometime in April, then a couple weeks of warming and then, boom, Summer.  It may not be preferable, but it is certainly normal.  It is what I have always missed about the East coast, which starts Spring in March and continues well into late April and early May with a long, gradual build to warmer temps.  Of course, it's in the 80s out in DC this week, so what the hell...it's weather and it'll do whatever it wants to do.

On the other hand, the extraordinary euphoria that Minnesotans get to feel when it finally does hit 60 and the grass starts to grow is something that folks in the rest of the country never really experience.  Nothing like being stuck indoors hiding from the cold for five months to make those first warm days seem like some kind of heaven on Earth. 

Heading down to St Peter this weekend to check out a townhouse for my move to Mankato.  It's a little further from the school than I would prefer...a twenty minute commute...so I'm not sure if I'll pull the trigger even if I like it.  There is a newer townhouse that will come available in September that is only ten minutes from campus.  That would be much better if I can figure out where to live for the thirty days or so until it's ready after I get to Mankato.

Speaking of getting to Mankato, I have a better idea of the Summer journey itinerary.  Here's the outline:

• Wyoming and Little Big Horn from July 1st-7th.
• Mitch's Cabin (west of Billings) and a Yurt in the Montana mountains July 8th-15th
• EDTA Leadership Summit in Denver from July 16th-20th
• North through the Tetons and into the Cascades July 21st through August 2nd
• West to Seattle August 3rd - 10th
• East through Washington, Idaho and Montana and back to Mpls August 10th-17th

Most of the time I'll be camping, though every once in a while I'll hit a hotel for a little comfort and cleanup.  Hopefully visit friends along the way.  Lots of hiking, reading, and writing.

Meanwhile, lots of cleaning, packing and purging still to do!