What You See Depends On Your Vantage Point

 Philosophical question of the day:  Is a groundhog more likely to see his* shadow as an active cyclist

or as a passenger?

I ask because today the critters didn't get their stories straight:  Punxsawtney Phil, the most famous groundhog, saw his shadow, but our local forecaster, Staten Island Chuck, saw his.  According to Phil, there are still six more weeks of Winter, but Chuck says Spring is arriving early.

Which one glimpsed from the saddle, and which one got his view from a basket?

*--It seems that all of the groundhogs consulted for the seasonal forecast are male.  Does that mean that only they have the power to predict?  Or could it be that it's a big deal when they rise from hibernation because the females have been awake all along?

The Shadow I Saw

Last week, I wrote about the coldest cycle-commute I've pedaled in many years.  The temperature rose gradually during the week, reaching the freezing mark on Friday and the 10-15C (50-60F) yesterday and today.

We didn't get much snow during the cold spell--the squall we experienced brought more wind than anything else--but the fallen flakes stayed on the ground and froze until the thaw.

The result has been mud everywhere.

Neither Punxsutawney Phil nor Staten Island Chuck  saw his shadow.  According to legend, that means Spring will soon arrive.  But I still anticipate more cold weather before the thaw becomes permanent (at least until next winter):  After all I saw this shadow

of a bare tree.