When the Snow Smiles Back

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ice walls with bikeSnow makes me smile all the time. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day it would smile back.

On my commuting route there is a stretch of flat road that follows the river. For some reason or another, the majority of the exciting experiences I have while commuting happen on this section of road. (Personally, I think it is because the river is magical.)

Monday afternoon I was biking calmly toward home, wrapped up in my own little world when I came to this stretch of road.

Suddenly, I realized that today I was not the only one hanging out of the shoulder of the road.

There were hundreds of smiley faces inhabiting the asphalt. Salt from the plow trucks combined with the weather conditions had created an entire community of smiling snow patches.DSC02465

DSC02464DSC02466Not every face was a perfect representative of the classic smiley face, but the vast majority had an uncanny likeness.

I couldn’t contain my own smile for the next mile of my commute. How could I? There were little faces peering up and grinning right at me!

The next time someone asks me why I bike through the winter, I will just tell them,

“If I didn’t bike, I would miss out on the smiley faces!”

22 thoughts on “When the Snow Smiles Back”

  5. Those little faces are so cute! How many(ish) were there?

    Here is a poem I finally finished this morning. I had been stuck on the last line for a couple days, which is why I asked about your bike’s name. Was hoping it would rhyme with yours and end my writer’s block, haha.

    This is dedicated to you and Winter and Orange Bike, and in memory of Pink Bike, since she also was a big part of your earlier adventures.

    Actually, once inspiration struck, it provided me with 3 possible ending lines. So, you get to choose your favorite! Please note, only the last line is different.

    Version 1:
    There once was a biker named Bri,
    Who went riding with undisguised glee.
    Whatever the weather;
    The colder the better.
    My dear crazy sister is she.

    Version 2:
    There once was a biker named Bri,
    Who went riding with undisguised glee.
    Whatever the weather;
    The colder the better.
    Pedaling along she will be.

    Version 3:
    There once was a biker named Bri,
    Who went riding with undisguised glee.
    Whatever the weather;
    The colder the better.
    Crazy, so crazy is she.

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    • *wails loudly*
      I have to choose!?!?! But I love them all! Version 1 can be dedicated to my pink bike, #2 to my mtb bike and #3 to Winter…but if I had to choose just one I guess I will go with #1 because I love being your crazy sister 😉 Your limericks are the best; snow makes me smile, but you make me smile even more! Hugs, dear one 😀

      There were hundreds of faces, it was one of the most bizarre moments of my entire life…I REALLY regret not taking more pictures, I am so dumb sometimes!

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      • Okay, #1 it is, then! Your Official Limerick. But you can still read the others if you want to, just because I love you that much. 😉 Good thing I make you smile more than snow. Hmmph.

        Hundreds of them, really? That’s crazy…like maybe crazier than you! 😀 Would sharing my hypotheses on this phenomenon ruin its magical appeal?

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      • Oh dear, are these hypotheses going to be akin to the hypotheses you shared with me last year about the small white dog and the giant white dog? Because in that case I think I must hear them 😉

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    • Hearing that makes me grin ear to ear, thanks for telling me, Annie! Seeing these adorable little faces was such a surprise I nearly forgot to take pictures of them at all, in hindsight I wish I had taken a few more!

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