Some dates in your life develop a split personality. March 19th has become mine for endings and anticipations, wrapped in snow.
Twenty-three years ago, I was too busy playing with a new camera to read emails. A year later, the Comanche program got terminated, and my online store closed on the same day. Apparently, when one door closes, an army contract gets cancelled. What timing.
But this date also marks preparations and last chances. There's the pre-surgery "Last Walk" with a friend, chasing 1,000 snow miles before spring, and three years of Lolo Pass adventures. Even swapping tires for an upcoming race fits the pattern.
The contrasts run deeper. Epic spring break climbs in the Bitterroots versus ranting about Montana's extended winters. Ruby hitting 1,000 snowy miles while Wednesday gathers dust, waiting for dirt. Even discovering ocean-side magic and feeling transformed by Pacific waves came on this date.
Most recently, Coach Bear replaced coffee with sprints, proving March 19th still delivers its particular brand of chaos.
This date seems determined to remind me that life pivots on ordinary days, whether you're ready or not.