Running Observations for Late March

I did my long run today, squeezed in between social engagements for the SOOTTAD farewell tour. I strongly considered pushing it out until tomorrow and just doing a shorter run today, but a quick look at the weather forecast (low 40s and rain, rain, rain) convinced me that I should just suck it up to do it today when it was sunny and supposed to approach 50°F. Just a few quick observations on the run:

• Despite it being a beautiful spring day in the high 40s, I was happy to have worn my wind pants and brought my glove-liners. It may have reached 50°, but it definitely drops a few degrees in the shade and feels cooler with the wind. It also cools quickly in the afternoon as the sun descends.
• I don't think I stuffed myself silly or anything, but apparently 2 hours is not a sufficient amount of time to properly digest the tasty Sichuan treats we ate for brunch. 20 minutes into the run and I'm burping little flashbacks which, not suprisingly, are not particularly enjoyable.
• The snow is mostly gone, leaving a lot of winter detritus along the side of the road -- faded beer cans and plastic bottles mostly. It's not clear whether they're being dumped by pedestrian drinkers or getting tossed out of car windows.
• The reservoir is still a sea of white, covered by a (hopefully thinning) layer of ice.
• I counted passenger vehicles on this Easter Sunday. (I'll post more details about this soon, hopefully.) Total count: 13 SUVs, 0 Pickups, 6 Vans/Wagons, 18 Cars. It felt like there were fewer SUVs than usual, but I'll get a better idea as I collect more data.
• Saw a Bush/Cheney sticker on a stationwagon that passed me. I observe two thoughts that pop into my head almost immediately:
  1. How could you vote for them?! You live in freaking Massachusetts fer cryin' out loud and should recognize the benefits (education, income, services) from living in the liberal oasis that is the Commonwealth. (Or maybe not. As I write this, I realize that these things are likely don't-cares to Bush/Cheney voters.)
  2. Damn, even in "li'brul" Massachusetts we have people who voted for these guys. I'm a freak, and it's only a matter of time before it won't even be safe to live HERE.
• Last 400 yards before the 10 mile mark (and the end of the run) and I see a cute indie-rock looking chick dressed mostly in black, walking in my direction on the sidewalk across the street. Gee, I didn't think we had that demographic in the neighborhood... Oh, it's the SOOTTAD! Heh, cool.