East Side Signs of Spring

I have not always lived on the East Side. I will confess that I migrated here from the other side of the river. It is hard not to compare the two sides of the river. In many ways I find the people and places quite similar. However, St. Paul does have it's own uniqueness's - one of those being her harbingers of spring. On the other side of the river they must keep a watchful eye for the first red breast hopping around the backyard to know that spring has officially arrived. On the East Side my ears let me know when it is truly spring. It happened about two weeks ago now. In fact I was typing away at this very keyboard when I heard it...Vrooommazooomzooom! The first motorcycle of spring! I know, you're thinking "Motorcycles are signs of spring??". On the East Side they are! I've never seen anything like it anywhere else. Bikers will ride as late in the fall as they can without freezing off their fingers and nose and they pull those bikes back out again on the very first warm day. Not being a biker myself, I did at one time find this a slightly frustrating habit. It might not have helped that I had a bike addicted neighbor who loved to rev up at 1 a.m.! But over time I have learned that Vroomazoomzoom! means that the bikers have emerged from their winter cocoons and spring has arrived! So now each spring, here on the East Side, we wait for that first Vroomazoomzoom and when we hear it we shout "Yeah! Spring is finally here!" Is it spring yet in your neighborhood?