If you're from the Midwest, you know as well as I do, that February is usually bitterly cold. Sometimes snow, but more often harsh winds and negative temperatures, while you wait for the warmth of spring. And when all you want to do is go outside without 5 different layers on, it sucks.
But 2017 has graced us with a brief warm front and everyone is celebrating by going out into the muddy outdoors. And since the weather is going to last at least a few more days, here's a list of 11 things every Midwesterner does when it gets warm out.
1. Go for a ride on a motorcycle
Seriously, if the weather is above 55 and the roads aren't covered in slush and sand, motorcycles are everywhere. Just today I went for a ride on one with my dad and we were out for about 3 hours! This is also your friendly reminder to keep a look out for motorcyclists while driving!
2. Take a walk or a run
Usually, no one likes to run, or even walk if they don't have to. But there's something about the spring air and the bright sun that makes the whole idea of exercise seem worth it.
3. Go to the dog park
Yes, our beloved four-legged friends need the fresh air and the sunshine just as much as we do -- and they don't care if they get muddy. The ratio of people and dogs to the park has increased significantly since the weather has gotten better -- and I don't expect this to change until it gets too hot to stand.
4. Read a book/Do homework outside
While not nearly as fun as taking your dog to a dog park, many people have to do homework and chose to do so outside, where they can sit in the sun and bask in its warmth. And if you're just reading for fun, what's better than curling up under a tree (even if that tree doesn't have leaves)?
5. Wash their car
If it's warm enough out for the water rinsing your car off to not freeze, everyone is washing their car. Getting rid of all the sludge, grime and build-up left over from winter is surprisingly cathartic -- even if you'll have to do all over again once this nice warm front stops.
6. Clean up their garden
Getting ready to plant flowers, vegetables, or even trees takes effort. What better day to put forth this effort than on one's that gorgeous? Bonus -- if you do this now then you'll get to relax when all your neighbors are heaving broken branches and dead leaves through their yards.
7. Play sports
Whether it's a friendly game of basketball, frisbee golf, or just kicking a soccer ball back and forth, playing sports is a great way to spend a warm day outside. And if you're not one for playing the sports, you can always go and cheer your friends on! The parks have been crowded over with frisbees, golf balls, and jump ropes since the weather has been above 55 degrees.
8. Wash windows
Boring? Yes. Necessary? Also yes.
While washing windows may seem totally irrelevant to do with everything else on this list, doing housework is a good way to spend a nice warm day. Especially if that housework is, in fact, outside the house. Just around my neighborhood, 13 different houses were cleaning off their winter streaked windows.
9. Go biking
With miles of bike trails crisscrossing the American Mid-West, there's no better way to spend a nice early spring day than to go ride a bike! You'll get a bit of exercise, but you won't even feel it because you'll be too busy basking in the warmth of the sun and watching all the hustle and bustle happening around you.
10. Just sit in the sun
Nothing says a 70-degree day, like sitting in the sun and getting warm. While the winter sun is great, it doesn't really warm you up. But when the weather gets warmer, so does the sun, making you feel nice and toasty as you sit on your deck. This was a pretty popular activity through all the neighborhoods I drove through yesterday, and some people even had on flip-flops!
11. Take a nap
It's not outside, but taking a nap when the weather's nice just seems so right. You no longer have to huddle under 20 million blankets and you can open your shades a little to let the sunlight stream in. Ahh...bliss.
