Blue skies and about as clear as I can remember it in recent times. The Helderbergs look like they are next door. 40 degrees on our way up to 56 degrees. Or as the weatherman reports it, fair. Spring like with green grass and the trees budding up in the city but no leaves yet. Spring is tardy this year in the city, but I believe it will come. That sunrise was early and the sun was in my eyes by 6:15 AM.

Listening to Tommy James and the Shondells’ Crystal Blue Persuasion. Taking the express bus downtown. Nice day for sure and a nice long run on the weather. Three Thursdays from now will be Cinco de Mayo.

Happy Birthday to Loretta Lynn, the country western singer of hits like Coal Miners Daughter and of course The Pill. Nobody could ever forget her for sure.

Today in 1958,  the Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after a mission duration of 162 days. This was the first spacecraft to carry a living animal, a dog named Laika. The female dog likely lived only a few hours. Regardless, it was an enormous step forward for man kind in our effort to conquer outer space.

Got a recall notice for my truck, but ironically it’s for a part that I don’t even have on my truck any more. GM is offering to replace broken middle leaf springs on 2011 Chevy Silverados in the northeast. Fortunately for me, that won’t be an issue with GM, because I replaced the leaf springs with bigger ones when I put the lift kit on my truck. This did happen in college on my old Ford Ranger though. Watkins Spring replaced it, and it wasn’t too expensive. So after I read through the notice carefully, I tossed it in the paper garbage to get burnt the next time I’m out camping. Helps prevent identity theft, and recycles trash into fire starters. Hah!

Still undecided about camping this weekend, but now I’m leaning towards it. Going to be a nice weekend. I’m disappointed that I have the Save the Pine Bush 40 Karner Road clean-up on Saturday, but maybe I still can get out camping in the evening. We will see. It depends how I feel come tomorrow night, when I would have to pack if I plan on going out.