I knew when I turned the corner and started the climb up
the hill that I should have worn my balaclava. Jogging uphill, the wind in my
face, it was cold. I hadn’t counted on the wind chill factor.  Bob Seger’s song started playing in my mind:

“It
seems like yesterday / But it was long ago / …. Wish I didn’t know now what I
didn’t know then / Against the wind / We were runnin’ against the wind / We
were young and strong, we were runnin’ / Against the wind…”

Turning left and starting downward, there is respite from
the cold air and I can regain some semblance of control as I near the highway.

“The
years rolled slowly past / … There were oh so many roads / I was living to run
and running to live / Never worrying about paying or even how much I owed “

Now the wind is at my back and I’m sailing along Highway
89 in the dark dawn, past the BLM rest stop, past the dead country store, past
the town post office, past the parked cattle truck. 

“Well
those drifter’s days are past me now / I’ve got so much more to think about /
Deadlines and commitments / What to leave in, what to leave out / Against the
wind / I’m still running’ against the wind / I’m older now but still runnin’
against the wind”

Off the highway now and I’m struggling up another hill,
caged dogs barking at me.  I hope they
wake up the people that keep them caged. 

“Against
the wind / … Still runnin’ / Runnin’ against the wind”