Photo by Steve Barrett

[UPDATE: The US Bicycling Hall of Fame will be going to Davis, CA. But Greensboro did well to become one of two sites considered, especially taking into account Davis' rich bicycle history.]

Greensboro has long been host to a wonderful bicycle race, the Carolina Cup. It’s held each year at Country Park and draws pros from around the country as well as fine local riders. My husband has competed in the race, years ago.

And now we may become the new home of the U.S.Bicycling Hall of Fame. An article in the News & Record details information about that.

All this, along with slowly expanding bike lanes around town and enthusiastic local riders is making Greensboro quite the place for cycling.

Hmmm. Colorful jerseys. Snug cycling shorts. Strong calf muscles and thighs. It’s about time for my husband to get back in the saddle.

But that’s a topic for another post.

UNC's Tyler Hansbrough shoots during Thursday's game at Greensboro Coliseum. Credit: Jerry Wolford / News & Record

In case my readers in other parts of the country are wondering if the “Greensboro” that is written at the edges the floor of 1st round NCAA basketball tournament games is the same Greensboro about which I write, it is.

Greensboro is – among other things – a college round ball town. We’re so close to so many famed programs that it’s no surprise.

But you are likely to see yard banners and those little flags people fly outside their car windows for schools all over the region: Clemson, Virginia Tech, U of Virginia and, of course, NC State, Wake Forest (just 35 minutes away in Winston-Salem) and Duke and Carolina.

I don’t profess any favorite team. But there is that whole question about if God isn’t a Tarheel, why is the sky Carolina Blue?

But that’s a topic for another post.

Anywho, Greensboro does a good job of hosting the NCAA and will be doing the same for the ACC tourney several times in the next few years.

Get your car flags ready.

This audio was listed on a blog post by the editor or our city’s newspaper, The News & Record. It involves a bank robbery followed by a car chase with one of the suspects hanging out a window of the chased car, shooting at trailing officers.

Pretty dramatic in its own right.

But at about 5:45 seconds in, you can hear one of the officers advise they have initiated CPR on one of the downed suspects. One who had just moments earlier been trying to kill the officers.

Trying to save the life of someone who for no good reason was just trying to blow you away.

Now that’s drama.

We awoke to crunchy grass, powered sugary vistas and icy roads in Greensboro this morning. Nothing compared to what so many other parts of the region are dealing with. But my tail end did slip all over the icy, shady patches on the drive in this morning.

So did the car’s.

Be careful. More is forecast for tonight.

And here are some photos from folks who know what they’re doing. (Staff photos from the News & Record)

Now, back to work.

There have been times when I’ve been glum. There have been times I’ve been numb. And certainly times I’ve been dumb.

But I’ve almost always been hopeful.

This made for a level of scorn when I was young and my peers became sophisticated and jaded as only over-educated and under-experienced 20-somethings can. It has also lead to some particularly cynical people thinking I was “putting on” my optimism.

Recently, though, hopefulness has come less easily.

Possibly this has happened due to realizing that – contrary to my previous assumptions – the forces of gravity have not decided to spare me. Maybe it’s being the mother to mostly-fully-cooked children, thereby eliminating a portion of my identity for the last couple of decades.

Or maybe it’s been the spirit-drubbing news over the last year or so.

I mean, honestly. It’s been like a lousy screenplay. All that’s been missing are locusts and frogs raining down upon us.

But then I see a post from John Robinson, editor of the News & Record, and realize that there are exciting and energizing forces all around us.

Or I think about how our next president looks to be more than just Not-The-Current-One but to truly have a plan, a brain, a heart and a soul. The real deal.

And sometimes it’s just something as simple as looking up from my notebook to see my youngest, home from college and full of hope himself,  goofily looking at me over the screen like some modern day Kilroy.

You just gotta love that kid. He’s great. All our children are.

And I can’t help but be hopeful. It feels good to be back.