It's Not Over!

Why do people keep saying that summer is over? Yes, it's past Labor Day. And, yes, temperatures at night are now in the 40s rather than 50s or 60s...or 70s. It's true the sun is rising a little later. And setting a little earlier. Leaves on some trees are starting to turn a lighter shade of yellow. So what? It doesn't mean summer is over. It's not over! As Animal House's Bluto so enthusiastically said in his rallying speech to his Delta Chi brothers,
"Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"
I know it wasn't the Germans, but that's not the point. The point is that there are still plenty of things that I fully intended to do this summer but was never quite able to complete the task.  Like...
1.  Finding a rock and cracking it open to discover the wonders of a Geode. I cracked a lot of rocks but, alas, no Geode.
2.  Mountain biking the Big Hill trails all the way down to Spearfish Canyon, then into town. Did that last year and was hoping to repeat it this year.  
3.  Motorcycling to Montana, then cutting across to Devils Tower in Wyoming and back home. Made a run to Devils tower, but it was the short cut. Had my Polaroid camera along -

4.  Drive or ride on a photo safari through the badlands. Didn't even get close to doing this.
5.  Hike around the Stratobowl in the Black Hills. No excuse for not doing this. So close.

I also didn't spend enough time with friends. I tried and failed with some. Succeeded with others, but even then it wasn't enough time. It's never enough. There are other things that weren't necessarily in the plans, but would have still been awesome if they actually happened. Like...
1.  Getting caught in the rain a long way from shelter. I was too careful.
2.  Camping out on Sand Creek, or up in Spearfish Canyon. Even if just for old time's sake. I know the right spots.
3.  Stopping at a flea market. Drove by one many times.
4.  Spending most of an entire day at an auction with lots of "miscellaneous items." Timing was never right.
5.  Going to a drive-in theatre. They're still around.

I suppose the list could go on. But why dwell on what might have been? It's time to get serious and make up some lost time before autumn hits and then...winter. There's still time. Because summer is not over. It's not over until I decide it's over! And once more I will look to Delta Chi for my inspiration. This time from Otter, "I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part."
And I'm just the guy to do it. Who's with me? Let's go!

Roger O'Dea        9/8/2015