A little bit faster.

The weather was beautiful today-I was so psyched to get outside for a ride after 10 straight days of riding indoors. I headed over to Westford and then back over the hill into Cooperstown and around the lake. I was really feeling upbeat, as spring feels like it's around the corner. Unfortunately, I know that feeling will be short-lived, as I heard that it's supposed to snow for the next 5 days. Anyhow, I'll make the best of it. I was riding outside full-time last year in March. Three more weeks--tick tock-tick tock.

The valley is always a nice ride.

Looking up from the head of the lake--you can't see the crazy bastards out ice fishing.

I always like riding by these old tractors--for some reason, they always remind me of multiple bikes all lined up. I imagine this guy to be as psyched as I am getting a new bike when he got the second tractor.

So amongst all the random things I think about while riding, I got to thinking about where I was thirty years ago today. I remember it clear as crystal--I was eleven years old and after watching the USA beat the former Soviet Union in Lake Placid, I was determined to be a professional hockey player. After the game, I went outside and rallied the kids on the street for a game. Big Dave got suited up in a variety of equipment taken from other sports, padded up nicely and making a fine goalie. The only problem with my great plan was that I lived in South Florida and organized hockey was really hard to come by. The largest piece of ice around was the ice cube in my neighbor's gin and tonic, so my dreams died about a week later.

Thirty years later, I'm 41 and am determined to get a little bit faster on my bike. My quest for speed took me out for 3.5 hours today which included some pretty brutal intervals (first of the year) and some sprint--all in all I'm pretty cooked.

This is what I really ride for--the recovery meal.

Cora made these "barbars" for me--they are out of this world and I can't stop eating them.