Oh, that farmer's tan.

There's nothing better than that point in the season in which you get your first cycling sun burn. Here in the northeast, we've been stuck in the throes of a miserable winter for what seems like eternity. Recently, we've been lucky enough to get a couple warm days here and there which have allowed time on the road. Trails are too wet still, but a couple more days of sunshine should be all they need to dry out.

I can't fricken' wait, but still, it's nice to be outside enjoying the fresh air and the sunshine just the same. Although, there's no better way to get base miles and feel good on a bike than to chill out on a road bike, hitting some wicked climbs and screaming descents. Who knew that road riding could be such a thrill?

On a little more thrilling note, I've signed on to ride the Livestrong challenge in Philadelphia this August. So that means I have about 5 months to get ready to ride a century with nine thousand feet of climbing. Shouldn't be too difficult, right? My ass will be the color of sangria by the time I'm done with that thing. Preparation is key, and I've got my racing and event calendar planned out already. Mountain bike race in June, metric century in July, and the Livestrong in August. One good solid event per month should have me enough incentive to put the training time in and keep me having some fun at the same time.

Anyway, I need to go and prevent my future dear wife from punting my cat across the room. Such civil unrest...