Post script...

After posting the photos of our most recent storm there are signs of hope today. The temperature hit 47 with a bright sun this afternoon. Everywhere you look there are huge mounds of snow - probably 4 to 5 feet at the street and up to maybe 15 feet where the plows have been in the shopping mall parking lots. However, the snow was melting today and with luck we may see the grass again before April. And maybe even get the bike back on the road soon? On another note our local papers have been running a story of a cyclist killed on the road in one of our neighboring towns. It turns out he had cerebral palsy,had given up his driver's license, and has been dependant on his bike for years. The original story was a bit slanted and implied that with all the snow on the sides of the road he probably shouldn't have been there. From a cyclist's point of view this is, of course, ridiculous - the law is quite clear in giving the cyclist the right to the same space on the road as an automobile (and he was on a side road, not a major thoroughfare). In broad daylight the driver hit the cyclist from the rear and apparently he died before they even got him to the hospital. It goes without saying I suppose that I am just a bit sensitive and probably biased in interpreting this story - however, it did give me a measure of satisfaction to learn today that the driver has now been charged with vehicular homicide. Apparently she was driving under the influence of a prescription drug. No good answers here: a tragedy for both parties.

Waiting for the sun to come out....

What a difference a year can make. I went to my log today and at 17 February last year I had 9 days of riding and about 350 miles. Through today I have not had a day on the bike in February and I cannot remember the last time I was on the road...The photos tell the tale: first is the scene from our front porch taken yesterday. And second is our backyard, also taken yesterday. Mother nature was dumping another 2 or three inches on top of the 2-3 feet we already have on the ground from last week. It is beautiful, of course, but as I have said throughout this winter there is a very fine line between " wow, isn't it gorgeous" and " enough of this white s**t already." So in the meantime, the Olympics are on TV and I try to time my indoor bike time with something reasonably energetic and inspiring - curling does not do it for me but watching the cross-country skiers sprints are almost as good as a fast break in a good basketball game. And here's to a little sun in the long term forecast and back to the roads.