Dear Bikes,

I've missed you two.

Took my bikes out for the first time this week after having them tuned up at the shop. I gave in this year and got them professionally looked at since I've been doing my own repairs/tunes for the last 3 years. I figured it was about time; I don't need my bike falling apart on me in the middle of a ride. I do enough damage to myself as it is...I don't need the added risk.

It felt SO good to be riding again! The stationary bike just doesn't cut it. The cool thing is that I went on one of the uphill rides I did last summer and felt 10 times better doing it this time than when I did it last year, so that's promising. Mountain bike race league starts up in July and I want to race in the sport class this time, not beginner. Gotta get those legs and lungs ready for it. The nice thing is that I've been living at this elevation (about 3,000') for a year now so I'm finally acclimated enough that it doesn't burn when I do things anymore. This should be a good summer!

Smells like summer.

This week has been amazing. Sunny, warm, and beautiful. I haven't felt this good in weeks! There's just something about the smell of warm grass and bark that gives me such a good energy...I just can't explain it.

Kyle came over after work last night, and after barraging him with all sorts of thoughts going through my head, he finally said, "Is this how it's going to be all summer?"

Me: "What do you mean?"

K: "I mean you, being all giddy."

I guess I get a little excited about being outside on gorgeous days like yesterday and today...

I took the kayaks out for the first time yesterday. Ben and I wheeled them down to the beach, hopped in and paddled down the river to the park down town and then back. I wasn't expecting the water to be as not-frigid as it was, though I certainly didn't test it by getting in... It's pretty low though, so unless we get some good precipitation between now and July it won't take long until it's swim-able. Oh man, I can't wait.

Oh, and I took the road bike out for it's first ride of the season. Already averaging 15-16 mph, which is significantly faster than last year at this time. Triathlon, here I come!

Oh the weather outside is... confusing??

Welcome to Montana, where if you don't like the weather, stick around for 5 minutes. No, literally, that's how quick things change around here.

It's spring, which apparently means sunshine and blue skies one minute, clouds and bean-sized hail the next. Take this afternoon, for instance. Here's what it looked like about 20 minutes ago:

And here's what it looked like about 10 minutes ago:

This will go on all day, too. I just can't keep up! Puts a damper on my outdoor exercise plans. Just when you get think you can get ready to go out and take a run, it clouds up and you're stuck inside. Such is life, though. The good news is that summer completely makes up for it -- weeks of sunshine at a time, I can't wait!