It's the beginning.

Every year our local club schedules a weekend ride early in the season.

It's a simple affair, one which really requires no thought.

We ride across the county and back

on one road.

Nobody ever gets lost.  But to be on the safe side the organizer, Rick Whaley, 

hands out "maps" in the form of Twizzlers.

That's a copy of my Strava report at the end.  They work out ok as long as you hold them east and west.

It turns out to be a perfect scale of 1 inch to 3 miles.

 So a whole bunch of us met this morning on a beautiful day when my cameraman forgot to correct the light setting on his camera (schmuck).  It's even brighter than the real world in this story.

It was something of a record turnout since the weather was so clear and comfortable.

The wind took it's toll on the finishers.  We start in the middle of the "route," ride to the county line at one end, turn around and ride to the opposite county line.  We receive equal benefit from the hills climbed and wind foughtt.  But a large number bailed halfway through, 

the wind from the west was tiring and discouraging for many this early in the season.

The countryside looked no different than it did a couple of weeks ago.  The snow is all gone now,

We had such an incredible amount of moisture that I am expecting a springtime explosion when the trees begin to bloom.  We are just now seeing some buds.

But in other news, this was worth sharing if you haven't seen the bike clock.

I have no idea what possessed somebody and forced them to build this,

but I am glad they did/