March 2015 Back in touch and blogging again

It has been a long while since my last post, almost 2 years. So where have I been and what's happened?

Since my last post when I was finishing up my trip across Europe battered and bruised but with many memorable experiences, I have returned home to Stockbridge and resumed my normal life as I had left it. That is working as an Independent Engineered Equipment Sales Representative; keeping the family financially afloat and making the last of the tuition payments for my 2 great kids and seeing them graduate from Bates College in ME and Georgetown in DC. Plus enjoying the companionship and the fun and lively social life with Sarah and our friends. The operative word in my job description is Independent which usually allows me lots of opportunity to ride my bicycle.

So most importantly I have continued to ride. After returning from Europe I finished the fall of 2013 strong. In 2014 I planned another long trip in Europe but was pleasantly distracted from a long distance ride when Sarah and her friend Jane rented a cottage on a Etruscan Castle in Italy as well as unpleasantly distracted by a urinary tract infection and ended up without a long touring ride but with some great local cycling in Tuscany and Umbra in late summer and throughout New England all year.

2015  Has begun with a very cold and snow filled winter but with my New Years resolution to "ride my bicycle every day"

I have reached the end of March with having missed only 2 days. I usually ride Gertrude my "fat tire bike" mostly on roads that are dirt in the summer but plowed and snow packed in the winter. I don't go nearly as far but have more fun. I fall over a lot. The cold is a challenge but with my "bar mits"; many layers of creative clothing and always something dry in my seat pack I have survived so far.

So now with Spring approaching I have again gotten the bug to get on the road and am beginning to plan heading south.

My destination and a potential traveling companion will be in the next blog.

But first I will post some photos of winter rides in the Berkshires

WINTER TRACKS

ICE-CYCLES

Blowing snow on a -7F day