Temperatures were in the 50's today - huge change from the 20's and 30's just a few weeks ago. There are snow drifts on the side of the road and along my driveway. The news' talking heads droned on about great weather and that we are only a few days from Spring. The sun called its siren song, tempting me to jump onto Kermit.

I have too much work to do, told myself. And my shoulder still hurt, was stiff, and still weak from the injury of a month ago. Its too risky, and just not the right thing to do.

But desire overtook the better part of judgement. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place - I needed to get my coffee beans from my coffee roaster. I was out and it simply had to be done! So why not use my bike.

I climbed onto the bike about 11:00 this morning. I took a picture of my boot propped up on the floorboard for a Facebook Group that wants pictures of what you are doing each Tuesday, with your shoes as the focal point.

I put on my heavy bike jacket, gloves, helmet. I climbed onto the bike and started it up. I looked at ClasicChap's engine guard chaps which protect legs from the wind in these cooler days. I should check the tires pressure, oil, etc. but did not. Bad Tim...

I pulled out of the drive between two snow piles straddling the entrance onto the road. The engine thrummed confidently, the cool wind rushing under my helmet and within my coat arms. Each bump in the road sent a small sharp pain through my shoulder, but the sense of freedom was worth each pin-prick.

I rode out of town. Fields were mostly still snow covered. Others had recently been tilled and the faint scent of manure somehow seemed to trigger a comfortable feeling of spring in my mind. Here and there were snow drifts along the road where just a few weeks ago snow was being pushed out of the roadway to allow cars to pass.

Twenty miles later, I pulled into Mechanicsburg and parked outside of the Hemisphere Coffee Roasters. I left with 2 lbs of my favorite, a 1/2 lb of a flavored decaff, and a handfull of chocolate covered beans.

The ride back was uneventful, but so wonderful. I pulled into the garage where I would be taking Kermit apart to do some major maintenance (fluid changes including breaks, clutch, oil, antifreeze), wiring maintenance, and installing a used trunk bought over a year ago.

I stepped out of the garage, and back into the house where I had work left to do and a meeting scheduled to review a revamp of a website. It was a great 40 mile ride, the first of the year.