PARISNICE

PARISNICE. It's one of my favorite words. It means daylight savings time is right around the corner. One week away to be more precise. Winter is almost gone and spring is almost here. The shadows are getting shorter and the days are already getting longer. It's still windy and cold. It still snows here and there. But for the most part it means that we are turning the final corner on the grey sapping haze of winter and can just see the promising red kite of spring up the road off in the distance.

PARISNICE means that it won't be too many more days until a ride on the trainer is something that fades into a not so fond memory and the fresh air outside replaces the stale air blown from a fan that you have been pumping in and out of your lungs all winter long. There will be that day soon when all of a sudden you notice the little life giving buds there on the cold stark winter worn tree branches and you wonder how your fitness is going to respond on your first long ride of the season where your legs and arms get touched by the sun again.

PARISNICE means that it won't be too many more days until a ride up one of the canyons turns out to be more than a "wish I could" and instead becomes a "wish I didn't" as you take stock of the lost glory that has slowly leaked out of your legs and the extra pounds that have quietly crept onto your body during the off season. It means 70% savings on all the cold weather gear you wished you'd had over the past few frigid months. PARISNICE. It means so many things - all good - not the least of which is that it's time to shave your legs. Again. Finally.