Spring!

It has been a bit since I last posted...last time I was still enjoying a recent snowfall with my cross country skis.  Well, the snow is just a soggy memory and we are getting some sunshine and warm (for March) temperatures.  Last week we saw nearly 70 degrees on Friday, and this week is still holding on to the 50's.

So what has been happening since March 5?  The biggest news is that my canoe is done?  D-O-N-E!  What a great project it has been.  Jeff and I started, or at least started planning, in September or October 2008, and bought wood shortly after.

 And on March 17 it received its last coat of polyurethane.  Very shiny.  Not it just needs some curing time, but maybe will be ready to hit the water this weekend.

I have a paddle I made 20+ years ago in Boy Scouts, but my friend Vince was kind enough to loan a couple until I either buy another one or two, or make some.

I have also been getting out on the road bike lately.  I don't have any pictures of my rides since I have been too busy riding, but this is what I have been riding.  It's a Surly Cross Check from 2002, which serves double duty as a road bike and a cyclocross bike.  I have yet to do any cyclocross races, but it still serves me well for dirt road rides, light trail duty, and of course, road riding.  I have two wheel sets, one with skinny road tires and one with fatty 'cross tires.  Much easier than changing tires, and less expensive than two complete bikes.

Today Grace and I got out on our road tandem.  In the canoe pictures you can see "Pig," our cruiser tandem, but we also have a Trek T1000 road bike tandem.  It was her first road ride of the year, and the tandem is a great way for us to ride together.  We might even break it out for the One Helluva Ride this year.

We also bought a "new" car recently.  Anyone who knows me, knows I don't buy a new car.  But this is pretty close; a 2009 Ford Ranger Sport with only 9669 miles.  We got an incredible deal on it and just could not pass it up.  One of Grace's criteria for a new car was "something that will make me want to go camping."  If this truck does not do it, I don't know what will!  Short of maybe a Westfalia VW Bus...  It will allow us to carry bikes and camping gear safely inside, away from sticky fingers and bad weather.  And once I get some mounts on the cap for my Yakima rack, we will be able to easily carry kayaks and canoes.  Obviously a truck also works well for all my various woodworking projects as well.  And to top it all off, so far we have been averaging about 26 miles per gallon.

Now that spring is here, both on the calendar and weather-wise, you have no excuse to not get out and enjoy the outdoors!  I hope to see you out on the road/trail/river/garden/etc.