I left work a bit early on Friday and took a bike ride. I rode steadily uphill along route 63 to Juggler Meadow road. There was a delicious piney smell in the air and, although there were still patches of snow in the shade and ice in the ponds, the temperature was comfortable. There was one steep hill, just before Amherst road, but then the rest of the ride was mostly downhill. I had been avoiding hills, so it was nice to feel I could conquer some.
Yesterday, Charlie and I rode to the Norwottuck trail. We took the UMass biketrail connector, pick up the trail at Snell street, and rode to 
Pete's Drive In. I just got some water, but Charlie got a strawberry smoothie. We needed to hang out for a while because we planned to stop at the bike store on the way back. I hadn't noticed when I pick up his bike that it didn't have a kick stand. We stopped in the store and asked about it. They were chagrinned to realize they had forgotten to install one -- they assured us that one came with the bike and they instantly installed it. Charlie was pleased -- he'd been disappointed when his bike didn't have a kickstand.
By the time we got home, I was a bit tired and sore from two days of riding. The weather is cooler today, but I had hoped I might be able to take another ride today, but I'm chafed enough that I think I'll hold off. I'll be able to get out for more rides soon enough.
I got bike maps for the whole state a couple of weeks ago and I've been enjoying studying them (and marking the roads I've ridden on!) I'm planning to start aiming for the longer trails over the next couple of weekends and take shorter local rides in between. There are 4 bike trails within a couple of hours that look like a lot of fun: Ashwillticut (in the Berkshires), Ware River (East of the Quabbin), Nashua (north of Worcester) and Southern New England Trunkline (south of Worcester). Someday, we'll do the Cape, which has a bunch of bike trails, but that will require staying overnight, which is more expensive. In preparation, I need to get my tools in order and make sure I have a complete kit for longer rides with the boys. Fun!