Oh sweet, sweet Asphalt, how I have missed you!
Your oxidized crumbly surface with delicate cracks and delightful potholes.
And my old friend Concrete, my love rekindled.
How I have missed your unsealed joints and rough, but high-friction face.

4°F and CLEAR OF ICE AND SNOW this morning, for the first time in what seems like ages. That ride was a sweet walk in the park compared to what we have been having the past 2 months. We got lucky here in Springfield and dodged the wintry mess that hammered northern Illinois yesterday. I felt fortunate to have such a sweet ride in this morning.