One of the toughest parts about getting up at 6a to ride in to work is dealing with my stomach. A lot of times I wake up with an upset stomach and I have to spend time just hanging around until it calms down. It's usually worse when I haven't slept all that well, but the good news is that if I have a little bit to eat and maybe a trip to the toilet, things settle down.

The other tough thing is when it's either bitterly cold or rainy. Lately, it hasn't been much of either, but today it was rainy. I left the house in my Coppi windbreaker (ie not waterproof) and just after crossing 7, the rain got worse. So I pulled over and put on my raincoat and booties--along with my new neoprene gloves. From there on, I was feeling pretty good. Since it was so warm out, I didn't put on my rain pants. My legs didn't mind the dampness one bit. Coming over the rise just after the stretch in Vienna, I was all alone and hearing The Bruch in my ears what just what I needed. It doesn't get much more beautiful than that.

Today was only a half day since I use Fridays to catch up on work hours. Jess drops by and picks me up on her way home from Pittsburgh, so it's nice to have at least half a day off once in a while. Overall, my legs feel terrific. If I could just sleep a little better, I'd be perfect.