Sometimes, it's all you need.

Nothing like a few cold, brisk days in the country to bring things back into perspective.

Like most outdoor enthusiasts in the DC area, I came down with a gnarly cold this past week as soon as the weather turned. That, coupled with some overarching feelings of inadequecy in life, job and training - I took to my warm condo and relatively uncomfortable couch and hardly moved for four days straight. No bike, no gym, no random adventures. For anyone who knows me, this is...unheard of. But, it's what I felt I needed.

Turns out, I was wrong.

I've been in the mountains for less than 24 hours now, and I already feel completely rejuvenated. Brian and I packed up some warm clothes and our cross bikes and got the hell out of the city Friday night. As soon as we exited 66, the rain stopped. By the time we reached the Shenandoahs, you could actually see stars.

Granted, we're not roughing it. I am extremely lucky in that my parents own a place out here, and are kind enough to let us come relax every once and awhile. Today, we took to mapping out a solid cross course on their property - excellent varying terrain and some challenging grade here and there. After a nice hiatus from the bike, it felt great to get back out there and just play around for a bit.

So...I suppose my point to this post is this: don't give in to the weather, to the stresses of everyday life. Well, maybe give in for a few days, but then find your druthers and drag your butt out of bed, and find a mountain or two to stare at. Breathe in some deep, fresh breaths of good clean air...and think about something other than yourself for a few minutes. It's remarkably energizing.