Written By Vicki Anzmann

The seemingly endless winter has left many, like bears awakening from hibernation, looking for an exercise fix to pull them out of their rut. Once the weather begins to cooperate and days get longer and temperatures warmer, there are a myriad of choices for working the kinks out of those long-idled muscles and having fun in the sun.

Get your Kicks There’s nothing quite like the feel of the open road, a nice spring day, and a great pair of running shoes. The gel cushioning system of the Asics Gel running shoe will deliver a cushioned, foot-friendly run on the most punishing surfaces. Women’s liquid silver/midnight/raspberry running shoes, $79.99. Kohl’s, two locations in Carroll County, 840 Market Street, Westminster, (410) 871-3278 and 1324 Londontown Blvd, Eldersburg, (410) 549-7707.

Dive In Warm weather and aquatic sports go hand in hand, and in six weeks you can be certified to dive anywhere in the world. Undersea Outfitters offers diving, snorkeling, and submarine lessons, and boasts the only freshwater dive facility in the state (located just outside Westminster). In addition to providing equipment sales, service, and travel arrangements, Undersea Outfitters also hosts a kids’ club: Scuba Rangers. Prices for scuba diving equipment start at less than $100. Undersea Outfitters, 2025 Suffolk Road, Unit 1, Finksburg, (410) 517-4999, www.underseaoutfitters.com.

Sidewalk Surfing Wheels of any kind are a good way to mix it up, and custom wheels with a cool board make this extreme skateboard hard to resist. Customize a board to suit your taste or budget with a huge variety of decks, wheels, trucks and grip tape. $100 as shown, complete boards from $30 – $250. Play It Again Sports, 140 Village Shopping Center, 544 Jermor Lane, Westminster, (410) 871-1430, www.playitagainsportswestminster.com

Off the Couch, Onto the Road With the arrival of milder weather, motor sports entice many off the couch. Check out scooters, go-karts, and four-wheelers at Wheeler Automotive. And Wheeler has a full time small engine technician dedicated to service for these vehicles. Recreational motor sport vehicles are priced from $999 to $4,299. Riding accessories including helmets, gloves, goggles, and chest protectors range from $12.99 to $100. 300 cc Sport ATV – $3,699, Wheeler Automotive, 119 Railroad Ave, Westminster, (410) 876-2251, www.wheelerautomotive.com.

In the Bag When the greens beckon during warm spring days, this bag will not only hold all of the golfer’s equipment, but also lunch. In addition to the oversized removable cooler pocket, the Bagboy Revolver Pro cart bag has “shaft lok technology” to hold the clubs in place, two external putter wells, and a quick access ball sleeve. $199, Golf USA, 2970 Dede Road, Finksburg, (443) 712-0144.

Cycle Up to Speed Two-wheeled vehicles are always fun, and they also provide a good cardio workout. An old-school cruiser for tooling around town, or the latest hybrid for road and off-road riding is just the ticket to get your heart pumping. Billed as a “hip urban cruiser,” the Suede W woman’s lifestyle bike has seven speeds, an adjustable stem, and front suspension for a smooth ride. $420, White’s Bikes, 10 Main Street, Westminster, (410) 848-3440.