As I write this, there are flurries in Connecticut, and a blizzard warning has been issued in parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York.

Winter has shown little indication that it's losing its grip to spring in the Northeast. This means my 1976 911S will stay in the garage for a little while longer — at least until the crocuses start to peek their heads out of the winter-beaten grass.

That's not to say I haven't seen several Porsches on the road this season. A few diehards ignore cold temperatures and drive their factory-undercoated, all-wheel-drive Carreras throughout the year. And kudos to that guy who puts studded snow tires on his 356, as featured on the front cover and back page of Panorama's February issue.

I, however, know the sand-covered roads and salt-treated highways won't be so kind to my 38-year-old car, which has enough rust bubbles as it is, thank you very much. So I tuck him away for winter hibernation, covered up and with a rag stuffed in the exhaust pipe, until the roads are more welcoming.

But, boy, do I have spring fever. I'm tired of the snow, freezing temperatures and suspension-destroying potholes — the vernal equinox can't come soon enough. There's something about Porsches and the enthusiast's insatiable desire to drive them. Let the warm weather commence!

There are some upcoming events from my local PCA chapter that I can take part in — races at Lime Rock Park, the summer concourse, and various coffee runs, autocrosses and rallies in between. Hopefully, I can drag my father, another Porsche owner, down to the Connecticut shoreline to join me at one of them.

Spring can't come soon enough, and any excuse will get me buckled up in my lobster-colored driver's seat. If I need to pick up a pizza, I can take the Porsche. Going to the gym? I'll take the Porsche. Oh, the sun happens to be setting? I'll drive the Porsche.

I recently read that driverless cars could be available commercially within the next decade. For the performance driver, it's an unimaginable possibility. There's a symbiotic relationship between the Porsche and the driver. My Porsche needs me to keep it running smoothly, and I need it so I can experience the rush of freedom I feel each time I step on the gas.

To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Life is a journey, not a destination." The same could be said of Porsche drivers — it's about the ride, not the arrival.