Back in in the late 80’s I bought a well used Ford Bronco XLT as my first truck. This truck needed a bit of TLC but, with a little elbow grease, I proudly made it my own. I was hit by a wave of nostalgia when the newly designed Bronco hit the market. So in this month’s Weekend Test Drive column, let’s take the Bronco out on the road.

While the older models were strictly two door models, similar to the Jeep Wrangler, today’s Bronco comes in both a two door and a four door model. In fact, the Bronco in many ways compares to the Jeep Wrangler. I’m sure that is by design as Ford works to unseat the many die hard Jeep Wrangler customers out there.

It’s hard to argue with the styling of the M4i. It’s an instant classic. If I were ordering this car, I would certainly include the Dynamic Handling package, which adds larger M Sport brakes, M Sport differential and some cool badging. Forward-collision warning and daytime pedestrian detection with city braking are standard, as is BMW's lane-departure warning system. I really enjoy the adaptive cruise control offered by BMW, particularly on long highway drives.

“Holy Muscle Car!” is all I have to say about the Camaro ZL1. With its 650 horsepower supercharged V8 which was adapted from the Corvette, this is all you could hope for in true American grit! The handling is tight and the ride is comfortable - at least in the front seat. I don’t think I’d enjoy riding in the back seat too much as it looked cramped enough even for my 5 foot 8 inch frame.

Several months ago, I noticed a facility in Natick under construction adjacent a well established driving range and have been watching carefully as it came to life. This particular facility interested me because not only did they integrate sophisticated swing refinement technology but they also had the forethought to build a sports strengthening program alongside it. Recognizing the importance of both the proper swing and the strength and stability necessary to execute it, this concept seemed right on point.

This Audi R8 is a 2 seat rocket ship designed for weekend fun! While the R8 comes equipped with either a 4.2 Liter V8 or a 5.2 Liter V10 power plant, the V8 coupled with the 7 speed S-Tronic transmission is absolutely more than enough power. The mid-engine placement, Quattro all wheel drive system, double wishbone front suspension and hydraulic assisted, speed sensing steering grip the road and corner like it wants to be pushed far harder than is legally allowed. Where braking is concerned, the disc brakes do their job well - and that’s a necessity in this beast.

In this month’s Supporting Local Business segment, I’d like to offer some insight into providing meaningful benefits for part-time employees. Part-time employees and 1099 independent contractors are an important element in keeping our local businesses operating efficiently. But, due to the ever-rising, astronomical cost of benefits and the difficulty small business owners experience in paying for their own benefits, employees, especially part-time employees, are left to fend for themselves.

Recently, I was having a discussion with a strength and conditioning coach and the conversation turned to non-traditional methods people are using to improve their recovery.  Given the number of competitive athletes here in the MetroWest area, I thought I’d explore the various options to better understand the associated benefits.    One in particular gained my attention.

Woodstock, Vermont is a quaint little town with a population of just over 2,900 people. On your drive in you encounter the Taftsville Covered Bridge, the first of several covered bridges in the area. The Taftsville Covered Bridge, built in 1836 was so inviting, my wife and I turned as you simply cannot drive by this bridge without driving across it. Spanning the spans the Ottauquechee River the Taftsville Covered Bridge is among the oldest remaining covered bridges both in Vermont and the nation as a whole.

Historians are certain the Romans discovered the hot springs deep below the surface and built a temple on the site in Bath around 50AD. It was dedicated to Minerva, the Roman goddess of healing, and Sul, a Celtic god. This is the derivation of the Roman name for the city – ‘Aquae Sulis’ – meaning ‘waters of Sul’. For the next several hundred years, people from many, many miles away visited the hot springs and integrated saunas for their healing powers.

By incorporating digital weight, this innovative fitness technology creates an environment where this additional eccentric resistance can be accomplished. Amazingly, the OXEFIT XS1 appears to have changed the game completely by advancing the ball downfield.