Happy Truck Day!

Yarrr! The groundhog may have seen his shadow, but Red Sox fans got a glimpse of spring this mornin' as the team's equipment was packed up and driven off to Ft. Meyer's.

Wally the Green Monster directed traffic around the truck on Yawkey Way

The truck arrived at a frigid Fenway Park this mornin' just after 6 a.m. and the packing began at around 7:30 a.m. It was fully loaded by 2:15 when Hall of Famer Johnny Pesky climbed inside the cab and turned on the engine, symbolizing the start of the 2009 season.

Al Hartz of New England Household Moving and Storage, the company that has carted the Sox gear to Florida for the last 11 years, was back to drive the truck for the 11th time himself.

"I'll stop at a truck stop down somewhere in Jersey, sleep right here in the truck then stop again around Georgia," Hartz said this morning. "I'll roll into Fort Myers on Sunday, then into camp early Monday morning." (Steve Silva / Boston.com)

Sox legend Johnny Pesky was the Grand Marshal of the Truck Day ceremonies

The truck was loaded up with everything from bats and balls to e-mails from fans and even a motorcycle!

So while the rest of the world suffers through six more weeks of bitter cold winter, Red Sox Nation can wrap itself up in the thought of the team's spring training essentials travelin' to warmer weather.

Mark the calendar with these spring training dates to help you survive winter's final gaelstorms:

• Feb. 12 — Reporting day for Red Sox pitchers and catchers
• Feb. 14 — First workout for Red Sox pitchers and catchers
• Feb. 16 — Reporting day for Red Sox positional players
• Feb. 18 — First Red Sox full-squad workout
• Feb. 25 — Red Sox spring training games begin
  

Photo Credit: boston.com, redsox.com