So, as I was saying, I stop in the Desert Inn, a place I’ve passed 20 times throughout the years on my way to and from Tampa, located in the wonderful town of Yeehaw Junction off Route 60.

I have one ice cold beverage and am happily on my way, past the free range chickens roaming the grounds, past the sign that promotes green frogs – a tasty treat – and another sign that says: “Leaving Florida? Take a developer with you.’’

On the way out though, there is casual talk at the bar and one gentleman says to the other, “No, I’m only gonna have one beer. I’ve got to drive.’’

The second man, an obvious regular at the Desert Inn, says, “You know, that’s why I don’t drive much anymore.’’

And so it goes.

Life in Florida has been great this spring. The Mets haven’t won too many games, the Yankees don’t have a lot of healthy starting pitching, so both teams have huge questions, but, hey, you could not have asked for better weather.

And really, isn’t that what spring training all about? Getting good weather. That’s why the fans jam Florida this month. That why they go out to the real desert and check out the Cactus League.

Don’t believe for one second that this is all about pitchers and catchers and players getting ready for the season. It’s all about the weather.

It’s about getting a sun tan, and seeing some guys throw around a baseball.

It’s not about winning and losing. If you go by the spring records, and if you rely on spring statistics, you are missing the whole notion of spring training.

Going back to the days when the Yankees were in Ft. Lauderdale and the Dodgers weren’t leaving Vero Beach, spring training was all about rounding into shape, as a ballplayer and a fan.

And say all you want about Carl Pavano looking like he has turned the corner, we really won’t know anything until he throws his first pitch in anger in Pinstripes, not these spring training softball uniforms the Yankees have been wearing, the ones with the bad hats.

Nothing, not one thing counts down in Florida or out in Arizona.

None of A-Rod’s homers are added to the March to Beat Barry. None of Mariano Rivera’s perfect spring innings against opposing hitters wearing No. 77 or higher, matter. Dice-K looking like Cy Young doesn’t count, either.

Spring training is such a joke that the Red Sox brass said all winter and most of spring training that their kid Papelpon would not be the closer – and some people believed them.

The only thing that really counts in spring training is injuries, everything else is really just a vacation. Come Monday the vacation is over for the Yankees, the Mets spring fling ends Saturday night in Tampa.

Then it’s time for Real Baseball. I can’t wait.

As they say down here in the Desert Inn, how ’bout you?