WOW!!!!

What a past week...I did a HUGE Norris ride last Monday and boy did it hurt!!! It was below 40, windy, and cloudy; however, the trails were perfect. I regrouped and recovered the rest of the week, all while planning a BIG Team ED training ride this past Sunday. The plan was Tour de Tanasi w/ Team ED and a select few. It ended w/ me, Jen, lil' bit, the "Model", Super Dave, Team ED, and Kelley. 29er's were the wheel of choice, poor D-Rock didn't get the memo. It was a 4 hour pain fest but thats what I need these days. Everyone did FANTASTIC, including the weather: 60 w/ sun for Feb. 1st, UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Post ride parking lot beers, quick bite to eat, and bust a move back to K-town for a Superbowl bash @ T. Gaines. All the usual suspects were there to watch, the 1st half, the BEST game ever! My team wasn't there so I pulled for the Cards but all I can say is "the CATCH"!!!

Crazy winter weather...

So in December, East TN was hit with a deluge of rain and actually carried over into the first week or so of the New Year. Filling the gauges to not only end '08 on a "+" rain total but put us 3" or so ahead for this year. All while being absolutely cold as, well you know! Then earlier this week it was down in the single digits for lows and highs not getting above the mid-20's. We even saw some of the white stuff; I think they call it SNOW! No major accumulation but it did cover the ground and get this...CLOSED SCHOOLS!

This week the weather God's must have decided to smile on me. I just happened to trade my normal Monday off to help out G$. He and the fam went on a snowboarding weekend. This meant Thursday was my day for a little action. I began checking the future-cast early last weekend and noticed the possible high was going to reach 50! I formulated a plan: a little cabin fever mountain bike ride. As the days counted down the forecast was still looking good for my evil scheme of a late January ride on the SS. I put the word out for a Thursday hookie ride. I had one taker, Alan Carnell. We decided a little Raccoon Mountain action was needed to cure our cabin fever.

I awoke to a beautiful sunny sky w/ a few white clouds. I knew this would be a GREAT day! I wasn't too concerned w/ trail conditions as the SORBA-Chatt crew has done a tremendous job building the trails down there. We began our ride with a slight chill and light breeze. However, we knew being in the woods and the sun would warm us up quick on the SS. The BIG WHEELS were rollin' strong on the dry, hardpack. The turns got interesting in spots w/ some grease here and there which made for perfect 2 wheel drifts. We did find some soft and slick spots on a few of the climbs, snow in a couple areas, and some crunchies scattered along the trail. All in all this was the PERFECT late January day for a mountain bike ride!

Pimp my ride!!!

I've had the Tricross for 6 months or so and have to say it's a really cool bike but by far was my least favorite and least ridden of any bike I currently own. I don't know if it simply feels too much like a road bike or I was just never comfortable on it? I THANK Jen for buying it for me but it's tough to show enthusiasm when you don't like something.
I needed to be fit properly and had issue w/ reaching the levers in the drops. The was problematic on the FUN gravel road descents of parsons branch and rich mountain. I decided to try a few things before totally ditching such an AWESOME BIKE! As with any bike I own, it's got be tweaked! I sold off the wheels and '08 Rival group to PIMP MY RIDE! The wheels were upgraded to a King classic road hub (red) laced to mavic cxp 33 rims (black) using paired dt swiss revolution spokes ( black & silver w/ black and red nipples). The brakes were upgraded to Paul's so I could slow down a little better. I also got the '09 Rival group which is not only all black but has reach adjustments for the brake and shift lever. G$ also adjusted a few things for me getting the fit really dialed in.

Intelligence vs. Common Sense

It is often confused as one in the same. Is a lack of common sense seen as being less intelligent or is being a dumb ass seen as lacking common sense? In my case, the jury is still out?!?

For Example: my newest bike- what in the hell was I thinking??? or was I??? Have I lost it, again? Come on a freakin' rigid SS 29er. I know I've had one before and liked it but as my only damn mountain bike!

After a mechanical issue delayed my innagural ride on the new bike last week. I decided today was the day to go ride it...the plan was Raccoon mtn but I opted for my favorite trail system in all the world SNORRIS! I knew it was going to be hard but NOT THAT DAMN HARD! All today's ride did was PISS ME OFF!!!! So much for easing into my training plan? Of course, I rode the most difficult route I could. Trying to blow myself up right off the bat, but you know,"if you're gonna be stupid, you've gotta be tough."

My problem is that I've set the bar way too high for '09. It all started with me opening my BIG mouth that I was going to race (term used very loosely) the Cohutta 100 on a SS. This got me to thinkin', which normally doesn't happen and when it does it means T-R-O-U-B-L-E! So, I was bored the other night and began to put a little list together of my goals for '09.

'09 events:

April 25th Cohutta 100

May 2nd PMBAR w/ G$ or Jen (whom ever will be my teammate)

May 9th Syllamo's Revenge

July 26th ORAMM (maybe)

August 15th Fool's Gold 100

September 6th Shenandoaha 100

October 15-18th Pisgah Stage Race (solo or G$/Jen teammate)

November 8th SWANK 65 (maybe)

Luckily I've got about 15 weeks or so to prepare for the 1st event.

The DEBATE goes on...Intelligence vs. Common Sense?

New Year...new, well you know

Many good things have happened since the last post:
1) I have actually been riding my bikes. Besides the Christmas day Bent Creek ride. I rode 3 1/2 hours @ Montgomerey Bell SP 20+ miles, Haw Ridge w/ Jen, and New Years Day Windrock DH w/ Thomas, Eric, and Brian
2) Brett was in town to celebrate New Years
3) Our kitchen is back to normal after the year long floor tile job
4) Jen raced the Snake Creek Gap TT in Dalton, GA. She did the 34 mile in 4:46:37 very respectable for that occasional rider in early winter diet/training mode, NOT!!!!
5) See picture below...


Yeah, I went and got myself another 29er SS. I know, I know...it doesn't have 6+ inches of travel. For now it's my only bike, beside my beloved DEMO, well until...who knows! It's rigid for now 'til I find that damn money tree and get that 120mm fork from the boys @ Fox.

Christmas Day...

Jen and I decided to do things a bit different this year for Christmas. Since our niece wasn't going to be visiting the fam in Nash-Vegas, we decided to skip the drive and do our own thing! Soooo, once we closed the shop on Christmas Eve we went to my grandparents, fullfilling the visits with my family. This left us free for whatever adventure we deemed necessary to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. We had no specific destination-only a direction, western North Cacalak. We awoke to a beautiful, sun filled sky which really got me fired up b/c I knew it was only gettin' better on the other side of the mountains. I can't belive how long it's been since I last made my favorite drive to ride only the GREATEST trails in the SE! We were approching W. Ash and were still discussing our final destination? I wanted to let Jen choose her poison for the day, as I had no place I was just dying to ride. Most of you know the whole area, "Doesn't SUCK"! Jen chose Haw Ridge East (a.k.a. Bent Creek). I was cool since it'd been 2+ years the last time I'd ridden there w/ Neumann. Back in the day, I cut my Pisgah teeth in this place w/ Poston. However, it has changed significantly since then....can you say DUMBED DOWN!!! It used to have that Pisgah feel w/ technical, steep, and FUN trails. Now the Forest Circus experiments have logged most of it turning singletrack in to wide or even wider dirt roads. Bent Creek just feels like well, Haw Ridge?!? Jen and I did have FUN spending Christmas day together, doing what we both love. It was almost 60* and sunny w/ trail conditions varying from wet and slick, to dry and really fast. With no plan, no time constraints, or no map in hand we began our journey with one goal: to ride as much as we wanted. We did have a pleasant surprise mid-ride. We happened upon Eric (Cane Creek) and his wife whom we rode the last hour or so of the day with. We finished our ride, said our goodbye's to Eric and his wife, and then it hit us...where in the heck are we going to find some FOOD??? But of course, WAFFLE HOUSE!!!! This would be our biggest adventure of the day. From waitress' yelling @ each other and quiting mid-shift, to the lady with her forehead tatooed. This was the Christmas Dinner to remember!!!

30 or so miles in the woods + 4 hours + Good company + 60* + 1 broken valve stem + dinner to remember = One of the BEST CHRISTMAS DAYS I've ever had!!!!!

LATELY....

We haven't been doing much? Jen was working in Nashville and I was just being a lazy, uninspired mtn biker. I don't know if it's the weather, or the fact that it's winter, or that I'm just not fired up for riding anything but our BIG BLUE COUCH right now. I'm really not sure how to get fired up for riding again or if I want to?!?
But we have been doing a few cool things: 1) Hastie park AMBC trail day, 2) 2 days of DH trail construction @ Windrock, and 3) an 80's themed 40th B-Day party for Angela!!!! Here are a few of my favorite pics commemorating the event and the scary era that was the 80's!!!!



On Monday, Jen drug my lazy self outta the house for a bike ride on my least favorite bike. Since our ride I have decided it's not the bike...it's me!!! A cross bike is the perfect do all bike but just not for me. However, despite my displeasure w/ the bike I had a FUN day riding w/ my lovely wife. We parked in Walland, greenway, Old Cades Cove, Rich mtn(gravel), Cades Cove loop, back over Rich mtn to the car. Not sure of mileage but GREAT December riding weather w/ just a few sprinkles here and there.