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.

What a day!!!

Can you believe this crazy weather??? I mean we have 3 weeks or so left in fall and it's been COLD as crap...but today was sooo nice. Got the notice couple days ago that Eric Porter(Haro sponsered, all around bad-ass), Morgan Meredith and Chris Lesser(BIKE MAG photog and editor) were going to be @ Windrock for a photo shoot! They've been traveling the southeast for 10 days ridin' and takin' some pics for a future article to be published late summer '09. Mark Webb and I got to WR early to clean-up the Windmill trail for today's action.
The usual suspects were out: myself, Webb, T, Profro, Rams, and Poston had our Sunday best on to get our pictures taken ;) The trails were in AMAZING condition compared to last weekends rain/snow/cold fiasco. I got 3 windmill runs: 2 new & 1 old, and 4 lower runs. Pro and Poston did most of the tour guiding while the rest of us enjoyed primo trail conditions and a sunny Sunday in late November. We did however, insert ourselves into the action on more than one convenient occasion. It's funny how hard your willing to push it when there's a camera out!!!!!
I am extremly thankful for Wyatt firing those guys up about WR. I can only hope our little piece of the puzzle makes it into the final cut? They were stoaked on the trails, the area, and what we've got going on up there! Tomorrow should be fun myself and Poston are tour guiding Raccoon mountain for them...

It's been a while...

Well, here is is a NEW POST!!!! A lot has been going on since our last post. Vacation ended, Jen's in K-town working and living full time, a solo fall ride in Pisgah, 10th annual HOT 12 hour race for Jen a 3rd place, and for me ....Riding DH @ Windrock!!!! Here is a short vid Mark Webb shot on Nov. 9, 2008. It comemorates my forst time of the BIG wooden drop on the new lower windmill trail. Oh yeah, that's me in the "RED" Specialized jersey. Enjoy...

It's just a BIG Ditch...

Jen and I needed a rest day soooo we headed North a short 80 or so miles to the South rim of the Grand Canyon. This is of course, "just a big ditch" as stated by a Flagstaff local on my 1st visit many moons ago. It is a very diverse, unique landscape carved over millions of years by the Colorado river. The south rim is a more desert landscape with small pines and sagebrush. It differs greatly from the north rim, which sits at a higher elevation and more vegetation such as ponderosa pines and aspen. I prefer the north rim over the south but...I don't enjoy the 5 or so hour drive to get there.

At the south rim, we acted like the tourists that we are and tried to fit in w/ all of the foreigners? We visited all of the overlooks, went to several of the lodges, walked a couple hundred feet down the Bright Angel trail, and even got to see some wildlife!!!!

Here is a link to some of yesterday's ride photos:

http://s495.photobucket.com/albums/rr318/tnmtnbkr/Flagstaff/