The winter that would never end

Or at least not give a slight warm-up for a day or two. Still cold, still grey, snow, rain, etc.- be nice to have something near 60 and sunshine. Its really gonna make spring extry good and continuing to ride outdoors must be making me more hardcore (even if its in my own mind).

A few pics from last Thursdays jaunt through the Smokies. That is the best thing about winter and riding in the park- nobody is up there so you have the roads to ourself, especially compared to summer.

BTW people- the plastic wonder mountain-style bike is DONE! Pics soon. You know you want to see it. Real bad.

Team Ed NEEDS one

A very good customer at the shop just got his sprinter back, equipped with just enough to make some serious road trips much more fun and comfortable. We need one bad- we will accept any donations but I think the secret may lie in selling Krispy Kreme donuts at local storefronts.

Get on the Train

Of course I rode last Thursday- it was in the 50's and the sun was out. There were even times when I would be climbing sans covering on me arms! Yes, I suck for getting the 2nd best day of Jan. to ride but I'm o.k. with that. No pics 'cause it was mostly a pain-fest- SS Mtn.-style bike, out n back (not quite all the way) on Richard Mtn./ P.diddy Branch for a little over 40, in right at 4 hours. It's time to get ready for Cohutta!!

Walk in the woods

Sometimes you gotta hike. With the national park so close, and a better than 50 percent chance of rain last Thursday, went up a hiked an out and back that I had never done before. Chestnut Top trail near the Wye was the perfect rainy day hike and is probably the best looking trail in the area that is illegal to ride. Oh well. Of course by the end of the hike the weather became beautiful thereby rendering the weather predictors totally worthless. Always good to be outside, especially in the woods.

Back to it

Been a bit since the last post, so a quick update. Round about middle o' December crashed on a night ride at Chuck Norris and landed strange, bruising the left knee but more importantly twisting it as well. Tried to ride a little but it didn't seem right. Got Doc. b to check it- no structural damage, so I just had to rest it. Timing ended up being good with the holidays and all, so lots of extra sleeping and just hanging out for a couple of weeks and now its (been) good to go.

Meanwhile ED has not stopped- ride, ride, ride looking forward to what 2010 events have in store. Luckily, neither one of us has died since the temps here didn't get out of the 30's and were more like teens and 20's most of the first two weeks of the new year and riding has been happenin' fo sure.

Still haven't built the plastic wonderbike yet- had initially planned on moving current parts over and riding it some, then getting all new stuff for racin', but now I'm just gonna get all new stuff and build it right the first time. Not a big hurry, weather has been sucky for off-roading- frozen dirt good but only for as long as you can feel your fingers and toes OR its raining. The exception being the other day where we caught some good Big South Fork action.

Anywhoo, looks like the first racing might be 12 hours of Santos at the Ocala area trails in FLORIDA on Feb. 20th. That sounds way warmer than wondering around Pisgah for 36 hours straight and freezing to death. Southern cross got postponed due to weather and is actually tomorrow, but it ain't happening for either of us. Lots more catching up to do, but later.

Winter already!

Out riding in the Smokies last Sunday early A.M. Cold start but beautiful with the snow from Saturday still lingering in the trees and on the gravel roads. Thinking that getting a jump on riding when its freakin' cold might help at Southern Cross and even has me thinking about the Pisgah 36..........

Just when you thought it was over....

....the season continued at the 6-hours of Lock 4 mountain bike race in middle TN a couple of weeks ago. ED went on the new plastic 29er and threw it down! There wasn't an old man class so he jumped in with the sport guys, many of whom he could have been their dad, and cruised for a 3rd place finish! He had time to do another lap (6 laps in 5 hours) but it wouldn't have changed his place. Daughter of ED "little bit" went and caused trouble in the expert women's class getting 3rd and being in the $$!! (They did the same number of laps and he is still faster than her!) Also, dholmes traveled along and rode to an awesome 2nd place in the SS class and was also in the $$!! Sweet!

The worst part about this time of year is that racing options (unless its cross) are pretty limited and I know that after the Swank (for me) and Lock 4 (for ED) we were both fired up and wanted another event to do, something, anything at least 4 or 5 hours and not a billion miles of driving to get to. So, a couple of weeks ago I spent two hours on the computer looking for this "event" and the only things I could find were a 6-hour race on Long Island, NY and a 42 mile race on the other side of San Antonio, TX. Oh well........southern cross will be the next thing and the start of the 2010 season-we can't wait!

By the way, this came yesterday and I will be kicking people's asses aboard this beautiful bicycle next year.