Long Weekend...........

I finally found Friday and a long weekend! With us just getting back from vacation two weeks ago we have no plans to go anywhere. The pool is nice and clean and ready for use.

Throw in a barbecue grill and we are good to go!

Yes I am gonna ride, everyday! Short regular rides the first two days and then I am gonna finish Monday with a long ride. My boy Kelly has been knocking out 100 milers every Monday lately and I am gonna see if I can get gone long enough to do the same.

My personal record is some where around 80 so it's time to bump it up. I need a new record!

Have a good holiday and see ya next week.......

Catching Up ,,,,,,,,,,,

We had a slow week or two here at work and then the sun came back out and we are bouncing of the walls! As I always say, "that's a good thing". I like to play and that costs money so work I must.

OK, back to the weekend. We had a big event occur on Sunday that really mad me proud! My youngest son Chase got baptized! He made the decision while he was at camp that he was ready. Then to top it off he asked my to help do it!

I got to climb in the pool with him and be a part of the whole process! Cody had his mom join him so I was really happy to be a part of it for Chase. As I have said before I have good kids and I am really thankful for that! We also had a cookout Sunday afternoon at church and had some really great food! That was nice after a ride.

So with that happening Sunday and riding all weekend I had a great relaxing weekend. I need more like that.

Then Monday night was a lazy night, I cleaned the motorcycle up that was about it. Tuesday night I went out and rode for 2 plus hours and that was nice. It was hot, but not to bad.

Wednesday night (last night) was a soccer game that I went to and Karen had to take Chase to church. When I got home it was in the front door change cars and head back out. I picked up Chase and we were home about 9pm.

Day over!

One other thing I slipped in over the last few days was a trip to the DMV. I have been riding street bikes for the last 25 years. Over that period of time I have ridden with a permit and without a permit. Sometimes I would renew my permit and sometimes I wouldn't. If I didn't renew it I would go a few years and finally break down and go take the test again. That way I would be legal to ride again.

So long story short there have been stretches when I wasn't legal to ride!

No I am! A year ago I went and got my permit again and it was about to run out! As in it ran out Friday! I finally made a point to get this taken care of once and for all. I have a class A license and can drive tractor trailers if I take a notion. Even pull hazardous and tankers! But I have never been really fully legal to ride a stupid motorcycle.

Now I am! I rode through the cones and passed my test!

Twenty years late,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,    Shit happens..........

Still Here ,,,,,,,,,,,

Yes I am still here. Just been busy the last few days. Busy here at work and at home. I will get in a full post tomorrow.........

Is It Fall Yet ???????????

I can only hope! I rode Saturday and Sunday. Both days the weather was about as good as it can get. Saturday I took off and headed to Cane Creek, the "used to be" capitol of Charlotte mountain biking.

Back when it was like the one and only place to ride. Plus it used to cost 2 bucks to ride, dollar for the car and dollar for the bike. Now they have gone up to $7 bucks. $4 for the car and $3 for trail use. Not bad for a couple of times a month. But you wouldn't want to pay that much every time you ride.


Then throw in the fact that the Charlotte crowd is about as cheap as they come and you end up with one of the most peaceful places to ride around. You see hardly anybody on bikes there. A lot of horses but no bikes. Plus the trails are actually really sweet. They have good flow and there is a lot more climbing than you would think.

So anyway Saturday I had plans to meet up with 3 guys for a ride there. They happen to be the only 3 besides me who use the place. I always end up going early and getting in a few miles before they come, so as I was on my way the phone rings.

Just like that 2 of them canceled. I thought "oh well" I got one more coming. So I get there and ride for an hour and swing back through the parking lot only to find the 3rd one was a no show! Now I am on my own.

I am a big boy so no problem, I head off to play by myself. I rode everything twice and had a great ride. I swear it's a shame nobody rides there. The place is awesome! Right now the trails are as sweet as they have ever been!

Fast and smooth, great lines and all the speed you want! With the cooler temps it almost felt like fall......

Not Bad ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

As I mentioned yesterday, I needed to get at least 400 miles this month.

Why because I want to!

Plus my buddy is killing the miles and next time we ride together he will kick my ass if I don't pick it up!

So last night I went out and did 30, yea I know I planned on 40 but I stayed on the couch to long before I started. Then I barely made it home before dark. Lesson learned, time is gonna change before long and I need to get going sooner..

Well when I did get home I took a look at my total for the month. With last night I am at 210, not bad. No I won't make it to 400 this month but I did have a vacation last week that took up a good amount of the month. I will end up with about 330.

Next month I will easily get 400 plus. If I can slip in a few big months before the end of the year I will hopefully break 5000. Right now I am gonna come up short with about 4100. If I stay on my current schedule, and time is about to change. So that might be hard anyway. But I would like to beak 5000 at least once.

I always seem to be around 3500 to 4000............ 

Just About """"""""

Believe it or not I have been so busy today I haven't had time to write. I just about missed it. For a Thursday it's been wide open! But again this is a good thing.

OK, so last nights game got rained out and come to find out we don't have a game for today. So the road is calling my name, as soon as I get home I am heading out. I need to at least get in 40 miles. That will give me close to a hundred.

To be honest it will give me 80 miles for the week. Then what ever I pickup over the weekend. My buddy Kelly has almost 600 miles for the month! I have to at least get up to 400 a month!

"Normal" ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

OK, after a vacation and coming home worn out I could have taken another day to do nothing. Then caught up on my rest and started today off feeling great!

Guess what, that ain't what I did! I planned on doing that but when I looked at the coming schedule I realized that wasn't gonna work. We had the soccer game Monday night and we have a game tonight and tomorrow night. That means 3 games this week.

I make it to all the games so if I planned to ride I would have to slip out last night and then I am gonna have to do a short one tomorrow right after work and head to the game covered in dirt. We have plans for Friday night so Saturday will be my next chance.

With the week pretty much off last week I have to get back to it. On the way home from work last night it was all I could do to keep my eyes open to drive. I only have a thirty minute drive and I was still nodding off! I came home got my clothes changed and grabbed a bit to eat. Got the bike out and headed out the door.

Thirty miles later and I was home. Legs a little sore but I felt better. I made a point to stay in the big gears all evening and that made me work harder. I have or had, not sure where I stand at the moment. Plans to do the Swank 65 in November. If I do it's time to really get with some type of training program. If not I need to loose 20 pounds!

One way or another I have motivation to get off my ass and ride!!!!

Fantasy'''''

So I am laying there and all I am thinking about is, damn I am glad I don't have to work today! Then about that time the alarm goes off!!!

Baaaahhhhh. baaaahhhh!!!!

I slam the top of it and jump up! Shit it's only Tuesday!!!!

I was in a deep sleep and dreaming good when it all came crashing down..

That my friends is how my day started.... I guess I need the sleep and I need the rest. Coming home and going right back to work the next day is harder than I imagined. Ninety nine percent of the time we always have at least one day to get back to normal before work.

This time we did it different. Next time I will do it the same again.

Think about it, if you come home every time from vacation and need an extra day to adjust, you just wasted a day you could have been on vacation. The family will adjust. Karen was hating it but so what, she is in the same boat as I am. Get up and go to work!

We had our first soccer game last night and that kept us out till seven thirty, by the time we got home did dinner and cleaned up it was 9:30. Maybe tonight we can get some rest......

I'm Back...................

Weather or not I want to be I am. It always seems to fly by. You get vacation days, you take them and then bam! The days are over! It seems like you wait a lot longer than it takes to use them. I am beginning to think for everyday you get it takes ten to get that one.

But never fear I will take another vacation before long. It looks like that will be around the end of Sept. Yes we have Labor Day coming up but no plans to go anywhere. We might slip up to Saluda that weekend but that would be it. And that's not set in stone, that will be a last minute thing.

So for the break down on this one it goes as follows. Ashville is really great, we thoroughly enjoyed out time there and do want to go back. The city is really trendy and neat. They have street performers everywhere and the downtown is really neat. It's got everything right there within walking distance and seemed to be really safe.

At no point did I every feel like we where in a spot that was in anyway sketchy. I want to say overall the area, the city and out laying area's are really clean! I guess the people in general are a little more conscience of there surroundings. Even my son made the comment about the overall lake of litter.

That says a lot about the area, or a lot about the Charlotte area! My take is the fact we need to clean up our area! The amount of litter is really noticeable when you come from somewhere that seems to care more about it.

We never did make it to Turtleback Falls as planned, it was just a little to cold. Biltmore was as great as ever. We spent a seven hour day there and it really didn't seem that long. I could go there 5 times and see 5 different things! It really is an amazing place.

We stayed at Bearcreek Campground and will stay there again. It was the absolute cleanest campground we have ever stayed at! Every spot for a camper was paved and level. It took a matter of minutes to set up the camper. I was truly impressed with how they kept the place. It makes the places at the beach seem rather dirty!

The camper is still the ticket! It's just so nice to be able to cook and everything right there. It's still worth every dime we spent on it!

Cody and I got to ride the parkway and that was really neat. I am always glad to spend time with my son and enjoy new experiences with him. He starts his senior year of high school next week and it won't be long before life takes him on his own journey. I know to him it seems like life moves so slow but to me it seems like we just had him yesterday!

My younger son and I enjoyed some quality time together as well. He and I seemed to take a walk about every evening and I enjoyed the time with him as well. He is growing up really fast and it's neat to watch. He starts his last year of middle school next week.

So I guess we are wrapping this summer up. Heck we even start soccer today! Cody has his first game if the weather doesn't kill it.....

Parkway Ped'lin .........

yesterday the kid and I took off and headed for a ride. I could get used to riding up here very quick. I didn't realize how small of town Ashville really is. We pretty much pedaled around the whole south side of town and through town all on a 30 mile ride!

We left the campground and headed south on 191, got to the parkway (Blue Ridge Parkway) and went north. We went about 12 miles on the parkway till we got to highway 70, Tunnel Rd. We took it back into downtown and went right through the heart of town and came out the other side. Then straight back up Sand Hill Rd and S. Bear Creek to the campground.

Thirty miles and lots of smiles! The traffic around here is really used to bikes and even coming through town we had no problems. That wouldn't have happened in Charlotte. I would have never pedaled through the heart of Charlotte like that. Maybe I am just not used to riding in Charlotte, I don't know but from my experiences that wouldn't have been a good ideal.

Anyhow we go home tomorrow and I will miss this place! I am already trying to figure out when we can come back!!!

Now I Know !!!!!!!!!!!!

Although I hadn't given it much thought, I just assumed it has always been there and didn't even think about how it came to be.

Pisgah national forest is what I am talking about. I knew DuPont State Forest was a donation or something like that but Pisgah? I had never even thought about it.

Guess what! Pisgah came to be because George Vanderbilt, the guy who built the Biltmore house originally owned all the land. He sold it to the National Forest Service for $5 bucks an acre back in the early 30's. Because of that we have the Pisgah National Forest to enjoy!

He also pioneered the technique of reforestation. That's why Pisgah has the nickname "The Cradle Of Forestry" they started the whole cut a tree plant a tree thing. Pisgah was the first national park east of the Mississippi River!

Go figure! I never knew all that, now I do!

Yes we had a great time at the house yesterday. The place is incredible! If you haven't been you need to check it out. Even if you have been and haven't been in awhile it's worth the return trip.

We will be back!!!!

Wednesday Baby !!!!!!!!!!

So yea we are back on the road. Out of town as one would say. Spent the day yesterday getting here and setting up. Here is Ashville.

Beer City USA...

I found that out yesterday, that is one of the nicknames for Ashville. So with that thought I fit right in! Today is Biltmore house and the "behind the scenes" tour. Tomorrow is a hiking trip with a swim and then a bike ride.

Yes we brought the bikes. Already I have figured out why they call these the mountains.

What goes up must come down!!!!!!!

I need better brakes........

Getting Old !!!!!!!!!!!!

I know this because,, we went out with about 8 friends Friday night and I was still in recovery mode yesterday! Twenty years ago I could go out and party all night and bounce right up the next morning and never miss a beat.

Now I can't even hold a beat! It kicked my ass! We ate drank and played pool. Haven't done the pool thing in years, so that was fun. I just needed less of the drinking part.

Saturday I went mountain biking and ended up sick. I couldn't even finish a lap. I went home and it never got any better. Sunday came and I at least got my ride in but it was no epic ride for sure. Slow and short.

Bottom line, I wasted a weekend! That pisses me off! You only get so many so it's a total waste when you ruin one like I did. The only highlight is the fact that we leave for Ashville tonight and I will be in the mountains the rest of the week.

Cody and I are gonna take the road bikes and the GPS so we can explore Ashville. We thought about taking the mountain bikes and enjoying some of the scenic trails in the area but that requires to much drive time. If we went to ride and drove for 30 minutes each direction and rode for 2 hours we are gone for 3 total. Where we leave the campground and road ride we can ride longer.

Got to cover the family time also. Anyway it's gonna be a fun week....

Riding Naked !!!!!!!!!!

So I was all happy and ready to ride yesterday. I get to the trail head and get ready. Where the hell is my helmet! I look high and low, can't find it!

Dammit! Now what!

Well I went ahead and rode. Slowly! I walked all the rock gardens and walked any of the hard stuff. It was really weird, I swear I felt like I had no protection at all! I know you should wear it every time you ride but sometimes it just doesn't work out.

Over the last 5 years I can only count maybe 3 times I rode without a helmet. Every time it just plain feels weird! "Riding Naked " just ain't my thing. It feels weird, you have to go slow. It took me an extra 20 minutes to do the lap.

I only had enough time for one lap and I had to be at the high school for a mandatory parent meeting. If your kid plays fall sports you had to be there. I made it with about 10 seconds to spare!

Now we are ready for the games to begin!!!!!

This Sucks ,,,,,,,,,,,

I seem to be stuck in a rut here lately and I need to come out of it! Fast! Lately I ride on the weekend and then I might get one night during the week.

That ain't gonna work! Various reasons are behind this trend but none in particular. Mainly it's just been the thing called life. Plus we are going on vacation next week so I have had plenty to do in that area.

I do plan to ride my bike while I am in the mountains but that ain't helping me this week. I am loaded and ready today so we'll see. I have enough time to slip in a lap some where before I have to be at the high school.

We have a mandatory meeting tonight if your kid plays sports. Again that life thing keeps getting in the way. Oh well, I better go fast for my 1 lap!!

Tuesday ,,,,,,,,,,,,

When ever I can't think of a name for the days post I always go with the day of the week. Hence the reason today is Tuesday.

So not much happened last night, I did the weed eating and that was it. I got in the pool afterward for a while and then retreated to the couch for a nap.

Nine rolled around and I went to bed. Even with the nap I still slept all night. I must have been tired and just didn't realize how tired I was. Now that was an exciting evening!

Had leftovers and slept. Maybe tomorrow I will have a better report. I pick mom up from the airport and I am headed to the woods afterward.....

Plans Change ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

With that title you can surmise my plans changed over the weekend and not for the better. No particular reason just the way it worked out. I had planned to do a long road ride Saturday am, I woke up and just wasn't feeling it.

I laid around for a while and finally loaded the car and by the time I got to the turn off I decided I would go to Steve's trail. I haven't been there in a while and didn't really plan on a long ride so I figured I would at least do a hard short ride.

I wasn't disappointed! It's still a hard trail, nothing changed there. A while back we had the bad storm and he had a lot of damage. I hadn't been there since so I really didn't know just how much he had. Well now I have been there and all I can tell ya is damn!

The local club stepped up once again and really did a good job cleaning it up. I don't know how many people actually showed up to do the work but from the amount of work I can only say I hope it was a big group. I don't think a small crowd could have done that much in a month.

I actually felt kinda bad about not helping but then I saw where he is steady using up the wood I donated so it made me feel a little better. Not much but a little..............

Time ,,,,,,,,,

I wish I had more! But I don't! So enjoy what ya' got. last night I put my new tires on and managed to poke a hole in the tube as I was putting it together. Damn!

Haven't done that in awhile. So I take it back apart and do it again. As I am mounting the wheel on the bike I be damned if it didn't go flat again! What the hell I managed to put a hole in both tubes as I was putting it together.

Now I have one tube left and two brand new tubes with holes in them! I haven't done that in years much less screwed up two tubes in one session.

Finally I got the third attempt to work out! Now I am out of tubes. Another trip to the shop, damn. That will cost another hundred dollars.....

Oh well time well spent..........

Grocery Shopping !!!!!!!!!!!

With a wheel fix. Plus they had a discount table set up. All that equals disaster on my wallet. I went to the shop to get my wheel fixed and get a few items for on the bike food.

Gel shots-chomp blocks-honey stinger waffles. That was what I wanted, then I turned around and found the discount table. I ended up with 3 new pairs of gloves and all my food items. Hundred dollar bill up in smoke!

I actually left proud of myself. There where several items on the table I really would have liked to have had. I could have made use of the one pull over for sure. I still might go back for the Cannondale beanie. I kinda wished I would have gotten it already.

As I put my wheel back together last night I kept thinking about it. Now I need a new tire and I will be on the road. I think the rain will be gone today so I should be able to get out. I know the woods will be to wet so road it is. I need the miles.

I know I am gonna put in a few miles this weekend so now I am gonna start working on nutrition as I ride. The longer rides are gonna require a little more effort in that area. I never worried about it before but if I am gonna pay the higher entry fee's I am gonna try my best...