"Chin-up!" ..............

The last 2 days have been about as slow as it gets. We sit here all day and stare at each other, occasionally we get the home owner through the door who just happens to have a few days off here at the end of the year, but overall it's slow.


Don't get me wrong, thanks for coming by, when the economy was slow the walk-ins were a big help to our bottom line. BUT it's really hard to spend an hour with someone who has no ideal what they want "to do". For a single door sale or one room worth of crown moulding. We are not a design center.


Point is it makes these last few days every year drag by. With that thought, I sat at a stop light this morning and was really dreading the day when I looked up and the car tag in front of me said; "Chin-up".


Not sure why, but it seemed to be exactly what I needed. I started smiling and that right there changed my whole day....

Back On The Feet ,,,,,,,,,,

I got one ride in, that was on the road. Then it's back to running today. I put new tires on my mountain bike and every since I did that it's rained. The woods will be wet for the next month. I can still hit Uhwarrie or Cheraw SC but that's about the only option.


I think I might even sign up for a trail race at the White Water Center. Not sure why other than they give you a really neat sweat shirt. I have way to many of them now. But it would still be fun. The only draw back to this would be if the rain continues.


I did this race 2 years ago and it was nasty muddy! Not really fun to be honest, but I still got a cool sweat shirt!


So today it's back to the paved nature trail....

This Ain't Right............

As I sit here and pen this, it's about 70 degrees outside! AND it's two days after Christmas. Yesterday I hooked up with a buddy and we did a 40 mile road ride, we met at 9am 4 miles from the house and when i got there I was already sweating.

Either this is gonna go down as the warmest-wettest winter on record or we are gonna get killed with some really bad weather in the next few months. I haven't even started looking for my cold weather riding gear yet!

Plus I really need to think about hitting a tanning bed if this is gonna keep up. My legs are way to white for the short riding shorts. For now I guess I can appreciate it for what it is. I just hope we don't have to pay for it later....

Coming Back To Life..

Yep I know the blog has been dead for the last month, I just don't always have time to do it during work. That's when I have always done the updates.

But now I have a new laptop! Thanks to the wife I am back in business! I used to always do the update at home then my laptop crashed and I continued the updates at work. Then i got to be a pain and I stopped.

Now I'm back!!! Merry Christmas... And see ya next week.........

Frank's Gone ............

Yep we ate him. Until next year the turkey is done. Cooking a turkey seems to be a lot of work so once a year is about all we do. Christmas is a pre-cooked Honey Baked ham. Yes I am looking forward to that! The family came over and it went well actually.


So we ate, I rode and just like that 4 days came and went. Now we are already 2 days into December and Christmas is coming fast. Of course I along with everyone else, start to reminisce about this time of year. We'll save that for a post at a later date though.


Today I want to give some kind words to one of the Charlotte area's fine bike shops. Bicycle Sport to be exact. I actually work about 2 blocks from a shop here in the Matthews area and would rather drive across town to do business with them over the shop next door. That was even before today.


As of today Bicycle Sport is my main deal from here on out! A few weeks ago I wrote a post about how I was kinda aggravated with my Cannondale bicycle. I am on my third frame and third fork rebuild as of now. When I dropped of my bike I asked them if they could see if Cannondale would do anything about this. Every rebuild is 250 bucks!


I am tired of paying out 250 each time. Until today I had pretty much decided that would be my last Cannondale purchase. BUT, I got there today and they had made a few phone calls and stepped up for me and got my bill down to a 100 bucks! That's the deal there.


I am in the market for a new bike and it will come from Bicycle Sport! My new go to shop!! Check'em out if you ever get a chance there are really good guys...

Turkey Time,,,,

Frank, that's his name! Unless the governor of North Carolina calls and gives him a pardon his ass is headed to the oven! Every year I name my turkey and this one is Frank! I started doing this when the kids were really young, it used to make them squirm. They didn't like the thought that we were eating a turkey with a "name".


Now they get into it! Cody even asked the other night what his name was. The other night every time Chase opened the fridge he was talking to Frank. Karen just shakes her head and I am still immature enough that I laugh every time. thanks giving is great!


The best part is the 4 days off. Not sure what I plan to do yet but it will involve bikes and running shoes. For some reason I have an urge to ride bikes down in the Pageland area. I used to go down there with the kid all the time. Since he went to school and then headed to Georgia I just don't really ride the road bike that much.


I just like the area and the hills. With my mountain trip coming up week after this week. I feel like I need to climb some hills to get my legs ready. One ride won't make them perfect but in my head it will work.


                                                Enjoy your holiday be back next week..

Yep, I'm Hungry Too ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I know I have been a little slack lately with the blog. With Cody down south I've had a few busy weekends for sure. Plenty to talk about but just haven't made the time. But we are still here!


First of all I am still running! Love it too! It's really neat to see all our local trails in a different light. When I trail run I always go the opposite direction of the bikes. For safety and it gives you a whole different look. One thing I have noticed is a little bit of an attitude from my fellow mountain bike riders. Without going into to a rant bikes need to do a little better job of yielding to the walker/runner.


I will throw myself in there to. Until I started running regular I was guilty of the same thing! As a biker you don't realize how fast you are actually going. At least when you are passing someone who is coming the other direction and running. Also as a runner it's not my job to stop and let you go by. It's on both of us.


Ok done with that. The weather is finally getting a little better and I am able to ride more. I know they are predicting a wet winter so I have no ideal how long it will last. But the trails are fun right now. I do have a mountain trip coming up the week after Thanksgiving so I will be hitting the infamous "Pisgah". Looking forward to that!


                                       Enjoy your turkey and day and see ya later........

And Then I Ran Again !!!!

That makes 3 runs in 4 days. I had a walk on my off day. I have ran so much lately I don't even get sore now, tired maybe sore no. I did 3 miles Saturday and 2 miles Monday. Followed by 3 miles yesterday. I don't see a marathon in my future but I do plan to continue. I want to get down a few pounds and do some trail runs.


I know I need to get my endurance up before I head to the woods. I want to able to enjoy it not just suffer. One is more fun than the other. We do have the sun shinning again, it's been so long for that everybody here at work is in a better mood.


The bike has been patiently waiting to come out of the corner but I think it's still a few days away. I want to rest today, that means walk. Tomorrow the woods will be a little drier and I can then head to the woods. I still don't know what I plan to do with my new fitness plan but I am enjoying the process.


In the back of my mind I think about running a few races next year. Plus every year about this time I start thinking about the Southern Classic Series for the mountain bike. It's just hard to commit to the series with the kids no longer racing. Traveling and training by yourself all the time just isn't as fun.


                                        I miss that part more than the actual racing!

It Rained I Ran...

As crazy as this may sound, I am kinda digging running right now! A few years ago I ran a few 5k's and I did the Cooper River Bridge Run, then I stopped running. No reason just did. With the weather being so wet lately and no where to ride but Cheraw or Uhwarrie I just haven't felt the urge to load up and go.


So I found myself running the other day when the dog and I went to the country club. Before I realized it I was enjoying it. Then I went to the local trail the other day and did some trail running. All of a sudden I have been running about 5 times lately. Saturday I woke up and even had that for a plan!


Put my shoes on and headed to the golf course. To my surprise the course was actually closed and I had the whole place to myself. Golfers are as crazy as cyclist, they play no matter what. If you walk the nature trail around the back 9 at Monroe Country Club it's a mile and a half. If you do the cart path for that side it's two and a half miles.


I ran the cart path, got a good run in and was still home in no time at all. Today I found myself bringing shoes and shorts to work, with a plan to run right after work. We have a nature trail here in Matthews and the out and back totals 4 miles.


One of these days I might find myself back on the bike, but right now the trails are so wet it's gonna be a month before we can ride in the woods again..

Progress ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

So I spent last week sick and feeling really crappy. I finally slide out the door and got in a walk on Thursday and that was the highlight for the week. Saturday came around and I wanted to get out and do a ride but was really kinda scared too.


I have just started to feel good again and didn't want to ruin it. Of course I went anyway and took it easy. Although I only did a lap 4 minutes slower than usual. What is surprising is how much fun I had going just a little slower. I got through and I could have easily ridden another lap at that pace. Instead of killing myself for one lap I could have a lot more fun riding 2 laps!


the things that make you go Hummmm. After that I sat around Sunday for just a little while and then decided to head to the golf course. Rain or no rain I ended up running for 3 miles and had a great time. I was soaked when I got done but who cares, I had a great time and didn't have to spend the day at home doing nothing. I got out and played!


It was so much fun I am planning on going again today. Life's to short to sit on the couch. Besides the dog doesn't care, why should I. Plus it's always neat to see the people driving by looking down on the parking lot. They stare the whole way by. You know they are thinking "look at that idiot, he ain't got enough sense to get out of the rain."


To me the jokes on them, they are riding in a car going some where and scared they might get wet. I might be wet but damn I am having fun! Plus I got my exercise in for the day.

Long Week,,,,,,,,,,

Really long week! It started last Saturday when the kid and I worked in the yard all day. I could tell then I was sick and it just got worse all week. Just ask the wife I kept her up every night! Last night was probably the first night all week I actually slept.


I walked last night for the first time all week and the bike hasn't moved in over a week. Fever aches pains, all of the above. Right now I am finally feeling better. I hope to ride this weekend but it will be a slow easy pace. I damn sure don't want to over do it!


Have a good weekend,,,,,

The Brakes..........

The kid came home Friday night and of course we were glad to see him. It's still weird knowing our 19 year old kid is out riding the interstates like he does. He got off work Friday at 5 and headed to Charlotte. With the Atlanta traffic he didn't get to our house until a little after 11, of course we don't sleep when he is on the road like that. But he made it safe and sound.


He's now driven back and forth to Pittsburgh and Atlanta a few times all ready. The kid travels more than a truck driver! That's not really true but he rides more than your average person. He's pretty good at it, he hasn't ran out of gas yet. Plus he's pretty good at watching his surroundings. I drove a truck for 5 years so I have a little bit of advice to give him.


Believe it or not most people are really nice and really do like to help others. That might be hard to believe but it's true. We have already had friends who can't believe we let him travel by himself like that, they give us looks like we are bad parents or something. I work with a guy who won't go to the grocery store without a hand gun. He's convinced somebody is out to get him at all times.


Other people have asked if I even purchased him a gun to carry. That one makes me laugh! The world isn't that bad! Lighten up and trust your surroundings. The kid is mature enough to handle travel and life 300 miles away. It's all in how you treat them, if you don't expect them to be adults they probably won't act like adults.


How I managed to get it right still baffles me! The only thing I did with my kids that might have been the ticket would be the fact that I always made them my friends. I have always been here and always listened. I passed on jobs and other opportunities that would have helped my wallet but not my home time. I guess what I did right was made the boys priority number one.


When I put "The Brakes" on about the year 2001, and took my old job back. That was the turning point, the exact moment when I made the right decision. I made that decision with my family in mind. Not money, I took one hell of a pay cut to do it and never regretted it.

It's Friday ,,,,,,,,,

I had to think long and hard for that title. It's been one of those weeks, the only good news. The Blazer is gone! I finally found a new home for it. I hope the new owner gets good service out of it. I liked it and it served it's purpose but now it's gone.






I hate selling something like that, everybody wants something for nothing. As I said in the last post people just get on my nerves. Plus I had planned to ride about every afternoon this week and I had to come home and show it to someone about everyday. It got old really fast!






Now On to the next project. Tonight I build the kid a new desk for his computer and then tomorrow I ride. Cody comes home tonight, he's here for the weekend. This will be his first trip home since he got his new job in Atlanta. His girlfriend is missing him! Like I told the wife, he might be staying at our house but we won't be seeing him much...

You Got To Be Kidding Me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am selling my 1997 GMC Jimmy 4x4. It has a 148000 miles on it. I want 2 grand for it and I'll take a lot less! Now with that in mind you wouldn't believe the questions people have asked me! Plus they keep looking it over like they are buying a brand new car for 20 grand instead of 2 grand!


                           Your buying a 20 year old freaking car with a 150 thousand miles on it!


News flash!!! It's gonna break down and it's gonna need something,,, probably sooner than later. I have driven it for 3 years and spent about 3 grand on it over that time. Including a new transmission. That was the big repair. So with that in mind I am baffled by the way people keep looking at it and the questions they keep asking......


                                                        People are crazy,,, no doubt..........

I Must Be Changing ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

It's no secret that I probably enjoyed Pennsylvania more than Cody did. To me it was like being back in Kentucky and enjoying the weather! It reminded me so much of my youth it was great. He went up there on January 1st and it didn't seem so bad. I went back and forth about ten times and really liked it.


BUT.... Last time I went up in the middle of September you could really feel the cool air starting to kick up. Yes it was warm in the daytime but at night it was starting to drop. That last trip we took to the drag strip on our last night there I almost froze! Everybody else was running around in shorts and t-shirts and seemed fine.


I even told Cody my blood was to thin for that. Well now that weather has started to creep in our neck of the woods! I can't take it! I am about to freeze, winter is no where near and I am cold. I used to think I could handle it I was tough! Now I am ready to move and head further south..


I even skipped a ride Saturday morning because it was still to cold. Then Sunday I waited till the sun was high and things were warm. It seems like every year I balk a little more to the cold. One of these days I am gonna stop going out. Then it will be official, I am a total wuss............

I Guess I'll Starve !!!!!!!!!!

Right now I am running, riding and walking! Plus trying to watch what I eat and I am still stuck at 200 pounds! On my "slow" "rest days" that's when I walk. so far this week I have ridden twice and ran once. My off day was yesterday and I walked 2 miles. I have even been trying to watch what I eat down to the point I even bonked Sunday when we got home from Georgia.


Instead of looking at food as food I am trying to change my mind set to the "food is fuel" deal. I try to think, "well I don't have any thing to do after I eat so I better eat less". You would think it would start showing on the scales! I will see 190!!! If I have to starve....


I figure if I don't do it know I never will. Plus I still keep kicking around the ideal of running the Southern Classic Series next year. Why I don't really know. I have no reason to race next year, the kids have both grown out of the bikes at the moment. Cody took his to Atlanta and keeps playing around the neighborhood. But Chase has no use for the bicycle.


Actually I am working on the big wheel 85 dirt bike at the moment. I asked Chase what he wanted to do the other day. Something, anything! Sometimes I seem to struggle with having the same interest as he does. With Cody it seemed to come easy but with him it's more of a challenge.


So he said he would like to get back to riding dirt bikes so that's what we are gonna do. I still have mine in the corner of the shop and I can have it running in about a hundred dollars and his in about 200. Time is not the issue, money is. I can fix both of them in about 2 hours. That equals 2 weeks of getting right with the wallet!


                              The way I see it we will be in the woods in about 3 weeks.


I love kids, without them what would I do......

Recap ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yep, went down south and hung out with the kid. Stayed up late Friday night listening to him talk about his new job. He seems to enjoy it and that's a good thing! Listening to him talk about it just makes me smile. He's growing up and it's fun to watch. My boy is becoming a man!


Saturday we got up and went out for lunch, we were a little late for breakfast. From there it was to Autozone and then back to the house. While he put his mower back together I washed my car. Chase took a nap and then he mowed the yard.


We also hit Best Buy after the auto parts store and picked up a digital TV antenna. The kid about flipped out last week when he found out cable and Internet was gonna cost him another hundred bucks a month. I ended up canceling the install and we are gonna set him up with the freest option there is. Right now he has the digital converter box hooked to a digital antenna and he is getting 53 channels for free!


They are coming this Saturday to hook up his Internet and then we are gonna do Net flicks. He will end up paying 50 bucks a month for Internet and 9 for Net flicks. He will be able to pretty much watch everything you and I can for a 3rd of the price! Of course he will miss some channels but Cody is a lot like me. He will have a TV on in the back ground for noise but a TV and a TV show do not determine what he plans to do for the day.


Yes cable is nice and you can watch everything under the sun but it ain't worth what people pay for it. We are brain washed into think cable is a necessary bill. It ain't! As soon as we get him set up on this we are gonna do the same at my house.


The funniest thing from all this, I came to work this morning and was telling a few co-workers about him getting 53 free channels. They had a hard time understanding that you can still get "free" TV. I literally had explain to them that it still exists. You can watch TV and not pay for it!!!


                        The cable companies have everybody convinced you need them!


Enough of that! Yesterday when I got home it was only five and still beautiful outside. I loaded the dog up and headed to the golf course. I hadn't had any food since breakfast and a few snacks on the way home. I hadn't thought about it to be honest! I was so happy to be home and outside I had walked out and headed straight for the golf course. Of course I decided to jog instead of walk and about 3/4 of the way around I hit the wall! I bonked!! Ran slam out of energy!!!


I haven't done that in a long time! I was still a good mile from the car and I swear it about killed me to get there. I went straight to the store and got something to eat and then went home to recuperate! The funny thing is I drank a beer shortly after getting home and man it hit me hard. I decided that wasn't a good ideal and hit the couch for a nap. Woke up fine.... Now to play today......

Rolling""""""

Since the sun came out I've been "Rolling". I brought out the motorcycle and rode it to work all week and I have been in the woods everyday too! Life is good! Even though I played in the rain all last weekend the sun just makes life feel better!


We got the VTX running last week and it's been fun to be back on it. I still think it's gonna end up in Atlanta with the kid. The wife isn't to found of the idea but it's gonna happen. I would rather he started riding on a slow cruiser than a fast sport bike.


Like I told her, he's about 2-3 months of saving and he could get his own bike. He may not have any credit built yet but with a few thousand down on a ten thousand bike he would get financed! No doubt about it. If I get him on the cruiser he will stay on it for awhile and not be wanting for a fast sport bike.


Again I am heading down right after work. the wife is working all weekend so I am gonna take Chase my youngest one with me and spend the weekend with the boys in Atlanta. We will come home Sunday, and back on two-wheels!


I also "had" a test ride scheduled for last night on a brand new Indian! I had to cancel it at the last minute yesterday, with leaving town today I just didn't have time. That will be on for next week. Nope, I don't have the money at the present but that will change. Plus they are running a few specials,,, Ya never know......

Everybody Is In A Better Mood !!!!!!!!!!

It's amazing what a little sunshine will do for the human spirit! I swear everybody here at work is in a good mood and smiling. Yesterday I was even arguing with a co-worker and today we are best buds again. It helps when both our desks face the windows.


Yes I did ride all weekend, while all of Charlotte sat at home I loaded up and hit Cheraw SC. Both days! I got in 2 laps, 14 miles down in the sandhills. Did a lap each direction both days. It's not a close trail but it's all sand and the more rain they get the better the rail is! It's a shame it's so far away.


From my house it's 50 miles one way and I live just north of Monroe. I can be on 601 south just past the hospital in 5 minutes. If I had to come from Charlotte I doubt I would ever ride there either. But I don't so I do. Plus it beat sitting around the house and doing nothing.

I Might Get Bored ..............

But I know I will get wet. I know that because I plan to get wet! I got wet last night and I am still alive. If I spent the whole weekend in the house and never went out to play in the rain I would probably die of boredom. Plus I like to play in the rain. People look at you funny!


To me the best part of playing in the rain is the fact I end up with the trails all to myself! Everybody else stays home and I get the woods all to myself. That's one of the reasons I used to like Cane Creek so much. Up until a few years ago you could still ride the trails in the rain.


Then they learned about the 24 hour trail rule and my personal rainy woods time was over! I still ride Uhwarrie and Cheraw in the rain. But that's about it, last night I ran and walked the golf course in the rain. Nobody there! The wife and kid are heading to Georgia this weekend so I can do something.


That's right the kid starts work bright and early Monday AM. My oldest will officially be a productive citizen! I feel all proud! That also brings me one week closer to riding the Olympic mountain bike trails in Atlanta. Conyers Horse Park, site of the 1996 Olympic Mountain Bike Course is about an hour from him. I hear it's like really hard so it ought to be fun.

It's Still Raining,,,,,,,,,,,

And has been, and will be.. All weekend long, it's never gonna stop! I did get the yard mowed and camper covered and gutters cleaned last night. That would be my version of "preparing", according to the all "wise & knowing" weathermen we could get 8inches of rain.


If we get that much I might as well sell my mountain bike. The trails will never dry out. I still haven't ridden my road bike since I got back from Pennsylvania and really don't want too. Right now I am still stuck on the mountain bike. The funny thing is I spent all winter last year riding the road bike and wishing it was warmer.


Then it got warm and I haven't ridden it all summer. That was kinda dumb! Maybe I need a boat, or a stand up paddle board..

Oops'''

I meant to explain the title,,,,, The U-Haul truck we rented hauled ass!!! It was brand new and would scat! Even with the Jeep on a trailer behind me, no problem...

U-Haul, Would Haul !!!!!!!!!!

So we loaded the truck Thursday evening and headed down Friday morning. It was kinda funny, we had a 26ft truck and a car hauling trailer. He's a 19 year old kid, how much stuff does he really have! With that thought in mind at one point we wondered if we had a big enough truck. When you add it up he had a bedroom suit a couch and a kitchen table and chairs. Plus his clothes and kitchen "stuff"!


We could have done a little better job loading also. It worked out though, we got loaded and had the car on the trailer by 8pm. Up at 4am and on the road by 5am. We had a walk through with the realtor at 11:30 and a 5 hour drive. No time to waste.


Walk through over and unloading started about 2. That's when we realized how little a 19 year old actually owns! Moving him in a 1800 square foot house and including the unloading of the Jeep, we where done in less than an hour! As we stood in the living room looking at how empty it was we both started laughing.


We then headed to his place of employment and picked up his new uniforms to wash, we ended up leaving there right at 5'oclock. Not by planning but it just worked out. Even with 5'oclock traffic we still made it back to his house in about 35 minutes. Not a bad commute for Atlanta and a Friday afternoon. Plus it was raining....


From there it was an early dinner and then we checked out town a little bit. It all caught up to us about 8:30 and we both hit the bed early. Saturday we headed home around lunch and now he starts work this Monday....


Time fly's.......

The Start !!!!!!!!!!

So we got the kid home Saturday and we've been getting stuff ready ever since. He now has a couch and kitchen table with chairs to go with his bedroom suit but that's it. From school he has all his kitchen stuff so overall he has a good start. He gets to take his bikes and several shop items for his garage.


Yesterday I had his power and gas turned on. Today I have to do the water and the trash. We pick up the U-Haul Thursday morning and we have it till Sunday. Plus we get a car trailer to take the Jeep. He wants to go ahead and take it down this Friday and leave it in the garage, He is coming back with me Saturday after we turn in the U-Haul. He starts his new job on Monday October 5th so he doesn't really want to stay down there with nothing to do for a week.


He and the wife and grandma are going back down next weekend. I have inventory that weekend so I won't make it. Plus I still need to get up to the mountains and reserve our spot for the camper for next year. While there down south I will probably head north. Plus I can slip in a mountain bike ride while I am there.


For a re-cap of the last few weeks. I have done 2 trips to Atlanta and 2 trips to Pennsylvania. This week it's back to Atlanta! The light at the end of the tunnel? The light I see anyway, Singletracks.com shows Atlanta has all kinds of mountain bike trails! They are calling my name!!!

"Word"

           "We do not stop playing because we grow old; We grow old because we stop playing"




                                                                        "Word"

The New Norm????

I am beginning to wonder! Not much changed around here lately. Still riding the 26in full suspension, and liking it! I haven't even taken the Cannondale to the shop yet. We have had so much going on I just haven't really cared enough about getting it to the shop.


I have been to Pennsylvania and Atlanta, Atlanta twice in the last two weeks! This weekend we head back to Pennsylvania to get the boy. He graduates Friday and we move him home. Then the next weekend we head to Atlanta to move him in.


Chase is doing fine, he's wide open and in the 10th grade. Life is clicking right along. Fast, way to fast.........

Shameless Plug,,,,,,,,

So I am back, we spent the weekend house hunting in Atlanta and that was a waste of time. Living her and trying to look there just ain't working! By the time we find something we want to see and then make a trip down there it's the weekend. We have to wait till Monday to fill out the paperwork and by then someone else, who viewed the property on Friday! When it was first listed, has already made an offer.


Plus the good old "rule", "nobody can legally tell you if the house is in a good area or not!" You have to do all your own homework before you go down and look. It's a pain in the ass! we went down with about 8 properties to look at and literally drove in some neighborhoods and drove right back out! Didn't even stop to look!


The one we really liked, as I said. By Monday am it was already gone. Yesterday I finally broke down and made contact with a realtor and hopefully that will speed the process. we go back again this weekend and meet her Saturday morning. Hopefully it will help.


Now that we have that out of the way let's talk bike trails! Lake Norman State Park to be exact! Monday I made the trip up there from my house. Now that we have 485 open all the way around Charlotte I wanted to see how much time it would save me. Big difference! I can now leave my house and it's 15 miles shorter and a half hour quicker. Now it's a one hour drive and 65 miles instead of 80.


Once I get on 485, 10 miles from the house I never slow down. Awesome, I will be going more often now. Because that place is the cat's meow! Over the last 10 years I have ridden there 3 times. It was just to far. Monday I was there for 3 hours and rode all 30 plus miles of trails, everyone of them are great! The flow is perfect, the climbs are not to brutal and it just rolls.


This was the first time I have been there since they opened the new Wildlife loop. Now you leave the parking lot and if you head to the Laurel loop side you can ride it plus the Wildlife trail and it's 2 extra loops and get 18 miles just on that side of the park! That's a good ride if you do it only. I also noticed most people stay away from that side and do the other loops. I rode that section and only saw 2 other people.


The Hawk loop side I must have seen a hundred people. That's where everybody went. It's shorter and easier. So it's more popular, but still just as good. If you get a chance Lake Norman State Park is worth the trip. If you haven't been lately make a point to go..

Still Thinking ,,,,,,,,,

Last night I met Charles after work and we road Rocky River Trail. Probably the hardest trail in the Charlotte area. I was a little apprehensive about meeting him there for two reasons. Reason one: it's the hardest trail around here! Reason 2: it has a lot of climbing and I am still riding the 26in bike.


Yep my "can't seem to last 6 months at a time before I break again Cannondale" is still broke and sitting in the garage. I need to break down and take it to the shop, but right now I am kinda aggravated with the whole deal. I can't keep the Cannondale on the trail and then I have the Specialized that has never given me the first problem after 5 years!


Point is I have gotten used to the 29inch wheels and like the way the roll. I swear I can climb better with the 29in wheels. The 26in just seem a little harder to keep rolling. BUT, my 26in has full suspension! I like that! Yesterday with all the climbing and knowing that's where Charles is a lot stronger than I am I didn't really want to meet him there. At a place like Sherman I know I can roll the 26 as fast as the 29 it's just a little harder.


So all this has me thinking about my next bike and want I want. Full suspension is looking like a must and now I want to test ride a 27.5 and go from there.....


By the way, I held my own! I can go downhill a lot faster than most people! If I fell behind on a climb I could make up on the next decent...

Making Friends ,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Making Friends" by bike. It's easy, if you ever read any body's blog about a bike tour. They always talk about how people approach them constantly and ask questions about what they are doing. Friday I got a good dose of this. It seems to happen more often when you are in areas that don't see a lot of bike's.


Friday afternoon I was there and it turned out great! As I said in Thursday's post I got up and was on the road at 3:10am. I was in Blairsville at 10:30 and got to eat lunch with the kid. From there I went to the motel, checked in and took a nap. About 2 I got up and headed out the door. I had one ride in mind and it was the sole reason for taking my bike to PA.


From town it's about 4 miles to the base of the mountain. From Blairsville over to Bolivar is one big mountain. You go out the back side of town behind the golf course and as soon as you turn left the climb starts! 2 miles straight up! Some sections are close to 30 percent grade! I rode up and over and never stopped!


That was my goal! To see if I could do it without putting my foot down! I made it too!! I was proud and tired. I made it over the top and down the other side to Bolivar and was on my way back when the tire went soft! No big deal right. I had my spare tube and the C02 cartridge. I stopped in the shade in some ones front yard and went to change the tire. As I was doing this the owner come out.


I thought no one was home but it turns out he was retired and was there. He came out and brought me a drink and talked while I was changing the tire. real nice guy and it was fun to talk to him. I changed everything and hit the road. Went 10 yards and boom flat again! What the hell!


Turns out the tire it's self has developed a broken wire. I found that out after I used my one and only tube! Now I am standing in this guys yard about 5 miles from town and no tube. Even if I had a tube it wouldn't have helped. the tire was no good. My new friend didn't have a vehicle that would carry a bike and it was a beautiful day so I said my goodbye's and headed down the hill.


I figured maybe someone would come by with a pickup or if I wasn't back when Cody got out of school I could call him and he could come get me. Either way I didn't really care, I was on a remote mountain road, one that didn't even have lines painted on it and the weather was perfect. I was happy to be there flat or no flat!


My new friend was like really hating he couldn't help more but I didn't really care. We shook hands and I took off walking. About a half mile away I passed this one huge house on the mountain side with this really big stone gated entrance that was shut. It had the microphone on a pole beside the drive and I thought about just pushing the button and asking for a ride just to see what kind of reaction I would get. The thought made me laugh anyway!


So I am walking along and so far I have been moving maybe 20 minutes and not one car had come by. All of a sudden this big ass jacked up brand new Ford truck comes zooming around a corner. One of those 50g plus rides! He immediately slows down and stops before I even had a chance to wave him down! He jumps out and says Tom had called him and told him I was walking and needed a ride and wanted him to come get me, no shit I was kinda stunned!


Before I knew it he had put my bike in the back and had his hand out introducing himself! Turns out he owns a big construction paving company and he lived in the big ass house I had thought about stopping at! He said Tom was a good friend of his and he kinda tried to look out for him. Tom kept an eye on things up and down the road and when Tom calls people jump!


He was laughing of course, but he did make it clear he thought a lot of Tom. He must have because, he dropped everything he was doing at the office and drove out to pick me up with clear instructions to let Tom know I was taken care of! Made me laugh! Ten minutes later I was back at the motel!


Still smiling too! I had gotten in a good ride and made two new friends. All because I was on a bicycle, a bicycle with a flat but none the less, I was on a bike!!

Next Week,, This Weekend ,,,,,,,,,

"Next Week" I will take the bike to the shop and deal with that. Right now I am still in the whining stages, anybody wants to listen I tell them how my Cannondale let me down. Next week we find out if they are gonna make it right. If they do I'll be glad to tell ya. So far the fork has done nothing but cost me money!


"This Weekend", that's what's on my mind right now! Tonight I go to bed and I am gonna get up at 3am and hit the road. I will be in Blairsville PA by 12 noon tomorrow. Then I am gonna get in a good road ride and be back at the motel by the time Cody gets out of school. He graduates on the 18th of Sept. and we move him home.


Yep, school is over! Believe it or not, we are about 2 trips away from the Pennsylvania trips being over! Then we are heading to Georgia! I go this weekend then we go next month to bring him home and then we move him to the big A..


Yep my nineteen year old kid took a job in Atlanta! I am happy, AND I don't know what to think. I planned on him coming home from school and getting a job here in Charlotte. Moving to Atlanta never crossed my mind! We are heading down to find a house in the next few weeks. He wants to rent a house so he has a garage instead of living in an apartment.


Believe me Karen is still adjusting to. As I told her the other night, Chase just started the 10 grade and Cody is moving to Atlanta. Chase will be going off to college in 3 years and we could be living by ourselves. I can't even begin to imagine a house without the kids..


Hopefully Cody will have 3 years experience and move back to Charlotte by then. Ya' never know..

Not To Happy ,,,,,,,,,,,

Saturday I did a bunch of stuff to make the wife happy and then headed to Uhwarrie. I earned a good ride and I was rather excited to be going. I got there and decided I was only going to do one lap so I decided to do it counter clock wise, that seems to be the hardest direction and I wanted as much out of one lap as I could get.


Of course I was not disappointed and was really enjoying the ride when everything went south! South in a big way! I am on one of the fastest sections and hauling butt when I stick it in a corner and the whole front end twists and the front tire binds up against the fork leg and I go flying through the air!


As I am flying I have two thoughts pass through my mind. Thought number 1: Gee I think Glen had told me about his fork doing the same thing! Thought number 2: I am high enough in the air that it's really gonna hurt when I hit the ground! A split second later and I have my confirmation about thought 2! As I am rolling around on the ground with the air knocked out of me and trying to breath again! I can already tell my shoulder is gonna hurt.


After I catch my breath I do the mental check and realize nothing is broken but now I am confused. How in the hell could that have even happened. I could have really been hurt. Uhwarrie is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the country and it's not the biggest but it still has plenty of drops and at mid flight I was every bit of 10 feet in the air.


Tomorrow I am taking the bike to the shop and they will send the fork back to Cannondale to fix it. If they decide I should pay for this we are gonna have a really big problem! As I said that should never in no way have ever happened! That's an engineering mistake that could result in someone getting killed or seriously injured. You see I have the Cannondale Lefty fork, the one that only has one fork leg.


As I said that should never happen and I am not to happy at the moment......


Want to buy a used Cannondale! Right now I don't know if I could ever trust it again. Not at speed....

I Guess I needed a Break ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yep it's been awhile and a lot has happened in the last few weeks. I kept planning to get on here but it never happened. I needed a break! Not sure why, other than it's just been a busy summer here at work and that's always been when I took the time to update this.


We have a home computer, a laptop. I sit in front of a computer all day everyday, when I get home I don't want to even look at another screen! I don't do Facebook and I don't plan to start. I sit in a office at a stupid desk all day everyday and when I get home I am not going to waste a perfectly good evening doing the same thing again.


I go outside and play! Even in the rain, and if it's cold you wear the right stuff and you stay warm. Simple as that! Remember kids "life is short, play hard". That is probably one of my favorite sayings, words to live by friends!


So now back to the usual, school starts this coming week. We made it through a nice vacation. We all needed that! The summer is wrapping up and it won't be long before we bring Cody home, lees than a month. I am going back up next weekend for my last solo trip. Then we all go the middle of next month for his graduation.


The last year has flown by, I still have a hard time realizing Chase is starting the 10th grade and as we speak we are getting his learners permit! Like I said, time fly's,,,,,,

Still Here ,,,,,,,

I know it's been a while but yes I am still here. Just been real busy lately and we had a vacation last week. That had us at the beach for a solid week and some rest! I usually wait and talk about my vacations after we get back rather than before we leave.


I don't like to let the world of the inter webs in on the fact we are gone for a solid week with no one home. But now we are back and this house is still standing. Tomorrow I will make a point to post up but for now we are back....

Do I, Or Not............

I have two chances to just retire today! I bought two scratch off tickets on a whim this morning! Both where 5 bucks each and one is worth 4 million and the other worth 1 million. I can make either one of those numbers work.


See the best part about these tickets is the fact I haven't "scratched" them yet. In my mind I have all the possibilities of actually retiring today. I hold close to 5 million dollars in my hand! Think about that for a minute.


What you could accomplish with that! I know I would retire, that would be the first thing I did. Take a vacation, all kind of stuff.. That was the best 10 bucks I have spent in a long time! It's put me in a good mood it gave me something to talk about this morning. We here at work have had a good time talking about this.


                                            I think I might just leave them unscratched...........


Or at least wait till the end of the day. Option 1: I like it, I win and retire.. Option 2: I don't like this one. It's a dud and I don't win! Right now in my mind I am rich..................


                                                                 To scratch or not.............

Damn A Week ,,,,,,,,,,,

Yep it's been a week! I got on here this morning and I had to stop and think for a second what my password was. That was a clue I need to get back to blogging! It's just been hard to find the time lately.


BUT,,, I did get out the door and made my way to PA last Thursday. My youngest son and I left about lunch Thursday and made it up about 8pm. We had a good dinner and then hit the hay. Friday Chase and I did a 25 mile rail trail while Cody was in school and that was fun. While it was freaking hot and humid here it was pretty much perfect weather up there. We hardly even broke a sweat!


To say I was proud of him would be an understatement! Chase hardly rides these days and to jump on a bike and knock out 25 miles is pretty awesome. We stopped in Indiana, PA and took a break at a motorcycle shop, that was fun. We also stopped and had a great lunch. Then a good nap and Cody was done with school.


Out to dinner and we slept good Friday night. Saturday we headed to Pittsburgh to tour a bicycle museum! "Bicycle Heaven" was the name of the shop and it was worth the trip. Although Pittsburgh has the absolute worst road system in the country! We still found it.


Yes it was worth the trip! That place was cool, you could go 10 times and never see everything they have. You walk out of one room to another and then back in and you would see something new every time. We ended up staying there for 2 hours looking around.


Going there makes me want to checkout the bicycle museum shop we have right up the road in Statesville NC. First Flight, I think is the name.


So after that we did a lunch and then headed to the trails. We spent the rest of the day doing a little four wheel driving. Now I want a jeep!!!

Time To Start ,,,,,,,,,,,,

But at least the car is clean! right now I am about a day away from heading back to PA and so far I have the car clean. Tomorrow I have to pack and have everything ready, we leave at lunch Thursday so tomorrow is it. I always wait till the last minute and it works out fine. This time I have to get the kid ready to so I feel like I need to pickup the pace.


Of course it always works out but it's one thing if it's just me who suffers for my lack of planning, another if the kid needs something. Being a father is a job. Just kidding, it's not that big of deal, it's not like we are going to a wedding or something. We are going to ride bikes and play for 3 days.


Not to hard to pack for that. Even I can handle it! So far the weather looks good for my plan that's cool. I have been looking forward to this since we took Cody up there last November. I wish I could spend several days up there and enjoy all of the trails but that ain't gonna happen..


I got a job down here and they seem to think I should be here 5 days a week. Life sucks, I need another lottery ticket. One of these days I am gonna hit the lotto and travel will be my job! Until them I work on Monday.


Not much else going on right now, I have been riding quit a bit. All in the woods, although I did finally fix my road bike and now it's ready for the next time I decide to ride it. When that will be I don't know. Right now I am back in that "mood" where I just don't want to ride on the road. I like the woods.

Plan 1 !!!!!!

I am heading back to PA next week. The "Plan" this time is take kid number 2 with me and go a day early. While kid number 1 is in school all day next Friday, number 2 and I are gonna ride a "rails to trails" type trail. I have been eyeing it since we started going up there last November.


From Blairsville to Indiana PA is the trail and it's like 15 miles one way. We can ride up and then have Cody pick us up. Of course we could ride both ways but Chase hasn't been on a bike in a while so I don't want to make the ride miserable for him. I know he can still ride 15 without a problem but if we turn around and have to go back it would take the fun out of it for him.


Plus this way we can ride up and mess around town. They have a great deli in downtown Indiana and Chase loves a good Rueben sandwich! After a 15 mile ride he'll be ready for it when we get there. I also want to hit the 2 local bike shops. I want to get a shirt from both of them. The point is I am gonna enjoy the day with Chase and then I have the rest of the weekend with both of them.


Yep it's a week away, but I am looking forward to it all ready!!!!!!!

Over The Hump ,,,,,,,,,,,,

OK, for me every year we have the forth of July and that is "The Hump". Midyear, it's all downhill from here type of feeling. I always look at it as "what have I done and do I want to do the rest of the year" type deal. Not sure why I feel this way but I do.


I have always felt like it has something to do with my birthday being in June. It's like I know every 6 months I get a present! Although the older I get the more I don't really care about the presents. I just remember being a kid and I always felt like I had the best time of the year for a birthday. It was perfect timing right in the middle of the year! Thanks mom!


Plus it was summer time and again the forth marks halfway through summer. I knew we had school coming and I better make the best of what we had left. Now I don't have school but I still get the same feeling. Plus every year for the last few years I knew I had my fall mountain bike trip coming and I always tried to step it up a little. I like being in great shape as to enjoy the ride.


I never wanted to show up and have anybody waiting on me. Although after last years trip and the total change toward more drinking than riding I doubt I'll make the trip with them this year. So that kinda opens up the fall for other endeavors.


Now I need to make plans!!!!!!

Ready For The Weekend ,,,,,,,,,,,,

For a short week it's been on the long side but I can deal with it. We get three full days to enjoy with a parade thrown in for good measure! We hardly ever go but this year we are. I'll be in the big city of Unionville Saturday afternoon for the 75th annual parade! All the fire trucks and volunteer firemen you can shake a stick at.


It's fun every few years, might as well go this year and that way it's done for a while. Small town America! Gotta' love it. Tomorrow I am riding and going to Kings Mountain, the Indian Motorcyle dealership is my destination!


I cleaned the heck out of my Gold Wing motorcycle this week and it's looking good. But I sure would like to have a new Indian. It never hurts to look! Plus it gives me a reason to ride!!


Enjoy the 4th and see ya next week..

It's Been a Busy Week !!!!!!!!!!

Since the last time I posted it's been busy! Cody came home Tuesday and we enjoyed him till he left yesterday morning. It's hard to believe but we are near the end of his time in Pennsylvania, he went back and only has about 10 more weeks and it's over. He graduates and comes home.


Nine months sounds a lot longer than it really is. It's amazing how quick this has went! Plus every time we see him it's neet to see how much he has grown, not height wise either! I am referring to him just growing up! He has managed to make it for 6 months doing everything! From keeping himself feed right down to washing his own clothes.


I still can't believe how good he has done. Considering he had a hard time even finding the washing machine at home. He now seems to do alright! He's growing up!


Plus Chase had drivers ed last week and he now only has to do his driving and then I will have kid number 2 behind the wheel. Life comes and goes and it all happens really fast. All you can do is hang on and hope for the best. It's still hard to believe how fast the kids are growing up! I am proud of both of them!


Yes I have been riding and my body has the bruises to show for it too! I have crashed twice lately and both times it was in the worst possible place! A rock garden!! Yesterday I managed to go over the bars in a really rough spot down at Cane Creek and I honestly though as I was flying through the air that this could be bad.


When I hit the ground I tried to tuck and roll but that's not really an option when your landing in rocks and some of them are the size of a basketball. Total count: one bloody foot two bruised arms and one really bruised upper arm. Not counting the hip that is killing me! On top of that I still had about 8 miles to get back to the car.


I managed to make it but I need a few days off the bike now. It seems like I go forever without any mishaps and then I will have a couple in a row.. I look forward to the next dry spell! Crashing hurts! Plus I had a birthday, I am now 47. One of these days I might have to grow up! It just won't be today or tomorrow.........

Time For Tires !!!!!!!!!!

At least that's what I think! The reason for thinking this was the time I had to think about it. Both times I was on the side of the road changing flats. Yes I said BOTH,,, Saturday I get ready and head out with a big ride planned.


I make it 7 miles and hear the dreaded hiss sound, the one you hear when your tire is going flat! I stop and proceed to change it out. Keep in mind I haven't had a flat in a long time! Now with that in mind I managed to pinch the tube and as I re-inflate it it goes flat again! Now I have no tubes and a flat tire and I am 7 miles from the house. Great! Karen is working and Chase ain't old enough to drive yet.


My mom lives on the other side of the county so I hated to call her for a ride. Plus it was still pretty early in the day so I decided to suck it up and start walking. I make it about a 100 yards and a friend of mine comes along and sees me walking. He turns around and loads me up and takes me to the house! Score, I got home and didn't walk very long and still didn't have to call anyone.


That left me with a new delima? It was still early and I was already home, fix it and ride? Or grab a beer and hit the pool! I called it a day and hit the pool. You knew that anyway.. I figured I could just make it up Sunday.


Then Sunday I do as I planned and guess what! 10 miles from the house and flat number 2. Keep in mind I haven't had a single flat, much less two flats in the last two years! So now I am on the side of the road for the second time in two days changing a tire. Of course this time I take my time and make sure I don't pinch the tube and it all works out and I am rolling again in no time.


Once I finally get home and inspect my tires I decide that must be the reason. I need to change them after 2 flat in two days. Pricepoint.com here I come..........

Getting Better,,, Must Be The Pool ...........

For the last 3 days I haven't ridden, I decided to let the bike sit and stay in the new pool. Kinda of enjoy the fruits of my (our) hard labor. Plus it feels good on my back and I like taking a break sometimes.


Believe me I love my time on the bikes and look forward to every ride. But I have found myself drifting more and more toward the fun side of cycling over the last few years. The longer I stay away from the racing side of things the more I find it just more fun to ride and play. Not just try to use every ride for a training session.


I am still in good shape and can cover as much ground as all my racer buddies but just a little slower. I like my pace!

Why I Say !!!!!!!!

I managed to tear down the pool last week and I did it with care. Care for me, not the pool. You see when I get out of my normal routine I always know my back is behind me! As in, "doing something totally different from what I usually do" I tend to make my back hurt.


All day Saturday we worked on the new one and then Sunday we just had to let it fill. We even got in and played around in the 2ft deep water Sunday afternoon. Finally Sunday evening came and I knew I needed to do the last thing. Hook up all the hoses, no big deal. I climbed under the deck and did just that.


Sure enough that's when I did it. My back has been killing me! Today is the best it's felt yet but Sunday night I had a hard time even sleeping. Yes the pool is done and the pump works great and all that, but I sure wish my back felt better.


I even slipped in a nice 40 mile ride Sunday morning. But I haven't even touched the bike since. I hope to get out today but that will be a decision made at 5pm. By the way I am still riding without any electronics and I like it! I am a little slower but who cares! I ride at the pace I want to and I feel fine. I don't even keep up with the miles.


I am using the Strava app on my phone, which is in my pocket the whole time I ride. I get home and then I checkout my miles and average speed. Here lately I end up with 25-35 miles and an average speed of about 15.9. When I had a computer mounted to the bars I rode the same miles and pushed myself to an average speed of around 17.5 to 18 miles an hour..

                   Big deal! I like going at the speed I want and not worrying about it...

Getting Close ,,,,,,,,,,,

I must be "Getting Close", close to being an adult! I don't like it either.... It seems like I have had 30 different things to do the last week and I am getting them done. It's almost like I am an adult. I don't like it.


Like today I have 3 things to do on the way home and then I still need to run and get a trailer of sand for the pool tomorrow morning. The only thing I have to look forward to is a new pool! That and father's day and my birthday...


                                                   June is a good month for me.......

In All Directions............

All except the bike! OK, I rode Saturday and actually turned on Strava and recorded it. Plus I had plans for Sunday, then it came and plans changed. I ended up going to the golf course later in the day but not until the day was about over.


I recorded the ride Saturday and planned to keep the info private, I wanted to see how much climbing I could find in Monroe. I guess it's been so long since I used it I don't know what I am doing. A few hours later I started getting "kudos" on my ride from a few of my friends. "Kudos", just mean they saw it posted on the website. How I did that I don't know..


At least I had enough miles I wasn't totally embarrassed by it. Now it's Wednesday and I brought my bike. I have to get in a quick ride today, I have a lot of stuff I need to do and the bike is falling to the tail end.


The rain has held off so long it had been 2 weeks since the last time I mowed and I still need to mow the driveway. But the biggest thing taking my time right now is the new pool. Yep, we are replacing the pool the weekend and I have to take down the old pool to make room for the new one. Fourteen years we got out of the first one and I planned to just leave it this year.


It wouldn't hold water anymore and the walls were rusted out. I planned to just replace it later this year after we got Cody home from school and fall was here. Sounded like a good ideal until the pool turned green and basically made the whole back deck unusable! I have a deck built about 3/4's of the way around the pool so taking down the pool was not really an option!


Then it got hot and I wanted to swim! The new pool came in yesterday and the old one has to be down by Saturday so we can put up the new one.. By next weekend I will be swimming again!!!!!!

Plans ............

My favorite thing is when a plan you didn't have turns into a great plan all by accident. Make sense? Thought it would,,,


OK, I rode the mountain bike last night and then came home and parked the car. Got a shower and headed to bed, it was late and I was tired. This morning I got up and the bike was still loaded! Score!! All I had to do was grab some riding clothes and I was good to go.


Usually I don't have time in the morning to load everything and get to work on time. Why not take advantage of my forgetfulness! Ride today it will be.............

I Know It Sounds Weird !!!!!!!

But even as bad as I was hurting it still felt good! Now get your mind out of the gutter! Ok, here's how it worked out. Friday I have plans to ride Saturday, I knew but apparently forgot she had to work Saturday. Friday night she starts with the "list"...


I hate lists! The main thing on said list was we need new mulch in all the flower beds around the house. That's a big one! We have been in this house for 14 years. There reaches a point when you have to finally dig out the old mulch to put the new mulch down. We were at that point.


I decide to just bit the bullet and do it. Saturday AM the dog and I head to the dump and then to the mulch yard. $35 bucks later we are on the way home. I do the first couple of beds and then head out on a ride. While I am gone she calls and says she is on the way home. 25 miles later I am home again and back on the wrong end of the shovel..


               We work the rest of the afternoon and now it's done! Sunday the pain starts!!


I wake up and realize right away my legs are killing me. Of course I go ahead and go for a ride. I was so slow and sore, it was kinda funny. But it was a great ride, I stayed out for almost 3 hours and enjoyed every minute of it. As I said "It Sounds Weird" but it was good. My legs were killing me but I stayed out and even did quite a bit of climbing.


It was slow but fun. I did the mountain bike all week last week and the road bike all weekend. I like both......

I Found It ,,,,,,,,,,

"I Found It", the downside to riding 2 different bikes. It's all in the bottom bracket. Last week I was on a kick riding my full suspension bike. It's a 26 in Specialized Epic, the one with the brain shock. It's a really aggressive riding position and it has a high bottom bracket. On it you can pedal through a lot of turns and never hit the ground with your pedal.


Guess what! On my Cannondale 29in hard tail the bottom bracket is a lot lower! Last night I took it to the trails and promptly crashed my brains out 3 times in one ride. Every time I managed to stick a pedal in the ground and then depending on my present speed crash rather hard. By the 3rd time it was starting to hurt.


This morning I am pretty sore! Sore enough I don't plan to ride the woods tonight. It's gonna be the road bike today. I like riding the full suspension as I have already said, but I don't like changing between the 2. This just gives me even more reason to buy a new bike. A 29er full suspension, I need one..........

Back Again ,,,,,,,,,,

We stayed for the parade and had a good lunch, then it was time to roll. Got home at 8 and back in the groove. That pretty much summarizes our weekend. I slipped in as much riding as possible last week and then we went north. About every 4-5 weeks now we are heading that way.


The kid needs us! Or we need to see him one or the other. We went up Saturday early am and where there at 1 so it was like we had all day Saturday too. Followed by a nice slow Sunday and then the parade Monday. It was a good trip and I always look forward to going again.


Like I have said before I am going to miss Blairsville more than he is. Although I like to visit I haven't had to live there. He has... Believe me he tells me that all the time. The kid is ready to come home and stay. He comes down for a week in June and then he graduates in September. Then he is home.


I have never really wanted summer to fly by but this year is a little different. I can't wait for fall to be here! Next year I will look forward to a long summer but this year lets just get this one over!

Let's Do It Again............

26in full suspension! My chariot of choice for tonight. Also I have pretty much made my mind up that my next bike will be 29in with a shock in the back. Hell I'll be 47 years old in about 4 more weeks. I have pretty much decided I am done racing and I just want to have fun so why not enjoy a little squish on the ride.


But you never know, at least I never know what tomorrow will bring. As I typed the statement above it made me think, "am I really done racing"? It's not like I was ever the world's fastest mountain bike racer but I do have a wall full of medals. Most of which I won just a few years ago. So am I done...


                                   Who knows, but right now I am having fun!!!!!!!!

Did I Tell Ya """""

I might have mentioned it. We are headed back to PA to see the kid again! I am looking forward to it and so is Karen. I was just up there a few weeks ago and she hasn't been up in a while. She misses the boy and I don't blame her.

Believe it or not but 3 weeks ago when I was there, we had snow flurries and accumulation on top of the mountain. Now even he is getting temps in the high 80's. Last time I was there we had leaves and they didn't. Now they do!

I am taking him a set of golf clubs for him to start playing a little. Now I need to get my set back up and running and I can start playing again. It's only been about 6 years since the last time i played.  Plus I can always use another hobby!

Besides that not mush else going on. I plan to ride again tonight and hopefully at least one more time before leaving. That's yet to be seen......

You Just Think You Are !!!!!!!!!!

Wonder what I am talking about? I am talking about being in shape. I tend to think I am in good shape, yes I could loose a few pounds but overall I think I am doing pretty good. I rode Friday, Saturday and Sunday.


I even got home from riding Sunday and took a nap layed around and then decided it was to early to call it a day. I rounded up the dog and went to the golf course to walk. I ended up with an 18 mile mountain bike ride and walked 4 miles. Not a bad Sunday!


Last year for some reason I decided I wanted to run so I ran 3 5k's and then went to Charleston and ran Copper River Bridge. No problem, I broke the hour barrier by 8 minutes and finished in the top 10,000. Not bad for two months training.


With all that you would think I am in shape! BUT!! Here I sit as sore as I can remember! I went home yesterday and since I wasn't riding I decided to finally get the pool up and running for the summer. I have been avoiding this job for awhile now because I knew I needed to change the sand in the filter.


Our pump is up under the deck so it's not as easy as it could be. I am 5-10 and the space to work in is about 3-6. You end up crawling around and hunched over until your done. My legs feel like I rode a hundred miles yesterday. I am sore from head to toe!


                But I did finish the job and about a week from now we should be swimming...

Stayin' The Course !!!!!!!!

The course of fun! As I said last week, I am in it for the fun this year. I continued it all weekend! Friday evening I rode Sherman Branch, Saturday I rode Cheraw State Park. Yesterday I walked out in the garage and as I was about to leave I laid eyes on my 26in Specialized Epic full-suspension!


I honestly couldn't remember the last time I rode it so I loaded it up and headed straight to Anne Springs park in Ft. Mill SC. It took me about 3-4 miles to remember how to ride it but once I did I was good to go. I had a blast! Everybody, including me ride nothing but the 29in bikes anymore. You tend to forget how fun the 26 is.


I rode till I was tired and I ended up with 18 miles total. Plus I plan to ride the 26 more often. I had that much fun. Now A few rides this week and then we head back to PA. I might even take a bike with me this time. Cody has access to about 50 miles of rail trails right from his dorm. The weather has finally changed enough I think I can make it happen.


Plus he has asked me to bring up his golf clubs, he wants to play a little this summer. I am gonna miss Blairsville more than he does when he finally comes home! I like going up there....

Short But Sweet ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Last night I rode my bike to BI-LO and back. Twelve miles total, I rode the cross bike with the wider cross tires. AND a bike rack! That's right a bike rack. I even carried a cable lock and locked my bike to a pole outside the store! 


In my head I was a New Yorker going about my business. In reality I was a redneck on a cross bike with a bike rack! Either way it made for a cool 12 mile ride. In New York nobody would have noticed me. In Monroe NC people take a second look if they see someone with a bag on their bike.


Especially kids, they turn around in there car seats and wave at you. It's kinda neat and funny at the same time. You have the parents in the front, they look at you like "what the hell", "is your car broke". The kids are looking at you with pure envy in there eyes! They are like "wow" "when I grow up I can still ride a bike".


                                                                 It's pretty cool.


I only have to get on one busy road to do that trip and that's for less than half a mile. I can carry about 40 dollars worth of groceries each trip and I get something out of it. I had a good evening last night and yes it was a fun ride. I even wore shorts, not spandex...........

A Good Evening ,,,,,,,

So I haven't really ridden much in the last week, we had the prom and then Mothers Day. That pretty much killed the weekend. Tehn the wind was blowing for a few evenings and once you ever get out of your groove it's hard to get back into it.


Last night I decided I was gonna ride and I went, The wind was really light and the temps where perfect. I took off and about 45 miles later I was back at the house. Two beers and a shower it was bedtime.


It was one of the best rides I have done in quit awhile. The reason for that is lately I have ditched all the electronics. I am riding by the seat of my pants! If it's a hill I take my time and climb it, if it's a downhill I have even coasted down a few of them lately. Usually I am trying to kill a downhill just so I can bring up my average speed.


Unplugging is fun! Of course I got the ideal from Bicycling Magazine, they have mentioned more than one time lately. At first it kinda felt weird and I found myself looking down at an empty handlebar more than once. Now I hardly ever look down and I try to talk to the cows! I yell and moo like an idiot when I ride by. It's funny!


I have no races planned and no intentions of planning any races this year. Fun is the reason I started riding 40 years ago and fun is the plan for this summer!!

Still Here !!!!!!

Believe it or not, but I am still here. Just been really busy lately here at work. Been riding the road bike a few days a week but that's been about it. I'll get on tomorrow....

Time's Rollin'''''

I have been wide open here at work lately and the blog is suffering! I checked over here this morning and I am just now finding time to get back on here. I though I had at least posted something the other day and I realized that "other" day was last Thursday. A week ago..


So here I am, catching up! I am still on a mountain bike kick so nothing has changed there. I stayed home over the weekend never did make it to the mountains. Although I did go over to Uhwarrie and ride Sunday. Saturday was a motorcycle day! I have gotten back in the habit of riding the big 2 wheeler again and I usually kill a day when I do that.


I can cover hundreds of miles on it in a short period of time. That's fun! I am trying to talk the wife into a beach trip next weekend on it. The trip to PA just kinda made me want to ride more. I enjoy my seat time on the Gold Wing. My fever even has me looking at a few sport bikes. I would love to buy one of the new smaller sporty bikes. Yamaha has a new 300 that would be awesome!

Now What ,,,,,,,,,,

So I came back from PA and mowed the yard! Hence the reason I haven't I posted anything this week. Nobody cares, they have there own yard to mow and we all know there is nothing exciting about that. So far I have slipped in a mountain bike ride at one of our local parks, Francis Beatty and a walk.


Nothing more! I did find 4 golf balls last night but that's nothing worth talking about. I will say Francis Beatty was packed. There where people every where! The park was packed, basketball tennis soccer, every field was full of people. The woods too, bikers hikers and the occasional lost person. I don't go there very often but it's a quick trip from the house and I always like a change every so often.


Today being Thursday I am already thinking about where I want to go this weekend. The wife is going with her mom to Kinston for her nephew's birthday and I am taking a pass on that. I have to tend to Chase Saturday, he wants to go to a concert and I am taking him and his girlfriend to it.


Sunday I am in the clear so I am thinking a mountain trip is in order. I haven't ridden up there since last fall so it's looking good. If I get up fairly early I could be there and riding by 10. DuPont State Forest is looking like my trail of choice...

One Body ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You know the last comment in the post below, the one about me having a lot to talk about. Yep I will and guess what story I can tell now.


Next time someone asks about my high-tech http://www.bushtec.com/ Bushtec motorcycle trailer I can tell them, "yep" "it can hold "One Body" easily!  Here's how I figured that out..


As I also said below, I rode the Gold Wing to Pennsylvania Friday to see my kid. I ended up riding a little over 1000 miles by the time I got home yesterday. I left Blairsville PA about 10:30 yesterday and while the kid and I were eating breakfast I checked the weather. I knew if I was gonna get rained on it would be on the return trip so I was checking things out.


As all the weather predictors where saying the rain was south of us down around Morgantown WVA and down toward Bluefield. I have been thinking about trying a different route home and that was all it took to push me that way. Knowing the new way was gonna take about an hour longer I took off. I went east to Altoona PA and then headed south.


Once I got to Bedford PA I went east again on the PA turnpike. I haven't been on the turnpike in 15 years and it was kinda neat then I got off at Breezewood PA and then started working my way south down interstate 81. Once in Roanoke VA, down 220 and into NC home by 7pm.


Back to the turnpike! I am in the left lane keeping up with the traffic and rolling right along. As I round a turn I stroll right by 3 Hells Angels bikers in the right lane. I am running along about 75-80 and they where going more along the lines of the speed limit, 70. So I go right by and don't think twice about it. I even give them a little wave and get the ol' biker nod as I go by.


Maybe 15 miles later I come up on a travel plaza and I decide to go ahead and get fuel. Plus I just wanted to stop and go inside. I always liked the travel plaza's and figured it was my chance to stop. I pull up to the pumps and am getting fuel when here they come. The real bikers! They pull up beside me and get off to get fuel. We say hi to each other and that's about it. I go in and come back out and one of them is checking out my trailer.


I know I haven't put any pictures on here in a long time but I got a hell of a damn setup when it comes to my Gold Wing. Not only are Gold Wings bad ass but my trailer is a match also. They look good when they are hooked up and I am traveling! I walk up and say hi, and we start talking. He likes my bike! LOL...


He has all his stuff on his back seat strapped down and here I am with a trailer and all my stuff nice and cozy! Dry also! I could only imagine what the people walking by are thinking! Here he is all dressed in his vest and he looks rough! I am riding a Gold Wing and I am dressed nice and neat and yet we are standing in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania travel plaza talking about motorcycles.


So he asks if he can look inside the trailer, see how much it can hold. I say sure and open the trailer, he takes a look and then the other 2 guys who were standing there not saying much both walk over and take a look. One of them takes a look and says "huh" "you could fit "One Body" in there! That kinda stunned me, and they got the biggest laugh I think they had in a long time!


He was joking and just trying to get a response out of me. Stunned silence was just what he was looking for! I turned red of course and then I caught on.. It was pretty funny. So then we wrapped it up and we all took off again. I know for a fact all 3 of them where smiling as they rode off.....


Hell I was too! It's funny how most people who walked by didn't even want to really look their way yet I actually enjoyed the conversation. They were actually nice guys.....

It's Time ,,,,,,,,,,

Today I head north! On the bike! The motorbike! Yep I have checked the weather, more than once. It looks about the same every time so I decided to stop looking. If I get caught in the rain I guess I get caught in the rain. It's really a pretty simple process.


Kinda like 1+1. I do care but I am not gonna cancel my trip because some dude who is wrong more than he is right is predicting what I do. Think about it, if you based every thing you do on the weather forecast you would do a lot of sitting around looking at a nice day.


Monday I'll be back and it will be a distant memory. I like memories, like they say! "When your old and sitting around are you gonna say" "I wish I did" or "Remember that time"...


                                                  I am gonna have a lot to talk about!

Try Again,,,,,,,,

Trying to pack that is. Last night I got home and ended up working on my motorcycle for a little while. Then I took the dog to the golf course and came home. Dinner and it was bed time.


I better get in a hurry tonight and get it done. Nothing like waiting till the last minute........

I Made Myself !!!!!!!!!!!!

And I enjoyed every minute of it! Yes I know your not supposed to start a sentence with "And". But it applied this time.


I got home yesterday and I told myself, "Self" "if you don't ride your bicycle today, it will be next week before you go again". Being gone all weekend will kill your riding for a few days. Anyway "self replied". "But it's windy", self don't like to ride in the wind. Before I knew it I was putting on my riding socks.


I was out the door 10 minutes later and the first corner I went around and I was going straight into the wind. What did I do? I went to the end of that road and went the other way! From there I headed downtown Monroe and just worked my way around town. I figured if I stayed in town I would be out of the wind.


Ten minutes later I had made a lap of downtown Monroe, it ain't that big. So I headed out of town and made a lap toward Wingate and then back to the house. 30 miles later I was home and felt great, thankful I went ahead and rode.


Now tonight I will start packing the Gold Wing for my ride! A ride I am rather excited about. This will be the longest trip I have ever taken on a motorcycle. 500 miles one way, most trips are around the 2-3 hundred mile mark. Plus it's still on the cool side in Pennsylvania, the morning low's are still at the 30 degree mark. That means I am going from a 75-80 degree area to a 30-50 degree area.


Once you get used to the higher the lower sucks! But honestly can't wait I am excited!!

Boat Anyone????????

If you live in the greater southern corner of the  states you need a damn boat about now! We have had rain for so long I thought about taking a picture of the sun this morning. It's out and shinning like I swear it's shone before! Not true, but that's how long it's been since it's been out.


Of course my riding has sucked lately but everybody is in the same "boat" as I am. I have slipped out a few times here and there but over all not much. I got a 25 mile road ride in Saturday and then I took the 46 mile drive to Cheraw and slipped in a ride on Sunday. While everybody else was at home watching the rain drop I was in the woods.


The middle of a rain storm is the best time to ride Cheraw. Although they didn't get the same rain we had in Monroe. Nobody believes that when I tell them but it's true. I had to drive about 5 miles an hour to get out of the state but about the time I crossed the state line the sky closed and stopped raining. It misted a little bit but I rode for the better part of 2 hours and had a great time.


I might get out today but we'll see. My mind is starting to shift gears into travel mode! I dropped off the Gold Wing Saturday and they already had it ready yesterday. I picked it up and got it home before the rain storm came. I swear I have looked at the radar 20 times in the last few days hoping to see my "window" of opportunity to ride to PA this weekend.


I keep watching all the big cities I go through between here and there. I need 3 full days or at least a good Friday and a good Sunday with no rain to travel. So far it's looking pretty good! It's gonna be kinda cold in the mornings but that's not a big deal. Plus I have pretty much made my mind up that I am going! Going on the bike!


I could come up with 10 reasons not to ride if I tried very hard or I can just ride. The weather is always gonna be the weather. Suck it up and enjoy the ride.. I am excited and plan to put some miles down this year.


                                                               Dad would be proud!

1 Down ,,,,,,,,,,,

1 to go! The week that is, now I have one more before I go see the kid. I always enjoy seeing him and I don't mind the travel. I guess that part of me comes from the truck driver in me. An 8 hour drive just isn't that bad to me. I load up and hit the road, simple as that.


Plus I always enjoy seeing other parts of the country. Especially this time of the year going north, they are about 3 weeks behind us as far as spring arriving, We have leaves and the pollen has dropped and people are planting the gardens now. Up north they are still getting ready to do what we have already done.


Just imagine how our trees looked 3 weeks ago and that's what they have now. It's neat to travel! You get so lost in your own world you tend to forget how life is the same struggle in other places. People are doing the same things you are just in different parts of the country. Everybody has a bill to pay and a job to do.


I hope Chase decides to go to a school a little closer so I can see him more often but at least Cody's school will be over before long. It's hard to believe he's been there for 5 months already. At the same time it's hard to believe Chase is almost done with the 9th grade. High school will be over before long and then college will be too. I hate to say it but I guess I wish the kids where still in elementary school........

Recovery and Play Time ,,,,,,,,

My goal for the weekend was to take it easy and try not to over due it. I made plans to meet a few friends Saturday down at Cane Creek park, I felt better when I got up Saturday so I went early and pre rode the trails. They showed up and I did it all again. I felt good and it seemed like a good ideal.


Sunday I got up and my good ideal didn't seem so good anymore I was tired! Karen was on call for the day and already had patients lined up so I decided to ride the motorcycle! I hadn't ridden it since last fall so I was kinda ready. Of course it was dead and wouldn't start so I had to put the battery charger on it for a few. Once it started I figured it would charge pretty quick and I would be ready to go.


Of course I had to stop for gas and guess what! It wouldn't start. Luckily this older guy saw me pushing the bike across the parking lot and asked what was wrong. I told him and he ended up giving me a ride to Advance Auto to buy another battery. I got it and borrowed the tools and headed back to the bike.


Of course I borrowed the wrong tools and stood there looking at the bike like a dumb ass for a few minutes before I started looking to see what I had. Low and behold I still had a few tools in the bottom of the side box that my dad had put in there. I had to laugh, he gave me that bike 9 years ago right before he passed away and I still find things he did that make my life easier.


I can't tell you how many times I started to take those tools out and wondered why he had them in there to begin with. Yet here I am 9 years later and I was damn glad he had put them there! Five minutes later and I was on the road again. Back to Advance to return their tools and I was good to go.


I ended up riding for about 3 hours and I got a new battery out of the deal. I enjoyed the ride so much I hope to ride it to Pennsylvania next weekend when I go up to see the kid. I had planned on that at some point this summer but hadn't really thought a lot about it. But now I have it clean and ready to ride I want to go.


          Now I just need a 3 day weather window, cool temps I don't mind but rain sucks.........

Bump In The Road..........

Monday evening's ride was great and then Tuesday I started the day just like any other. Then I had lunch! By 2'oclock, I was telling my buddy in the desk beside me that my stomach was rolling! I ended up leaving a little early and before I could get out of the car in the driveway I was hanging out the door throwing up...


                         That continued the rest of the evening and into the next morning.


                                                                Food poison!!!


It all started innocent enough, one of our suppliers brought hamburgers and hot-dogs in and wanted to treat the guys in the warehouse to lunch. He brought enough for damn near everybody here so we ended up having an impromptu lunchin'. Of course out of 25 people that ate I was the only one who managed to grab the bad burger.


I remember taking the first bit and thinking it had a funny flavor but I thought maybe it was just me. I looked at it and it was cooked through but a little moist. In other words it wasn't cooked fully! I spent Wednesday and Thursday eating nothing but saltine crackers and drinking nothing but ginger ale. I did work yesterday but not very hard and I still ended up leaving early again.


I finally slept last night and woke up feeling a lot better. I missed last nights ride and we get the rain today so it will be tomorrow before I get to pedal again but I still need the rest anyway. I can tell I am still weak but the weather is gonna be great. It may not be a fast ride but I'll get the seat time.


                As far as the grill out back,,, If I had my choice I would throw it in the dumpster!!

That Was Great !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I came to work yesterday with no plans to ride at all when I got home but that all changed with one text! A one word text, it simply said. "road"... I thought about it and decided why not, I hadn't seen Kelly in a few weeks and I am still trying to get going so I said yes. With one word..


We know each others schedule so that was all it took. I knew I needed to get home and out the door to Unionville for a 5'oclock meeting. Of course I made it and he was there, 40 miles later and a good conversation my legs were toast and I was home!


First road ride of the season is now under the belt. After my full weekend it really did put a hurting on me but it was worth it. I had forgotten how fast you roll on a road bike and how much ground you can cover. The weather was perfect, almost. The wind was a little strong but for the first ride it was awesome.


                                                        It's gonna be a good summer.....

Pacing ,,,,,,,,,,

That was my plan all weekend. I felt so bad Friday that I knew I would need to "Pace" all weekend if I wanted to enjoy and take advantage of the weather. It's supposed to start raining today and last all week. With that in the forecast I couldn't sit at home and do nothing.


Saturday I hit the end of the driveway with Uhwarrie and the White Water Center on my mind. At the last second I decided to head to the west side of town and ride all the trails at the WWC. Same distance but a little faster to get to. With 485 around Charlotte all I have to do is hit the freeway and set the cruise control.


I get there and pay my 5 bucks to park and then find a place to park. If that place ain't making money yet it's beyond me! It was packed, people everywhere, if you add up just the 5 bucks to pack they had to make 10 grand Saturday.


So I unload and head to the woods, I ride everything and then head to the new trail! The one I just learned about recently when I went by chance to the website and printed off a map. So as I am riding it I come to another fork in the trail and stumble on another new section! By the firmness of the ground it couldn't be over a few weeks old. As I plow around the trail I find myself laughing!


Overall if you ride every trail in Charlotte you gotta just about agree the White Water Center is about the best trail system in town! Yes I said "in town". In this "area" then the best trail would be Lake Norman State park. But White Water rocks! The place is awesome, trails people restaurant you name it.


I believe I am actually gonna break down and buy the parking pass. It's gonna be a great summer for riding. Now I just need to get the road bike out and get in a few more miles....

Not likin' This ,,,,,,,,,,

I felt it coming on all day yesterday and I tried to ignore it, last night it was hard to ignore. I feel like shit! I didn't sleep good and I can't breath! Today is Friday and the weekend is right around the corner.


I don't waste my weekends being sick! I might be sick, but I will tough it out all weekend. I am not gonna loose the little bit of speed I have managed to pick back up. I will drag my ass through the woods all weekend. It might hurt but what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger!!

It's Just More Fun ,,,,,,,,,,

And easier! Believe me, I have talked about this before but right now it's more evident than it has been in a long time. It's easier and more fun to go fast! As you know I have been whining about my sorry state of fitness for the last several weeks. I have even avoided riding with the fast boys lately because I knew how bad off my pace has been. But for the last 3 weeks I have been back on schedule riding at least 3-4 times a week.


It hurt at the start but now I am getting back into the groove. I know I still need to improve a good bit but last night I knocked out a 55 minute lap at my favorite testing trail. Sherman Branch! Yes I had 2 days rest in my legs, not counting a 4 mile walk the night before. But keep in mind last week it was all I could do to do an hour lap! At my best a 53 is the norm so I'll take a 55 right now for damn sure.


I rode Saturday at Uhwarrie trail and put in a lot of miles, hard climbing miles! I road for over 2 hours and I was beat! Sunday I went to Sherman and it was all I could do to get back to the car in an 1:15 minutes! I knew I was going slow but I never thought I would have taken that long. So yesterday when I came out of the woods and checked the timer I was stoked!


I knew I was rolling just by the way the trail was flowing. The climbs were coming pretty easy and the rhythm was there. Plus I was having fun! "It's Just More Fun" to go fast.


                                            Enough said!