I like this guy.

I’m been sorting through my boxes of garage stuff trying to get organized and I found this shirt in my rag box.

That’s from the Knob Scorcher in Fall of 1993. Back when they used to have a race in the trails behind Nantahala Village. JB and I rode up there with his Dad and stayed in a cabin in the village. My only real memory of the trip is of JB’s dad drinking red wine the night before the race and singing, “red red wine” by UB40. It was pretty funny.

Of course I raced beginner. Only thing I remember about the race is realizing I needed to ride more if I wanted to race bikes.

I was bitten by the race bug and did another beginner race at Tom Brown about a month later. In the spring of 1994 I upgraded to sport. My thinking was beginner is for beginners and with two races under my belt I was no longer a beginner. I did a whole bunch of sport races in Georgia and North Carolina that year then upgraded to expert in 1995. Retired in 1998. Came out of retirement in 2007. There’s a lot to be said for age and wisdom. Even though I’m not racing as much as I did back then I’m enjoying it more now because my brain works better. I realize now you don’t get faster by making every ride a race.

For the last 2 months or so my 4.5 year old boy has been a demon. Not all the time, but enough to make parenting extra difficult. I’ve had to walk away several times. We have to practice tag team discipline. 5 hours with the Nate Dogg is way harder than 5 hours of Fools Gold.

This is just the top half of this picture. The bottom half was much the same. Every body part was covered. I mean EVERY body part.

That night was actually pretty funny. I don’t mind him tattooing himself. It’s his attitude that needs improvement. If he’s not extremely grumpy he’s crazy crazy wild.

I gotta get this kid in sports. He’s expressed interest in football. He doesn’t want to catch or throw, just tackle. Just wants to hit.

This guy reminds me of my old friend JB aka “The Vanilla Gorilla”. (You Revolutions guys should remember him) This is something he would have done if he combined alcohol, a bike and a fence.

Why You Shouldnt Drink And Bike - Watch more free videos

In an effort to document my favorite rides, I’m starting the Sweet Loops series.

I do this from my house but mapped it from the Circle K in Killearn since everyone knows where that is. This is a nice leisurely ride out through the back of Killearn to Pisgah Church Rd. to Freshwater Farms Rd. to Proctor to Dirt Proctor through Baker Place and back through Killearn. You can see on the map I take a circuitous route through Killearn avoiding the same ole same ole that is Shamrock Rd. It’s a great ride to do from a north side residence or office.

You’ll need to ride something that can handle some sand, especially when it’s as dry as it’s been lately. I ride the trusty ole rigid dragon with worn down fast rolling pythons.

People might want to take advantage of the dirt Proctor Rd. while it’s dirt. I have a feeling it’ll be paved in the very near future. When that happens it will be a high speed cut through which will pretty much ruin the riding on it and the paved part of Proctor Rd.

If you’re not familiar with La Ruta, it’s one of the most epic mtb stage races and is held in my second favorite country of Costa Rica. Sager is doing it for his first time and is blogging it first hand. Great stuff so far.

Here’s one of his pics from the miles of pushing. Remember, as a general rule, grades are twice as steep as they appear in pictures.

Great thing about the emergence of blogs is getting the real deal. For instance if you only read Cycling News you would never have known that the Costa Rican locals get extra special support in the way of rolling bottle feeds and lube jobs.

I hope to do it some day. I’m sure it would add a 12 to my pain meter.

Anyone else noticed all the anti-bike signs out at Phipps?

I saw the first one over the summer but it seems like they’re propagating. There must have been an anti-bike sign orgy here. There were several more I couldn’t get into the frame. I’m such a rebel that I rode in the gate on the left and right back out the one on the right. I CAN’T BE HELD DOWN!!!! I’M UNSTOPPABLE!!!! PH34R M4H L33T 5K1LL5!!!!

“Bikers” are jerks.

There are many times when I have been an “other user” on these trails. Mostly in the winter when I like to run the hiking trails (That’s really fun by the way) and I believe that if it weren’t for “bikers” breaking the rules and riding these hiking trails Mother Nature would have reclaimed them long ago.

I realize that these trails were built by the hikers and I respect that, but let’s be real. One lady in a white 4-runner toting a pair of lopping shears and a box full of anti-bike signs will not hold back mother nature. The trail has to be used.

By the way, this lady doesn’t even drive on the main gravel drag. I’ve seen her. She drives on the little dirt side road that parallels the gravel. WTF is up with that? Gravel to rough? I almost called her out on that but I was in the middle of an interval.

So what is she some kind of environmentalist that likes to beat down new double track 15′ away from established gravel double track intended for motor vehicle usage? That’s bunk.

Wow, this turned into a rant.