Headed to AEDC yesterday, my first time there. Gorgeous.




Took a lap, around 11 miles of sweet singletrack and old fire roads. Ate some food and took a lap in the opposite direction. Much much better counter clockwise. 3 hours, 22 miles.




This is what most of it looked like. Very sweet.

Here's something Colorado could learn from:







Segregation is good for bikes and horses.

Today I tried a new route across town to my meeting, straight down Charlotte. Got home in 32 minutes, usual route takes an hour. This is a good thing.

If you follow this blog, you may have too much time on your hands.  You also know that I've been on the road, away from home for several weeks.  I have big plans, serious adventure plans for this week, starting first thing tomorrow, but in the meantime, I feel like I should quickly summarize the last few weeks with a simple narrative and some photos.  Ready?





We finished our year opening for Railroad Earth for 3 nights.  Our van broke down in VA, so we scrambled, rented a van and beat it to Brooklyn with 45 minutes to spare. Here's video:



RRE is everything a band should be. Everyone (but me) got up and jammed with them the second night and it was sick. Here's a little YouTube Video. It's gets crazy around 6:20.



Sarah came to the last show and we stayed somewhere in Maryland before going to see my grandparents in Lancaster County, PA. Lancaster County is Amish country and is home to two great towns, Intercourse and Blue Ball. We were driving through Intercourse before I even realized it. We had to stop and get a picture:


Sarah and I rocked Brooklyn and Bayport, NY, then I hopped a shuttle to ISP and flew home but not before seeing this little gem of a magazine cover. Bad timing, eh boss?

We're playing two nights at the Down Home in Johnson City, TN this weekend.  Woke up this morning to substantial precipitation mostly in the form of snow. Headed to the Appalachian Trail outside town for a quick hike (borrowed the fiddle players car for a couple hours). 2 inches of snow on the trail when I started, probably closer to 4 near the top. Only had a couple hours, but it was really cold and I was vastly under-dressed and alone so the time limit probably kept me in check. There were a few other tracks, mostly filled with snow. Didn't see another soul out there. Beautiful. Here's a couple pictures, they're nothing like Up In Alaska's shots but the clouds were low and there were no vistas:

I had my Keen Growler boots on. The boots were perfect, everything else was inadequate and as such, I tried to keep it mellow and pay attention to where my feet were falling (fortunately, with those boots on, I didn't have to pay too close attention).  When these boots wear out, I pray that Keen still makes them because I'd buy them again in a second.


Hiked about a half hour and started to hear a humming sound.  Thought I was coming up on a generator or something but I topped a ridge and stepped into a clearing under some whirring power lines.  It was pretty eerie with the cloud cover.



Tomorrow we're in Roanoke, then two days off in Charlottesville planning The Festy.  One day we'll be scouting the trail system at The Festy site, checking out ride/hike potential and also looking at the possibility of running a cyclocross race out there, as well as designing the layout of the site and daydreaming about the features (multiple outdoor lounges and fire rings, onsite camping, multiple stages, brewery onsite, beergardens...  the list will grow).  The Festy will be the single greatest weekend event ever.  More to come.

Saw this contraption on BSNYC this morning.  He referred to it as an idiot concept bike. I would say I want to have it but since it was just black friday and the last post was all about wanting shit, I'll want not.

Except that I might add the Carolla needs new front axle/CV joints and a radiator to the tune of $800.  Sweet.  I could buy a new bike for that.  I could pay off credit card debt with that.  I could save for future-child's college with that.  I could buy an Xtracycle and stop driving for that.

I know I shouldn't complain but the ride home last night to beat the dark (45 minute TT) agrivated my right knee.  It's a sleeping giant, this knee problem.  I'm beginning to think that the inconsistency of my riding (not by choice, I might add) coupled with a larger gear for the road is setting me up for some long term issues.  I need gears.  I'm sorry, fellow SS lovers, but as my manager said, "single speeds are for assholes."  At least on the road.  Why have I convinced myself that I can/should do 4 hour road rides on a single speed cyclocross bike in the cold, over hills with a 42x16?  It makes you wonder, right?  Maybe Santa will bring me a geared bike for christmas, or better yet, maybe some high-end bike company will stumble upon this ameteur blog and misinterpret my zealousness for readership and offer me a bike.  Maybe my knee won't blow out before ski season...

Yesterday I woke up later than I'd hoped and had to skip the pre-game ride. We headed to LP Field about 11:15. We arrived and there was no traffic and the parking lot was empty. We pulled into the D Lot (primo parking) and asked the dude what the deal was. "Game's been moved to 3pm, TV Network." Superb. I got a little worked up but my lovely wife finally calmed me down and we went to breakfast at Noshville. BLT and fries, cup of coffee. Saw these nice hipster pieces outside:


One of the dudes came out to talk on his cell phone and smoke right as I was crouched down to take the picture.  He said they weren't stolen.  I noticed they were both running 42x16 ratios (a little info for the who-gives-a-shit file).

Headed toward the Flying Saucer for a couple pints but got distracted by the Toyota Dealership.  We're nursing our little old Toyotas along, the '93 Tercel's got 75,000, the '92 Carolla Wagons pushing 175,000.  Taking the wagon in today to get it checked out before our trip (should be doing that right now, actually).  I think I've convinced my father to kick down his 4Runner when he upgrades (4 door Tacoma with a camper) this summer, but we still drool when we see our dream cars:

I love the Venza.  I know it's a little high class for someone like me, but it just looks so cool and it's got those big wheels...  I made my own on the website and it only cost $36,000 which is only about 12 times what we payed for our Tercel when it had 35,000 miles and got 40+ mpg...

Anyway, headed to the Saucer and got a couple Youngs Double Chocolate Stouts then validated and walked the mile or so down Demonbreun and across the pedestrian bridge.  I hadn't done a good long urban walk-instead-of-drive session in awhile and it felt like the right thing to do.  We drank a few beers at the game and stayed until the end of the 3rd quarter:


We had another engagement, so we headed to East Nashville for some music at Madd Donnas.  Watched the last two minutes of the game there and wished we'd stayed.  Vince Young looked like a champion.  Go Titans.  Battered and Fried for some fish with Unky Dan and my mother then home.  Now I'm eating into todays ride time writing this for the two people who read it...  

Headed out for a ride inbetween cloud bursts.  Taking a camera (these were all iPhone shots) so the evidence will be there.

Titans game today, 27th row.  Many many Bud Lights and footlong hot dogs and fries will pass through this body by tonight.  No riding in December.  Opting to leave the bike at home on the 18 day tour.  The logistics are too daunting and I don't have any extra $$ to throw at elaborate travel plans right now.  The next three days I'll be on the bike and Christmas week I'll throw down but in the middle there it'll be a lot of running.  Not ideal for January, the second peak of my season, but what's a guy to do?  Pulled in so many directions, so many things that want to be done, that need attention.

Sarah and I are locking in the dates for our March Duo Tour out west.  I'm acting as booking agent and it's been an eye opening experience.  I've been salivating over this little number; it would make the perfect duo tour vehicle.  Park in the venue parking lot, I could get up early and drive to the ski resort/trailhead and do my thing while Sarah slept, then drive off the mountain, into the next little town, soundcheck, dinner, show, repeat.  Paradise.  I could follow that schedule the rest of my life, really.  It would also be killer at the races (don't know about the mud factor).

Sarah and I played on Black Friday at the Taproom in Nashville.  Love the Duo setting.  Here's a taste:



The show was packed and loud but our sound engineer, Drew Becker, stopped in and worked the sound for free beer. I love the Taproom, what a killer zone. Drank a bunch of the limited edition Sue from Yazoo. Ridiculous. Probably going to get a growler or ten of this before they stop making it.

Double Post today.  Increased frequency = quality reduction.  This time I got pictures.

Left the house in shorts, a base layer and a jersey.  Under the I-40 bridge this dude came roaring by me on a gas powered bike.  I tried to catch up before the light and get a good picture but he plunged directly into traffic.  This is the best shot I got.

Hit the Richland Greenway and stopped to hike down a side trail, adjust my brakes and ditch the base layer.  Sleeveless jersey (old school) and shorts the day before Thanksgiving, beautiful.  Rode across the greenway bridge then ducked through the Kroger parking lot and hopped on Belle Mead Blvd.  BMB is a two lane residential divided road.  Full on Boulevard.  Very mellow uphill pitch leading straight to the Warner Loop.  Sun was shining, I shot this self portrait.

This was the calm before the climbing storm.  I'd not ridden the Warner Loop since I'd geared up and I got my ass absolutely kicked by the three substantial climbs on the loop.  I didn't have to walk and the third climb actually seemed a lot shorter than I'd remembered but it was tough pushing the 42x16 up those hills.  I briefly stopped at the overlook on the last climb.

Went back the same way I arrived, down Belle Mead, down the Richland Creek Greenway.  Walked down a trail that passed under the elaborate bridge system and found a nice rocky patch to hang out on for a moment.

That's it.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Nice little ride on the Shelby Greenway with my man JDar yesterday.  In the grand scheme of things, our little rides on the greenway are pretty mellow.  Lots of dudes around here take their riding more seriously; 1:45 on the bike followed by a New Belgium offering and some video watching would be considered "weak."  JDar and I are not ones to worry about our position relative to others (though we did smirk then talk trash for 10 minutes when three fixie hipsters passed us with their hands overlapping on their tiny little handlebars).  One of these days I'll call up JDar and we'll go kill ourselves on some super epic ride to a place I've never heard of but until then, we're content with the relative safety of the greenway. 

I've heard there are real legit group rides that leave from East Side Cycles.  When I get some gears I might show up, on my cross bike, with a camelbak and knobby tires, and scare the roadies to death with my sudden braking and swerving.  Until then it's greenways and Percy Warner and other familiar loops and rides that I do mostly by myself because I have one gear and no friends.

Today may be the day that my blog is accompanied by photos.  May have to decide between taking the iPhone and taking the Nikon.  Both have their advantages but only one has a super sweet case.

Nashville Cyclist does something smart; he actually raises awareness about issues that matter.  Brilliant.  I'll do the same here:

Share the Road Plates
Apparently, they need 1000 pre-orders for these by this summer to make it go.  I'm considering it, you might as well.

Greenways Update
So they're getting it all fixed up and adding a needed section.  The Metrocenter/Downtown link is a regular part of my routine (it'd be ideal if the Metrocenter continued for about 10 miles down to Bells Bend, but I'm not complaining) and there's still never anyone on most of it.  They're inacting a 15mph speed limit.  I will not be obeying this.  I will pay fines if they can catch me.  Wouldn't they need to have super fit bike cops on super fast bikes to pull off this enforcement?  Time will tell...

Arrived home Sunday night from the uber epic Nor'Easter Tour.  It's good to be home and back on the bike, at least a little.  Spent all night cleaning the house so I could squeeze in a ride before I pick up my lovely mother at the aeropuerto.  Hoping to hook up with JDar for a short ride on the east side.

Feeling a little conflicted about the blog.  It's clearly the ego speaking, some need for attention, some need to seem important that drives this constant flow of Me on the intertubes.  Not really sure what I'm going to do about it.  If I get any deeper into it this blog may just cease to exist.

Here's a video rock-u-mentary that our banjo player put together, it covers the first few days, there will be more to come.


Next month I'm on the road, doing 7 shows with the Dusters and 4 shows with my wife.  Hoping to take the bike with me, maybe hit up the MSG race in Bristol during the day between our Johnson City shows.  Scored a Yakima Space Booster for $105 on Craigslist yesterday.  I didn't realize how long it was; can't really open the rear door. 



Trying to decide if I'll a) drill new holes and slide it forward b) deal with the door not opening even halfway or c) try to trade/sell it and get a newer/shorter one.  They make them now with these awesome lever-style mounts so you can take the thing on and off in a matter of seconds.  It takes about 15-20 minutes to put this one on.  The good news is my total investment in the rack is now $325.  New, it would cost me $360 for the locking steelheads, $250 for the cargo box, $160 for the control towers, $70 for the bars, $100 for the copperhead and $35 for the wheel fork.  $975 total.  Now, granted, all of my stuff is between 6 and 10 years old, but it all functions perfectly and once I buy a four pack of locking cylinders ($40) it will all be tidy and secure.  Now I just need a ski rack for ski season and another wheel fork and I'm good to go (possibly wider cross-bars).