Monday

Sunrise over Mt. LeConte.


5:00, the high speed burn through Wears Valley to the ski mountain.


Step on the gas.








Finaly on the slopes.

No Child Left Behind, Alley Cat Race

I wasn't able to ride this weekend, but I made it to Market Square to photograph the start.

House Mountain Hike

Getting Norris in the Forest After Dark

Like a herd of goats in the night, the steady charging group moved through the hollows of Norris after the sun went down. Worthy of the bruiser award, I plow-pushed my way through several sketchy maneuvers. I was riding like a meth-geeked trucker, spaz'd out and sloppy. Today I should be icing my wounds, but here I sit typing nonsensical verbiage.
The most noteworthy crash happened in the last quarter mile on the way back to the parking lot. Taking the high line, I stalled out on a tech section, where I tried to push my front wheel over a 1' root. As I balanced there in suspended animation, grasping for some sort of footing, I began my freefall to the rocky banks of Clear Creek. I came to an abrupt halt, inches from the water. My knees took the brunt of the fall. I can only be thankful I didn't end up in the icy water.

Knoxiecross #2

Snow covered the peaks of the Smokies, but the the Tennessee Valley quickly warmed up to 44 degrees by mid-race.
My winning strategy in most racing is to go out and have fun, regardless of results. I took my eyes off the prize and got wound up about todays race. In doing so, I came off the line like a limp peter chasing the rabit. It wasn't until the disaster set in that I begun my comeback. It took me three laps to realize that the urge to puke wasn't going away. About that time I saw a few opportunities to make a move and pass rather than be passed. I played leap frog with at least one other rider and reeled in another. In the end I came in 7th.
Hindsight: I made a poor decision to ride the singlespeed mountain bike rather than the cross bike.

Magnusson put the mountain bike to use in the cross race.


Thanks to John Baker and volunteers for putting on another great race.

...and thanks to my fan club

Tanasi Epic

It was a perfect spring day in January. While the rest of the country was hammered with winter storms, the south was spared. I spent the day climbing like a homesick angel.

KnoxieCross

Race#1 Saturday January 13, 2007


Men-B
Place/Number/Name
2 182 Thomas Gaines


time: 56:22
Lap time:(1st lap = 1.5 laps)
6:06 4:27 4:23 4:30 4:31 4:36 4:31 4:40 4:38 4:40 4:39 4:36



The Story





















see more photos

Snake Creek Gap Time Trial

BIB#: 332
Start: 10:42:41
End: 15:23:07
Elapse: 4:40:26
LastName: Gaines
FirstName: Thomas
Middle: P
Category: Men Under 40,
34 Mile
Finish: 17th out of 34

Those trails are are awesome! That is a very difficult ride, but very rewarding. The ridgeline was unrelenting, brutal and beautiful. I struggled hard, which made the finish so awesome.

Late Resolution

last year was a blur.
In unquantifiable terms I improved beyond my own goals and expanded to new riding styles and distances. Meeting a bunch of cool people, since I moved here, has improved both my rides and my riding. I am now immeasurably faster and go lots further.
For 2007 I lined up a few races I want to do. I would like to better my long distance trail ride, but am scared to commit to a hundred mile trail ride. So I'll give a big maybe for the Shenandoah 100. I am committed to a 100 mile road ride this year, but not to a specific ride. I’m open to suggestions on that one. I also want to put in more time at Windrock, both for big trail loops for and shuttle runs. In continuing down the trail of diversity in riding, I plan to give cross racing a try (starting next weekend.)

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
-Gandhi

Nothing is worth more than this day, from this moment on, lets all resolve to live life to the fullest.

Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Laugh. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Choose with no regret. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.
-Mary Anne Radmicher

Teach us... that we may feel the importance of every day, of ever hour, as it passes.
- Jane Austen

Who ever smiles first wins.

Greet everyone as you would your dog.

New Years Day Tradition

Its become a tradition to sweat out a hangover on New Years Day.
Tsali was picture perfect today.