NIght Goat

No Child Left Behind Alley Cat Race

I can think of no better deal in bike racing, than a free bike race which ends at a bar, + dinner included (bratwurst and kraut), + prizes and a some hard rock on a key-tar(that band was bad-ass!)
The No Child Left Behind / Alley Cat /Party race involved a tour of Knoxville's abandoned schools proving without question that many people who have embraced cycling were left behind!
I digress: I rode strong, but the long division got me.

You can sum up the race by saying, "you know its gonna be a rock-n-roll show when the band shows up bleeding!" Yea thats right; In the final few miles, and a sprint to the finish-line, this dude with a Motorhead hairdoo, later to be known as Senator Will Fist, takes off down a hill puffin on a smoke. As he approaches the turn onto Central Avenue, he cuts the turn and wipes-out into about a half dozen summer-salts with his bike flipping everywhere. As his momentum slows, he goes for the smoke and puffs a few tokes, keeping fire burning. Did I mention this guy had no helmet? I can't believe he wasn't hurt, but he wasn't worried about himself or even the bike, just his smoke!
When I made it back to th Pilot Light, and telling war stories at the finish; I see the same guy, arms covered in blood, dragging his drum set into the bar. He proceeded to beat the hell out of the drums and slam PBR's while the other part of the two-man band beat on the slide-keytar, ripping hard-rock out of the speakers. It was a glorious day to be a cyclist in Knoxville!
Big thanks to the Tennessee Valley Bike Shop for putting on another great urban race!

The starting line- Market Square


The finish line- The Pilot Light

Snow-days in the Heartland

We're not Ridin'; we're Ballin'

Bent Creek's grand tour. >
Rice Pennacle->Deer Lake->Wolf Branch->Ingles Field Gap-> 5-points->North Boundry->Greens Lick->Lower Sidehill-> Lower Sidehill connector->Explorer->479->Sleepy Gap->Bent Creek rd.->Pine Tree->Deerfield->Small Creek->Homestead->Hardtimes connector->Papas & Beer

Many thanks to the Asheville crew for a great ride. Me and Eric brought the dogs, Jut Rut brought the Whiskey. Perfect cold weather Saturday ride!






Frozen Lake Powhatan

Slow rolling in the rain, like a jockey full of Bourbon

The stoke was gone during the month of deluge. It seems like we've had close to a foot of rain in the last month or so. I've known that eventualy I would get fired up about riding again. I'm in no hurry. Lately its been more disc-golf than pedaling, but I have a kid now, and nothing to prove on a bike. Its a welcomed break from the hammer-train, but I'm sure I'll get back on board again one day. I see all the fast kids riding strong, and thats cool, I'll leave the racin' to them. For now, I think I'm down with taking it slow, and shredding on a DH bike.

Rain on Gay Street.


Throwin' frisbees in the rain.

A Few More photos from: Harvest the Hike to LeConte

Here's a few links to past journey's to LeConte:

November 2005

November 2006

June 2008

January 2009

The Boulevard above the clouds

16+ miles round trip:> Newfound Gap -> AT -> The Boulevard -> Cliff Tops -> Leconte Lodge -> Boulevard -> AT -> Smoky Mtn Brewery.

Eric and I hiked above the clouds, to Mt. LeConte. It looked like a snow-line in reverse. All the snow was below 4000' to 5000' feet.








Cliff-tops





Mt. LeConte, as seen from the Boulevard trail.



Newfound Gap




Clingmans Dome, the highest point in TN at 6,643, with LeConte being the third highest.

...on New Years day

under a bright blue sky: Jon Dunaway(below) and Chis Murray(above) showed up for the New Years day shred-fest, cutting their teath on DH sleds. Both made impresive runs, but finished bruised; and in Chris' case, bleeding.







staring at the sun, a drop on the new windmill trail:



the after-math of nerve-wrecking crash. (below)
Apparently, this is where Chris lost his wits. Although he rode away laughing from this one. He was still shaken up a few turns later, when got spooked in the rock section, after crossing trail #24 (the point drop); which was the wreck that ended his day.