Best Norris Route Eva

I went to Norris today. Met up with Eric, Thomas/Hank, and Even Drew emerged from his garage for a ride. We started out with talk of a double Cobra route but at the top of Camp Sam plans where re-evaluated. We wound up putting together a fantastic loop hitting some of the hardest climbs this climb heavy area has to offer. Finished up with a stop by archers to load up on beer before the big descent back to the car. Nearly four hours in the woods on a cold and dreary day, fantastic!

Old School / New School



Drew Leading the crew


Eric and 20foot

Noah Update

Catawampus

Had a great week, spent several days at the skatepark. Ill have to get some photos from there soon. It’s a ton of fun but it’s tough on a body as old as mine. Saturday was a major greenway family ride.



The greenway thing in Knoxville didn’t start taking off until after Tara got pregnant so she hadn’t seen a lot of the greenway I ride on a regular basis. We did about 30 miles, which was the longest ride I think I have ever done without a chamois thanks to handcrafter English leather. We had Towing a trailer that far puts a beat down on my legs.

We made a stop at the Tomato head for a late lunch, it was a great day.



Noah is taking some steps now and again and standing on his own without holding on to anything fairly often.


Sunday I went out to Haw Ridge. It was the first time there in a while, its usually too wet this time of year. I started out having a great ride. I ran up on a new deadfall and made a pretty big log pile ride.



Later in the day I met with a catastrophe for my front wheel. I actually did this on the same jump I broke a handlebar on back in the summer. The wheel looks bad and all indications show I bent my fork as well.


Ride log:
31st fixy ride 1:30
2nd Greenway, Noah’s first trailer ride, went with the whole Murry clan
3rd Raccoon Mtn 3:30
5th SK8 2:00
7th SK8 1:30
9th Greenway, first family outing
10th Haw ridge 2:30 – SK8 :30

20FOOT

Lots of firsts this week,

Noah took his first steps
I towed Noah in his spank’n new bike trailer for the first time
Tara lost her bike off the roof rack on the interstate
I went to a skatepark and was twice the age of the next oldest kid there but still dusted off some mad skills I had tucked away somewhere
Jeff Murry was the first to attempt hucking the dam at Raccoon Mountain
And the legend of twenty Foot Thomas was revealed

This is a shot of me crossing the dam at Racoon Mountain, imagine riding down the side of this rock pile at 20mph. If its hard to visualise, ask Murry what its like.


Noah and I stop for a little snack mid ride. Check out Noah's sweet new trailer.



The legend of ”Twenty foot Thomas”

Ride log catch-up

I have gotten behind in the ride log mainly because i havent been riding to much. Its time to start gearing back up though.

Dec 10th Greenway fix 2:30
Dec 14th Christmas shop by bike 4:30
Dec 20th Fixy ride 1:00
Dec 21st fixy ride 2:00
Dec. 22nd Norris 2:30 Was left for dead in the woods by everyone
Dec. 24th Fixy ride 1:30
Dec 29th Went paddling on the Tellico
Dec. 30th fixy ride 2:00
Dec. 31st Norris 2:3
198 days on a bike in 2007
Jan 5th Haw Ridge 2:30
Jan 8th Fixy ride 2:00
Jan 9th Fixy ride 2:00
Jan 12th Farragut Fixy ride 1:30
Jan 16th brief fixy ride :30
Jan 26th Racoon Mountain 3:30
Jan 27th Farragut Fix 2:00

Turner

I recently mad a switch back to 26” wheels on the FS bike. I have to say it’s a very welcome change. I took the new ride down to Raccoon Mountain this weekend for a shakedown and was immensely pleased. The fit is perfect and the build choices seem to work together perfectly. It came in a little heavier than I had anticipated but the super solid feel of the bike on the trail is worth the added heft.

The new Turner 5.5Spot

Digg'n the Pink bits I picked up from John Magnusson



On this bike, the only times I missed the big wheels are the times they help compensate for poor skills. Steep climbing on the 29er required nothing but constant motoring whereas the 26” bike requires subtle weight shifts at times to keep everything hooking up just right. Similarly on the 29er you can really weight the front end hopping logs and stuff but the 26er needs a little more care as to where your COG is when planting the front tire. Rolling advantages are practically nil at this type of suspension travel. The high speed stability of the 29er is nice to loose; it’s a crutch that limits the maneuverability needed to really work the trail. The trails at Raccoon Mountain are pretty tight at times, lots of quick moves in rock gardens where a handful if not impossible on the 29er, these same super tight areas I hardly noticed on the new bike.

It sure is fun


All that said I’m still have no interest in 26” hardtails.

Shifthappens

I saw this video at a luncheon today and thought it was interesting and would pass it on.

Fair and Balanced?!?!

Watch this clip from Fox News’ coverage of the Nevada Caucus. Pay attention to the results at the bottom and the results as described at the top of the screen. I you get your new from main stream media, this is fine example of how reality is being twisted to achieve a goal by those in power.



Your country is being stolen from you. Educate yourself. Start by researching the presidential candidates, what their real positions are, what corporate boards they sit on, what their real voting and legislative records are. This information is easy to find on the internet with minimal effort. Most of the candidates are not at all what you are led to believe by television, radio, or newspapers.

BTW… this is the most watched and most discussed video on both Youtube and Google video this weekend.

If you care about your county at all you should also research the true issues our county faces not the “Gay Marriages” and other mindless “issues” you that are used as diversions. I suggest goggle searches of several topics including; North American Union, Amero, The Trilateral Commission, US Trade Deficit, US National Dept, and Fall of US Dollar. Look at news sources that are not tied to corporate media, find different viewpoints and formulate your own opinion. Do this enough and I guarantee the evening network news, CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC etc. will make you mad and feel duped.

Short update

Sorry no updates in a long time, things have been super crazy around here lately.


There has been a little riding going on.

Most of its just screwing around

On fixys more than anything


Noah is doing well, his musical talent abounds.



Levi is hanging in there as well, getting little bit of attention when he can.

Columns or Rows, You Decide

I have no intention of making this a political blog but, here is another video I ask people to watch and forward.



I promise to get back to bikes and Noah real soon.