Why I did what I did

This weekend, my parents kept the girls so Ryane and I hit the road exploring. We went to Hot Springs http://www.hotspringsnc.org/ to see what it's all about. 45 minutes on the road and now we know. The town straddles the French Broad river and the Appalachian Trail passes right down the main street. The actual hot springs are piped up and the tubs. Naturally heated mineral water straight out of the springs is said to revive the spirit and senses.

It looked like the perfect treat for AT weary hikers so we're thinking we'll try to do a day hike into town, drop in the hot springs, eat and hike back out.

After poking our noses around, we hit the road to Waynesville on Hwy 209. The old guy at the gas station said "It takes 1 hour on really curvy roads and farm country." I'm used to being quoted Cadillac clock time, but he quoted me local boy time. I've driven so many crazy roads in my life, but none topped this one for remoteness. To think people choose to live on such steep, remote terrain is odd. Everything is so steep and gorge like, there's no room for gardens. Just some rugged, worn down old houses and nothing else.

We checked out downtown Waynesville and ate at an awesome little jazz bar/coffee lounge/wine bar/sandwich place on Main Street. It was great, the food was cheap and the place was just classy. No arrogant waiters, snobby trust funders...just warmth, romance and delicious wraps! Go figure.

Needless to say, our marriage got an awesome jolt of energy and helped recharge both of our batteries. Staring into your wifes eyes really does do wonders to calm the soul! I just wanted quiet, relaxing time with no itenerary with my babe and I'm so LUCKY!


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When gadgets become artwork

This awesome weapon came in the brown Santa's sleigh today and I am just in awe. Gone are the days when I was amazed at how a Salsa QR seatpost was able to actually hold my seatpost as tight as a single bolt. We're past that now!

Everyone who knows me and rides with me can attest that I'm the king of raising and lowering my seatpost. I can't stand riding fun and fast descents with a seatpost in my brat & potatos! I drop that bad boy at every decline. To get to use this thing is a dream!!!! What makes it all the more exciting is that it's built solid. You know there are things that you get out of the box and just smile.

It's the feeling of a guy who's spent 15 years riding hard, breaking gimmicky crap and has finally reached the point in the sport where his parts are built to handle what he can dish out!!

Random bits from the holidays

It's going on Wednesday and the holidays have lulled my brain into slumber. BUT....it's always fun to reflect when you've got a pic of Kenan doing this at the "end" of a ride:




















Never one to be outdone on a ride...I had to go bigger:















Anyway, back to the holidays. Apparently I was given this bad boy as my present and boy did I go to town on the Hersheys brown:

Is it possible to have too much chocolate?

To top off the sinful weekend, we loaded up the girls for what was supposed to be a quick hike to a little scenic overlook. Not having had a nap, Charisma immediately transformed into a human backpack until the summit. But upon the mention of ice cream at the bottom, she ran almost the whole way back down from the summit! If you've never eaten at the Hershey's ice cream parlor in Chimney Rock...you are missing out.


Oh, and last but not least, Drexel...a.k.a. D-Rex has a pinched nerve from a slipped disc and spent the greater part of the holidays in a whimpering ball of pain, but is doing much better for now. We can only hope it doesn't continue to recur.


Since a blog is random and the title of this is...random bits from the holidays...it's time to mention the best part. My sweet cousin Cynthia Mayo and I planned a surprise visit for my mom's birthday. It played out perfectly and I finally got my mom a present that mattered.

Merry Christmas. Most of all....Happy Birthday to Jesus Christ.

Bike Hero - Where do I sign?

What happens when your buddy gets a new toy? He films you frog hopping rocks. I'm in front by the way:


Butch Greene, Downhill Clip from matt griffin on Vimeo.

First there was Excitebike.

Then came Ricky Carmichael's Motocross....2002 Version!

It came to fruition with Downhill Domination.

Now in 3D we get - Bike Hero:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlMYWuGUZlM

The secret lives of downhillers

I got to thinking this morning as I was scrolling through Google Maps terrain feature. And it came to me that DH'ers are maniacal in their obsession and dedicated beyond reason. We own rigs that can't be ridden out the front door to anywhere unless you live on the slopes of Whistler, Vars or Snowshoe! We scan topo maps to find ridgelines and fire roads.

I've been driving home on backroads, poking my nose in private communities and pouring over "Trail Centres" in the UK and how the access has been negotiated with landowners and the Forestry Commission. It's inspired me to make a go of it here in my area.

I've been cherry picking secret shuttles for years now, getting permission to access private land, but never giving away the locations to the masses. But I really yearn to disclose one of these gems, get us all access to share it, shape it and grow it. Wish me luck in my obsession.

I figure that the worst case scenario is I find a place that will allow me to lease the property for a weekend like a farmer leases a field and go from there. Anyone with ideas or resource materials for me to read on how to get it done, please shoot me links, mail me books, or have an interested land owner call me.

Now...for some riding inspiration head over to http://www.damianbreach.com/ and check the photos of one of bikings greats!

Good shades are hard to come by

I'm a sunglasses guy. I've always had to squint in the bright sun and when i finally got a job in high school, people thought I was nuts for buying $90.00 Arnette polarized shades. I used to lose cheap sunglasses and get headaches. Then the Arnette's made that all change. Since then, I've always bought high quality shades and never broke the $100.00 threshold. Almost 20 years have gone by and $90.00 is still the magic threshold.

Why mention it? Because NoFear Spy Sale is blowing out $80-$130 Spy sunglasses (my favorite brand) for $10-50. Do your eyes a favor and drop some money on good optics and feel your headaches go away. And while you're at it, pick me up a pair!

WNC weather is awesome. Weather.com STINKS!

Thursday meant 2 dinners in 2 counties 50 miles apart. I got an awesome pic of Cassidy zonked out in the blazer. It also meant Kitsuma. My wife dropped me off at the top and I climbed and descended it and got picked up at the bottom. Nothing like a 10am quick descent, a noon dinner with family and 6pm dinner with the in law, all in 1 day.

Saturday's forecast called for rain all day. No rain. I rode Bent Creek and had the whole place all to myself all morning long. I only saw 2 riders!!! I know I'm an aging descender, but Greens Lick is getting more and more tricky. Each day, the lines are changing and the leaves have made it crazy technical these days for such a straight forward trail. But I had a blast. We really have it great here in NC. Ride the same trail for 6 months. Memorize it. Get bored. Leaves fall and the trail disappears under a canopy of leaves. New trail. Rains come and pack the leaves and slick it up. They move around and some spots are bare adding even more variation. I LOVE IT!!!

Thought of riding this morning and weather.com & WLOS both said snow. I woke up to blue skies!!! Sure, clouds on the horizon, but no snow, no rain in Fairview!!! Missed an opportunity this morning. No more listening to the weather fear mongers. I'll ride from now on in the AM!