Weekend

Pancakes and gravel rides are Saturdays. Rainy days mean cleaning bikes, homemade bagels, soup, and cookies. Mondays suck.

Retirement comes soon rather than later.

My old Ford truck was nickel and diming me with little repairs. Finally a few repairs were going to cost more than the value of the truck I explained to my mechanic that I did not really want to keep spending money to fix it. He said "Yeah our records show you have not really driven much in 5 years. I will give you some cash if you want?" Done deal. So I have not really had a car other than one of these (which I have had since I was 15 and mowed 150 lawns to buy it) for the past year or so. Chula recently asked me "Think you will ever get another car?" Nope. I want one of these when I retire. I waxed about all the trips we could take and how practical it would be. Then I showed her the website and some options. When I got home these were her sketches and ideas. True love. True love.

Clink and ClinkandBeans

Halloween

This Halloween I chased fish at a hidden lake with no people and a good-looking boat guide. Said guide and myself hiked to falls and the dog swam lots. This all adds up to a good weekend. Monday's suck.

Berryman Epic

It all started when this guy asked, "Why not do both?" Played email tag with the promoter, and he was kind enough to get me rolling for the tour and the race. I have started rides/races via Le Mans, shotgun, motorpaced by quads, and podium girls. But Day One of the BTEpic started with a ride on a goose-neck trailer through nipple-deep water with 30 of my closest friends. I was scared. After that the day was pretty mellow but the trail was covered with leaves, wet roots, and hidden rocks, so lines were elusive. It was what I image the East Coast riding to be like. Most of the climbs were covered with running water and I felt like a salmon, but the sun was out and the leaves perfect. I trudged around the sloppy course and finished somewhere around 6:45. I was taking it easy, but it took much longer than expected and my bike and body were totally trashed from grinding through the slop. I ate as much as possible and, thanks to Best, my bike was cleaner than it has been most of the year. I owe you dinner, Mike.

Then Sunday morning started. I started at the very back for Sunday's river crossing consisting of walking across a gooseneck trailer single file then pedaling through about a foot of water. I was the fifth-to-last person to cross. The trail had improved dramatically with well-worn lines and berms. I was starting to loosen up and enjoy the single track, hoping to finish. I finished the second day in 6:12. I was feeling good and ready to roll for a third day but had to come home to work.

I did not get any good photos other than the energy drinks displayed above the prophylactics in the store at the camp ground. Real classy in the Ozarks.The BoCoMo crew did well with OzenPro helping out a fallen hero and getting lifetime free entry for his good deeds. Best finished out a long season with a strong 10th. Butthead impressed with a seventh despite a broken wing (he says it is from a crash but really he spends too much time here and is sleeping in the basement on the couch with Rosie and her five friends) and never riding a dirt bike. The final goes out to DoubleShot who had spotty luck all year and waited til the last minute to pull off the big one. During the BTEpic, he ran out of water, filled his bottles in a creek, and held on to beat Tilford.

With cold forging just around the corner what is John's name:
A. Shot
B. CreekWater
C. Double Shot
D. Midwest Cadel

Public Service Announcement

What are you doing next weekend? If you are not here. This will motivate you to be.

Just right...

If I could pick a perfect day, it would start with pancakes and lots of coffee, followed by riding with a good friend on new roads in nice weather.
Once home, I would eat a quick snack and head out the door to meet up with old friends and watch the Birdhouse team.
Weekends rule. Mondays suck.