When Will It End?

I’m obviously not talking about this week, since today is Friday. I’m talking about the newest bout of shitty weather we’re having here in the Charlotte area. We’ve had a pretty good amount of rain the past few days, and it is much needed, at least according to one of our local weather forecasters. Really? How can we need MORE rain? We are already in a surplus for the year, and it hasn’t been that long since the last round of precipitation. I’m sorry if I’m coming off a little grumpy, but I was just thinking about how this will affect my riding chances this weekend. I know, it’s a little selfish of me, but I don’t give a shit. Most of you that visit this sorry excuse for online reading material every day would probably like to get outside and ride as well. If you don’t, then good for you. Enjoy your video games and television.


We were having such great weather around here earlier in the week, and I’ve been able to take advantage of it. I rode on the nice days, so what’s the big deal, right? Well, I’ll tell ya what the big deal is. I need to ride, and not just for my sanity this time. I’m trying to get in as many miles as possible to get me ready for the 6 Hours of Warrior Creek, which will be here before I know it. Yup, in just three short weeks I’ll be out riding in the mountains for six hours, likely talking to myself and overdosing on gel shots.


Not only do I need to get in good “mileage” for this upcoming endeavor, but I also had plans for this weekend. A couple of us were planning on heading up to the Kerr Scott Trail System this weekend so I can see what the hell I got myself into. As of now, I’m not sure if we are still going. I am hoping like hell the trails will be ready for us sometime this weekend. I haven’t talked to the rest of the crew yet, but I am hoping that it is still a go. Cross your fingers.




Wherever you are, I hope that you can get out and enjoy your weekend, doing whatever it is you like to do. If you plan on sitting around watching the tube or playing video games, then more power to ya. As for me, I’ll do my best to get outside somehow. If I don’t make it up to Wilkesboro this weekend, I’ll have to come up with another plan. Will I have to bust out the roadie machine and ride on wet pavement? Oh hell, I hope not. Will I poach a “closed” local trail just to get some mileage in? Probably not, but I will find something local that doesn’t “officially close” if I have to. So, what will it be? Whatever it is, you can bet I will tell you all about it on Monday. Have some beer while you wait for me to come back. Cheers.

Search and Ye Shall Find

In my spare time (of which I get very little), I like to peruse the Internets. In this day and age, most people do. Of course, most of my time on the Internets is spent looking for cycling-related things, which is most likely how some of you ended up finding my blog in the first place.


During the course of my surfing, I save the various photos I find that would fit nicely in my Internets Art Collection. While I’ve found some pretty good shit, that’s not what I spend most of my time on here doing. No, I usually check out new products and news from the various companies listed over there to your left on the “Click These and Give Them Your Money” section, like Cane Creek Cycling Components, Middle Ring Cycles, Diamondback Bicycles, DeFeet International, Lizard Skins, Kenda USA, and Crank Brothers, among others. Whew, that’s a lot of links to click. Go ahead, I’ll be here when you get back.


If you’ve been around here for a while, you surely have noticed that I have a lot of love for Diamondback Bicycles, since Lunchbox and I both ride bikes from them (and I talk about them incessantly.) Well, I found a nice video featuring one of their models, the Scapegoat. Even if you don’t share my love for Diamondback, this video is still worth a looksie. Check it.


Freakish good times on the Scapegoat




That ride looks awesome, with instant death awaiting you at every turn. And yes, that kind of fun can be had on any kind of bike, so don’t feel bad that you don’t own a Diamondback. I realize that it’s not the ride of choice for most of you. You can change that though.


While this next link has nothing to do with the companies from the “Click These and Give Them Your Money” section, I still found it pretty interesting. These are trendy, hipster-type bikes, but I liked the idea. Check it out:


Build your own bike


I know, it’s not much today, but at least it’s something. The nice weather we’ve been having is gone for a while, and now I’m stuck on the Internets for cycling entertainment. Hopefully this stuff will clear up soon, since I have big plans for this weekend. More on that tomorrow.


By the way, I’d like to say thanks again to Shane at DeFeet International for giving me yet another shout-out via Twitter. My stats on here are blowing up, and I guess I know now that they are paying attention. Y’all do me a favor and show them some love by checking out their website.


World Domination? Please. It seems that we’re getting too big for our britches around here, doesn’t it? Let’s hope that the Internets don’t swallow us up.

Back on the Farm

I can’t believe it. Yesterday was the third day in a row that I’ve been out on my bike. Of course I mentioned yesterday that we had the Tarheel Trailblazers Kids Ride on Sunday. However, I’ve been able to get in a few lunchtime rides in this week as well. Monday I made it over to North Meck, and yesterday I had a chance to ride a place that I hadn’t been to in a while, Fisher Farm.



North Meck is easy for me to get to from work, so I thought I would be destined to ride it every day until I was sick of it. Yesterday however, was different. I happened to be in the area, and had my bike with me, so I said, “What the hell, I’ll hit Fisher.” Since I would be riding solo, I tried to think about what I would write on here, trying to choose my words carefully since I didn't have anyone to take photographs.


The temperature was a perfect 65 degress when I arrived in the parking lot. I quickly changed into my riding gear and hopped on the bike. The beginning of the trail is a quick and twisty descent, and I enjoyed every second of it. I quickly forgot about the daily grind of work and enjoyed a beautiful day outside. I hadn’t been to Fisher Farm since last October, and I was happy to be there again. It is well worth the trip for anyone. I am fortunate that I could ride it during “working hours” and have the trail all to myself.


As I rode along, I started to think about ways that I could get some “action shots” while I was on the trail. I knew that I couldn't rely on just words, since I suck at it, even making some grammatical errors on purpose (I'm sure you knew that already.) When I came across one of the trail features, I saw a nice little tree stump that was just begging for me to let it hold my camera. “I’ll get a photo of you”, I imagined the stump saying. I said, “Sure thing Mr. Stump.” And with that imaginary conversation I planned my photo opportunity. I set up the camera and set the timer, having it take four photos in succession. I pushed the button and hurried to the top of the hill. I only had thirty seconds, so I wanted to make sure it counted. Off I went:






Okay, so the last one didn’t have too much action, unless you consider looking at my crotch some kind of action. You just looked again, didn’t you? That little ramp thingy is one of my favorite features out there, mostly because it is at the start of another long twisty descent filled with funitude. If only I could do this every day.


I did a few laps out there, and called it quits. After all, I had to get back to work. While most of my coworkers (and probably yours too) like to sit around and stuff themselves on their lunch break, I prefer to be active. I guess that makes me seem a little crazy to them, but I don’t mind that label. Besides, it’s a great way to break up the work day, and I’m doing my body a favor by keeping active. Who says you have to eat lunch on your lunch break anyway? Get out and do something, you lazy bastards. See y’all tomorrow.

Back to Kid Stuff

We have been fortunate enough to have wonderful weather here in the Charlotte area, which came just in time to keep me from going crazy. I’ve actually been able to get out on my bike, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been out on the occasional lunchtime ride at work, but this past weekend was much bigger. Yep, the good weather means that it is time for us to resume the regularly-scheduled Tarheel Trailblazers Kids Rides.

This past Sunday we headed out to Sherman Branch to enjoy what was to be a beautiful day. The parking lot was as full as I’ve ever seen it, and I wondered if the parents would have a place to park. We met up at 1:00, and there were quite a few kids. We waited a few minutes for some last-minute arrivals, and headed out onto the trail, with Lunchbox in the lead. He was happy to get these rides going again too, since he enjoys being a mentor to the younger riders. These little ones are the future of our sport, and it’s nice to be a part of something so special. Here is a photographic recap:










Even Little Miss Sunshine was on hand to help out, assisting me with Bike Patrol duties. Our services were not needed though, fortunately.



Lunchbox has skillz.









This little girl was out on the trail for the first time ever, with Momma in tow. She worked really hard to make it through the ride, and we were all proud of her.



It’s nice to be back in the saddle for the Kids Rides, especially when I don’t have to think about racing. Riding with these kids makes you realize how much fun you are supposed to have on a bike in the woods. When we finished the ride, the kids headed to the picnic table to enjoy some drinks and snacks. It was a great day, and these kids were outside where kids should be. Big thanks to Little Miss Sunshine, Lunchbox, and the other “big kids” that made this ride a success. I can’t wait for the next one in two weeks.

Monday Blues

I'm sorry if you were here earlier today and found last Friday's post. I was a little busy this morning, so I didn't have time to get anything together to put on here. The weekend was pretty busy, but I'll most likely post a recap tomorrow. Since this blog is not my full time job, sometimes it's hard to post up when I want to. As a consolation prize, here is another installment of my Internets Art Collection. Yeah, I'm being a little lazy again, but so what. Here ya go:


I know, it's not bicycle-related, but no one likes Mondays, do they?



Lets go camping!




This will make your shopping trips mo' better.




Who doesn't like to see a bear on a bike?



Big-ass tandem.



This guy is apparently in search of clowns to ride these unicycles.




That's all for today, folks. I can't show you the whole collection at once, can I? See you tomorrow.

Hardly Popular

When I posted a couple of days ago about my adventures in the mountains of North Carolina, I didn’t think much of it. Sure, a lot of people read this poor excuse for a blog every day, but I never thought that anyone was really paying attention. Hell, I hardly pay attention to it when I write the stuff (obviously.) What am I talking about? Well, I received a comment on the above mentioned post from someone that claimed to be from DeFeet International. I found it a little peculiar that someone was actually paying attention, so I investigated it a little further. Could this be legit?


When I used The Google, I discovered that the comment was from the head honcho over there at DeFeet. Actually, The Google took me to the DeFeet web page, which I’ve already visited several times. See, I told you I don’t really pay attention. Anyway, I noticed that he was listed as the Founder and Chief Sockologist, which made me laugh. I was laughing at the cleverness of the name mind you, not because I thought it was silly. I could only dream of having such a cool title. Apparently Shane is the man that started it all for Defeet. After doing a little more snooping (I’m getting good at it), I found the story of how DeFeet came to be:

Okay, since I’m too lazy to type it all out, or even summarize it, here is a link to a blog post on the DeFeet website:

Shane Cooper. The CHIEF Sockologist.

Good stuff, indeed. I should have done my homework before our visit, but that goes against the fly by the seat of my pants style I grown accustomed to lately. Who needs a plan, anyway? Well, maybe if I had a plan, I would be a much better racer. That may take all of the fun out of it though. Fun is why I ride bikes, and I’d like to keep it that way. Here is a sample of what I picked up during my visit:





Anyway, it looks like I’ll get my wish of a “real” tour, instead of the snooping I did last Friday. I’ll have to plan another trip out that way really soon. I’m looking forward to it. In the meantime, I’ve added DeFeet to my list of “Click These and Give Them Your Money.” Like I’ve told you before, I like to support companies whose products I use, and I definitely use Defeet stuff. In fact, my local mountain bike club, the Tarheel Trailblazers just got our latest order of custom socks from them (I had nothing to do with the ordering process, but I do wear them.) It’s nice to know that they came from a company that’s only a short drive from Charlotte.


Here I’m showing some love to DeFeet International and Cane Creek Cycling Components. I’m so clever, huh?


If I like a product that I am using, then I will stand by it and promote it so others can share my joy. That’s only fair (my definition of fair I guess.) I am in no way compensated to promote DeFeet, but I’ll do it anyway. They are local to North Carolina, they obviously support cycling, and they make good stuff, period. That’s enough for me. Shane did give me a shout out though, via his Twitter page. Thank so much for that, and I’ll see you soon!


As for the rest of you, I’ll be back on Monday. Lucky you, huh?

The Doctor Is In

I know it’s been a while since I’ve said anything about it, but it’s a good time to revisit that weirdo bald spot I discovered on the back of my head. You don’t remember what I’m talking about? Well, look here and here. After freaking out about it and watching it get bigger over the last few months, I finally decided to consult a physician to see what was going on. As much as I hate going to the doctor for anything, I was thinking that this could be pretty serious. Hair just doesn’t randomly fall out, does it? Since the weather has been so shitty lately, I’ve done most of my bike riding indoors, which has reduced the time I spend wearing a helmet. Was it a tumor? Do I have some identified form of male pattern baldness? Is my bike helmet infected with some kind of hair-eating fungus? It was time to find out what was going on.


Two weeks ago, I made an appointment to see my regular doctor. I called the office, and was greeted by the appointment-taker.


Appointment Lady: “Can I help you?”

Me: “Yes, I’d like to make an appointment.”

Appointment Lady: “Okay, please tell me why you wish to see the doctor.”

Me: “I have a bald spot on my head.”

Appointment Lady: Laughs out loud.

Me: “Uhhh, I don’t think it’s very funny. I’m afraid it might be some kind of brain tumor or something.”

Appointment Lady: “I’m sorry sir. We can get you in tomorrow.”


That was weird. I’m not sure why she thought it was funny. I could be dying or something, and she got a chuckle out of my ailment. When I visited the doctor, he examined my hairless scalp. Being a cyclist himself, I thought he would buy into my theory that it was from my helmet. I was hoping that he would think that instead of the more obvious diagnosis that it was a tumor. He laughed at me when I told him I thought I had a tumor (why is my hair loss so funny?). He said that it was most likely Alopecia Areata, and that I shouldn’t be worried. He even said it was “normal.” I don’t know about that, but it sounded much better than a brain tumor.


After doing a little research on the Internets, I was more worried than ever. This was an autoimmune disorder, and the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles which stops the hair from growing. One of the triggers can be stress, which I have been known to suffer from occasionally. Ironically, one of the photos on the Wikipedia page I mentioned above shows someone with the exact same spot. See for yourself:


Yes, this is me.


My doctor told me that the hair would eventually grow back on its own, but that could take up to a year. I asked about a hair prosthesis, and he laughed again (I laughed too this time.) He said there are two other things we could do. First, he would prescribe a topical corticosteroid, which I would have to apply twice a day. The best treatment though, would be to get an injection in my scalp (yikes!), but I would have to go to dermatologist for that. I would continue to use the steroid cream until my next appointment.


Fast forwarding to yesterday, I showed up for my appointment with the dermatologist. He was a pretty nice guy, and he didn’t laugh at me either. We somehow got to talking about bicycles, and he mentioned that he is an avid mountain biker, and has even raced at a few of the the Summer Series races. That helped put me at ease. We talked about my prognosis, and the methods of treatment. He said I could continue with the cream, but he recommended the steroid shot, which would build up my hair muscles I guess. I got on the table and he began stabbing me in the head with a syringe, injecting my scalp with the medication. It didn’t really hurt that bad, even though he stuck me about twenty times. The weird thing was, he was trying to have a conversation the whole time he was spearing me with the steroid needle. I like talking about mountain bikes and all, but it was a little hard to do while someone is sticking a needle in your skull. After the bleeding stopped, he said I need to come back in one month to check the progress. I would also be getting another round of shots. Oh joy.


So, it looks like I’ll be playing the waiting game now. The doctor and his nurse both said that I should start to see some “peach fuzz” pretty soon, and that it will eventually turn into real hair. My doc said he would probably see me out on the trail sometime soon now that the weather is getting nice. Maybe I’ll even get a trailside scalp exam before my appointment next month, since the good doctor frequents many of our local trails. In the meantime, if you see me out in public, you can stare at my head all you want. I won’t even charge you for it. This freakshow is free, my friends.