Sep 30
My head spins whenever I think of all the riding I want to do. So to not forget any, I am going to write them down.
1. Browns to Duncan’s moto all in one day.
2. Cross Mtn to Briceville descent on trail bike. (~3400 ft of descending)
3. Devil’s Backbone, again.
4. I-81 Hare Scramble
5. Windmills to T39 mining shack on trail bike
Sep 30
Sunday Meghann, Ben, Sara, and myself met up in Huntsville, TN to ride some trails in the Brimstone Recreation area. The trails are very well marked (unlike Windrock) and offer everything from beginner to expert level trails and some stunning overlooks. I didn’t get to many pictures, but we had a real good time and the girls are really coming along with their riding technique.
Ben has posted some good pictures on his blog…
Sep 24
Sorry for the long delay in posts, but as usual Fall just has me doing way too much riding.
Meghann and I went to the UT vs. UAB game. It was fun to do this again. Not because UT is awesomely sucky this year, but because Meghann and I used to go to all the games together. It was hot and the team was average.
This past weekend was Man Weekend 2. Karl and Jeff drove in late Thursday night. We hit Windrock for some DH on Friday and drove over to Asheville on Friday night to meet up with Geritt. Saturday morning Jeff was going to meet a guy in Morganton to look at a KTM 250 EXC. We rode his personal MX and woods tracks. Jeff was Jeff and as usual crashed pretty good minutes into riding the MX track. The woods course was really fun and I had great time. Later that afternoon we drove over to Brown Mtn OHV and rode some of the best and hardest trails I have ridden to date.
Sunday we were supposed to race at a DH race down in Greeneville, SC but we just couldn’t justify the $50 entry and we really wanted to ride some moto. I don’t get to ride with Jeff and Karl enough, so it was good to just hit up Royal Blue and hang out.
Richard at Morewood hooked me up with a Shova ST and its an awesome little trail bike.
Sep 8
Well, I finally got Meghann out on the CRF150f. Matter of fact it was her idea and she seemed excited about. After the first attempt at riding the dirt bike I was afraid she wasn’t going to want to try it again. But this time we took it slow and learned a few techniques before she twisted the throttle. She did REALLY, REALLY well and know says she likes it batter than mtb riding. She said she like how if she wants to get to the top of the hill she just has to twist the throttle.
Sep 2
So you know how you always find your keys the last place you look for them? Well it seems yet again, I have found my race form at the end of the season. I always start the season full of nerves and lack confidence. I blow up at Massanutten and fail to qualify for the US Open. Did it again this year. But by this past weekend I was in full on fun mode and didn’t care too much about results. Of course I finally get my best SS result of the year. I think I was close to cracking the top 5 at race #2. I was only 23 seconds out of 5th with a flat tire for the last 1/3 of the course. This course didn’t suit my style, but I laid out a game plan and hit all my lines save one. I felt my shoe lace get wound up in the cranks and I back pedaled and while looking down to verify I was free, I missed one line. It may have cost me one second, maybe. Anyway, I stood and pedaled all the way to the hip jump and held it open through the bottom of the course. I was darn near no brakes going into the Cedric rock garden at the bottom of the course and I hit my line perfect. Everyone down there said I had the best line and was the only to hit it. I have to admit that made me feel good. Can’t wait for next year’s race series. I think I ended up with a 9th place series finish. I have finished 8th, 8th and now 9th in the series since it began in 2006. At least I’m consistent.
I love the pic of me in the turn above. That was the first left hander out of the gate. It was grassy and traction was easy. I had my foot out trying to go no brakes. I have experimented a lot with bike geometry and I have been raising my front end. As you can see in the pic, I am super comfortable sitting in the middle of bike just carving the turn. I love that feeling.
