Little ball

First Mtb Ride Since...

2012-02-08T21:53:00.000-05:00

Today was the first ride since: Felasco and the worst asthma attacks in years.

After a week of health issues (asthma), an interior project, and a low income housing project I have finally found time to relax for a couple todays. So today I rode the black cat for the first time since getting the pivot and at the same time it was the first mtb ride since felasco. The weather could not have been nicer and it was to nice to ride hard so I did nothing but cruise around, take photos, and sit on my top tube and stair off in to space and enjoy the beautiful day. It felt so good and it reminded me how dry tallahassee is right now.

While I have not been riding design class has been exhausting good things hove come out of it. I have recieved A's on everything and my group won our design competition. It made 30 hours of work over the last weekend a little worth it.

Shit Roadies Say

2012-01-23T14:01:00.002-05:00

Shit Mtbers Say!

2012-01-20T11:49:00.000-05:00

I am back!? To Nathan King!? or Just another rant!

2011-12-09T01:17:00.001-05:00

Warning! As I am speaking to you I might be pulling a lil jimbo wino rant and possibly might be liquidly inhanced!

So today officially was the end/ final of my design class. What does that mean? That means not more long nights of models, drawing and bull shit! It has honestly been one of the hardest last couple days of my schooling history. The combination of bronchitis, asthma, and the expectation/ reputation/ possible results of my final has honestly been one of the most stress full and hard weeks of my school career. It was mentally and physically draining. I sat hunched over wheezing coughing and helpless. but thankfully I got an extension though I feel like I could have done a little better with out the extra stress.

So enough of the bull shit! Here is the low down and why I want rant! The three subjects: The right medicine, Nathan King, and the future!

So last night I was finishing my model, hitting my head on my desk, and just thinking about how miserable/ stress full things have been. All I could think about was the crew, riding, and coming back to the cycling community. It then hit me that I had forgot to run Cliffs light dead and recharge it to be able to ride tonight. It was to late. I then thought of what it meant. It meant that I would be going to go to the Sunshine xmas party instead of riding.

Yeah people don't have the best image/ reputation of sunshine but they too are my crew. They too are my extended family just like the posse. They have had an impact on my life and tonight might have been the medicine that the doctor didn't prescribe on sun 9 am at the walk in center in kilearn. But damn I like me some Prednisone! ok lol I got there, got a beer and then perused my way through the crowd, just to be utterly be disappointed in who I saw. I then just sat on the mechanic bench and found it to be one of the most comforting/ pleasurable places. I missed that time in the shop bsing and just talking tech. yeah I do that with worm just about everyday but sometimes I need that crazy look from larry, ed, wes, nick, and my second dad greg. Though greg wasn't there it was comforting to sit there and get those looks lol. I even got a "dude we miss you" from Wes! Really? I know I can be a pain but it sounded good to be respected when I feel like everyone thought I was turning my back on/ bailing on the shop when school started. Though I will admit it wasn't the best way to leave sunshine after getting the pivot. I really disappointed and let down ed with the way the whole thing went down, but honestly its one of the moments I most regret cause of the way I was perceived but at the same time I honestly never wanted to bail! but I LOVE MY PIVOT! So the ideas of me going back to sunshine will be thrown around tomorrow after we kind of had a heart to heart with the sunshine crew before I left.

So while I was sitting on the mechanic bench grinning and smiling ear to ear this hooded figure with a west coast styled hat guy comes up and ask wes for a beer. "what kind of beer would you like sir?" "ugggghhh man I don't really care...a pbr is fine or a yuengling...ugghhhhh I don't care!" O Yeah shockeerrrrr It was the infamous "motha fuckin Nathan King! He is amazing (long shanks)" He stood in front of me like he has always as a legend. Nathan is one of those people that has always been a wonder/ amazement. How does he survive, live, and ride with such unique and smooth style? No one in the place knew he was except for larry and a small few. He sees me and then makes his home in the back of the shop with me. I get some weird looks and ignore them and keep smiling. I get more respect? Nathan raves about me and treats me as a legend!? Telling stories of me and ignoring other people? ahhh yea feels good to get some more respect. Feels good! I haven't felt respect or just seen the posse and shop crew in awhile! I miss it. The crews are my peanut butter to my jelly! Now lets make a samich! yes a samich damnit!

Ok so to the rumors! So apparently nathan or "nate" as he likes to call the folks that don't know his legendary status/ crazy history, is here for awhile. It kinda sounded like he kinda grew up! Really? going to stay for awhile? leaving the traveling ways? Apparently so. He apparently has approached the city/ chuck and is pursuing a career here fixing our trails. It isn't for sure yet and I am not sure how public its suppose to be but it sounds promising. The idea of having someone with the old mentality and traits joining the city really encourages me and gives me a hope for our trails. Yes I know we are blessed with an amazing amount of trail but I miss that old school hand built trail feel. Look at silk and the jeopardy star cliff! hand built and it worked. Tom Brown and Munson aren't that and i think its getting under a lot of peoples skin. Someone like Nathan might be the perfect solution. He is hard headed and very opinionated and I think that might be necessary to get trails back to the NATURAL UN WHOOPY ways! But at the same time it might be the perfect storm. I can see him blowing up and disappearing! but like I said I heard something different in Nathan's voice. He sounded excited and ready to make an impact. So my fingers are crossed it works out and look to reaching out trying to get him to ride with the posse.

To the future. Now that my design class is over I look forward to riding with the crew. I miss y'all. I am looking to get back in shape and following rule #5. I plan on getting a good amount of base miles during the break and getting back to my old ways. I am also looking to get back to racing. I am talking road and mtb. I have big goals as always and I feel like my school schedule will allow that next semester. So no promises but I hope I can back to my hold ways and not be just a blip in a xmas party and the posse!

o yeahhhh fuck fuck fuck fuck I AMMMMMM BACCCKKKKKKKK!

ughhh sniffle cough wheeze

2011-12-04T10:09:00.001-05:00

So I have bronchitis and a design final due today at 4ish. Not close to being done Fml! I thank fully have a doctors note but still panicking cause my teacher is a bitch. So life is just fucking wonderful!

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Why ride?

2011-11-01T23:49:00.001-04:00

Why ride when you can make a damn pendant lamp! lol

This is just one example of why I can't ride and why I bitch! Working on my final has begun and y'all won't be seeing me much! O architecture school

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Getting out there for the world to see!

2011-09-22T11:29:00.003-04:00

Most of us just blog to have fun, rant, make fun people, or just to to keep a journal of our lives.

Kayla on the other hand has officially put her foot in the door on a national level by having a blog posted on Usatoday. So check it out.

http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/campuslife/a-commuter-students-guide-to-the-college-galaxy

Congrats kayla!

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O So Tired

2011-09-12T08:38:00.001-04:00

So I am really sleepy. I am currently sitting in the famu parking lot waiting for design class. I miss my first class due to waking up late and not wanting to walking in 30 mins late to class.

This weekend was exhausting and last nights project was the cherry on top.

The weekend started friday night with a bday party for one of Raptors (kayla) friends. I think I got home from that a little after 2:30am. I then woke up at 8 to get ready and meet Jim to ride. 5 hours later I am leaving tom brown. Then I get dressed in my garnet and gold and go tail gate and watch the game. Get home around 9 watch a movie and damn its 1-2am. Ugh. Wake up at 8 to go to watch the bc boys race. After feeding half of Tallahassee and having fun I leave immediately after the yellow wave. Wise decision! I get home lil after 1:30. Next thing I know its 4:15am and I am finally done with my project. I worked the whole time. No screwing around and I feel like I have been ran over and haven't slept in a week. My legs are sore from standing for 12+ and drawing. The good news is my shit looks ballin! My focus was there, my ideas worked and my hands cooperated and the final drawing is definitely my best work yet and its a good positive thing. It was our first true design from scratch. But did I mention I was tired? O and I have taken a shower in like 48 hours. Oops didn't have time. Pillow pillow o how you sound so good. I can hear you calling me. Relax pillow I plan on seeing you at 3:30 for a reunion. But now I am off to get told I should have done something different even though I spent hours thinking of my design. You can never make a designer/ architect happy. Trust me I see at school and at home lol.

Peace out and night night

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ITS ABOUT TIME!

2011-09-08T14:08:00.003-04:00

So here she is! The long wait is over! Thanks Big Worm!!!!!

Damn thing won't let me rotate them.

Change

2011-09-06T15:15:00.001-04:00

So summer has come and gone for me and school has already started and been a pain in the ass. With start of school came some big changes in routine.

For over 4 years I began working at Sunshine Cycles reeking the benefits of ep and access to what ever bike parts I want. With it came working weekends and learning the world of retail. When I first started there I was 18 and thought it would be the easiest job in the world. Wrong you have to deal with people. All kinds of people: Poor rich cocky cheap and just pain in the asses. The learning experience was frustrating and fun but learning how to talk to strangers, read body language, and patients will definitely help me in the future when describing my architectural designs.

So if you didn't know my last day working there was little over a week ago and it feels really weird. Some think I just decided to quit but that's not the case. Till about three weeks ago I had planned on working the weekends and go to school. But this fall will be the first time in two plus years that I will have a full schedule of classes. In total I am taking 15 credit hours which consists of four architectural classes and one math class. So the life of a architecture student killed working at the bike shop. I still do work at H2 but that's only to keep me in the loop and trends of the arch/engineering business.

So with school taking up most of my life and killing working at the bike shop, it does give me one perk. I don't work any durring the weekend. Means I shouldn't be a lazy terd and should be riding with the crew. No more riding half a ride and turning around and goin home. I can wait for some long dirt road rides and mtb rides. Which brings me to my next rambling topic.

O halle berry! How you frustrate the FUCK out of me. So the new bike halle berry (pivot mach 4) has been the longest and most frustrating bike build. It seems like every damn thing that could go wrong has basically gone wrong. First I was told to get the frame at the shop and then I got in hot water with boss man till I explained everything AWKWARD. Next was fox. Orderedfox a fox ti fork to avoid the trend of the 15mm through axel. Well after two months of never hearing or receiving anything from them I called. "O yeah we aren't making that fork actually." Dammit! Now had to rebuild my wheel. So then I get everything give it to chris. "Houston we have a problem!" FUCK ME. Got s bottom pull front der and not a top. Fine. We went to put the final touches on halle sunday then realize o have the wrong bottom bracket ugghhh. This 3 month process had been painful expensive and I ready to be over it. Tomorrow it should be over and done. I am so ready to mount halle and spin her wheels if you know what I mean!

Pictures will be posted as soon as its built and hopefully my damn teachers don't swamp me with home work.

P.S. fuck you Ron and Chris for calling halle berry Gary Colman! Not cool!

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Hey hey hey watch YO LEVELS!

2011-07-28T11:16:00.001-04:00

Hey hey hey watch YO LEVELS! If you don't bad things happen!

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Da Dirty 30 Part 2

2011-07-24T23:37:00.001-04:00

What a wild day. Wake up tour, work, and dirty 30. The thoughts and ideas running through my head today was kind of funny and made me think of my spaghetti write up. So here is my days thoughts! Sorry if its a little raw lol

4:15 “hi can I help you?” “Remember we were here yesterday looking for two bikes” Fuck I hate it when people come in late in the day.
We close at 5! duurrrrr! we have lives outside of the shop!
Zak Relax they are buying nice stuff and they are nice people.
Drip Drip! mother fucker! splashhhh! who the fuck said it could rain!
There is no way we can race this afternoon! Its been pouring for 30 mins! has to be at least one inch of rain or maybe more.
"ring ring (chris) I am going to call the race off its to wet no one will show up.”
chris: “No your not I will punch in your fucking face! there is already 10 people here” me: “o”
he wont punch me in the face that big doughnut eating, spirit crushing, big boned turd face!
5:20 finally leaving the shop. I am going to have to hurry to get there on time.
chad? really? Mad props driving to the dirt crit with its rain. and jim said he was going to whoop that asssss! shhhh Jim (aka da Slim Jimmy and no I am not talking about his jimmy wink wink) is skinny!
Any one going to be there? text! text! facebook message!
what? maclay has dry patches? It def didn’t rain as much here! ahhhh thank you lord
which bike? hmmm da monster cross bike or the succulent sour apple ss? hmm I will take both! its my race my rules!
what? really? the parking lot is full of men in lycra! I love that! I mean I guess we are going to have a race.
hi, hi , hi I don’t know you, you and you. You really here for da dirty? nice!
I am still running late. What bike to race? hmmm both lol my race my rules!
boing, boing, ss side ways! ahhh I just almost ate shit on two bikes. thank god no one saw me!
woaaahhhh! I see a bunch of people! I cant fuck up this!
chris: “zak! Zak! Come here.” huh course change? If you and rick say so lets do it! o man this going to hurt.
o man this a lot of people!
foster ever seen a dirt crit? dont care he is helping! (thanks again ken)
ughh I am about to hurt.
Go! Slim Jimmy Has a firm butt SMACK!
Ok I have to attack first! my race! I feel good! Zoom goes rick! guess I don’t feel good! I wonder if he is on epo? should we piss test him? this is my race my rules! nahhh
I will just grab his wheel and relax! ok this isn’t bad. and now you are riding away from me… tear tear
he is just abnormal (Ric), I can settle in and ride in front of everyone else and be fine.
lil gillis? ok he has been riding a lot its ok.
slim jimmy? ok I have lost all skills and I am going home to cut my self!
ok cool no one is really close to me. I am lapping you, you, you , you, you, but I am being supportive. I am so nice.
Daniel? ugghhh oooook
I will save some and get him later. (didn’t happen)
We done yet? Foster have you ever seen a crit before?
Ric “how come it hasn’t been 30 mins yet?” as he is lapping me for the 2nd time and is breathing easy. Shit up Ric breath! don’t just roll up on me and act like you are hurting! you epo using skinny turd!
aaaannnndd we are done! thank god!
uggh I have to take both bikes back. but the juicy apple bottom ss was a good choice!
ahhhhh left over cheesy gordita crunch! ooo yeah and a dr. pepper.
chris you will never get this! king of the castle! nanny nanny boo boo
ahhh he is gettting up!
terry u touch my taco and I go psycho on your little penguin body!
I actually pulled this thing off sweet! but peace out!

Thanks Ken for helping keep time/ Thanks Chris and Ric for the suggestion, it was a good idea. It was fun and I am stoked at the amount of people showed up. Next one will be bigger! Can’t wait!

WOW! Floyd!

2011-07-23T22:57:00.002-04:00

Man Down

2011-07-19T23:21:00.000-04:00

Today the cycling community lost one of the towns original mtbers in Dave Baton.

You could say he was crazy, confident, arrogant, fast, a bad ass, a hard ass, and some might have ruder words but he truly was a good guy. He was one of the most confident people I have ever met and with this he gave himself high standards and a very aggressive riding style. This style of riding and confidence led him to a good amount of success across the country as a pro rider.

I was lucky to actually spend some time with him on and off the bike.I believe I was introduce to him at joes or at race through Big Worm. From then on he would always ask if I had been racing and keep up with my results. After races or following race I would tell him all my excuses, he would offer up advice and tell me not be like him lol. It always would be good advice but being the age that I was at the time I never took it to heart and take advantage of his offer to ride with him more. I would ride with him off and on the road bike and very rarely on the mtb while growing up. When riding with him though he would offer suggestions to me and occasionally I would piss him off. When he was pissed off he was just being hard on me and trying to make ride harder.

The thing I remember about Dave the most was my trip to Apalachicola to help him one of his jobs wiring a condominium. Dave had a temper and it came out on the way to the job site. I was following him down there when we had just passed through Crawfordville. There were three cars in front of him a sedan, a cop, and a truck. We were moving along 5 mph under the speed limit and i could tell it was bothering Dave. Next thing I know I he is passing all three cars when there was a double yellow line. Immediately following the pass the cop pull him over. I thought o lord what have I gotten myself into after seeing his crazy pass and burn out leaving the cop on the side of the road. He later told me that he told the cop that it was bull shit. The rest of the trip was fine and I actually learned a lot from him about riding and wiring. We spent two lunches and a dinner talking tactics, training, and living the life as a pro. I truly enjoyed the time with him and behind his confidence he was a really nice guy. He just had a weird way of showing it.

So what I am trying to say is that Dave had an impact on a lot of people including me. He was one of those people who made a impact on you even if you weren't around him long. He is also the one of the ones that got Big Worm and many other into riding mtbs. If that hadn't happen I don't know were I would be or all of bike chain.

Most of all I feel very sad for his son who was along with him and hit as well by a car. Dave adored his son more than anything else in his life and it was very obvious. His son is a many version of him and wanted to be just like him. I really hope that we can keep his son in the cycling community. I know that is what Dave would wanted.

Its a sad day for Tallahassee cycling community and Dave will be missed and I proud to say that Dave had an impact on my life!

RIP Dave Baton

P.S. This sad day is just another example of how awesome the cycling community is though. Its a family and it shows when these kind of things happen or someone gets hurt. Before the news hit the web or tv, the cycling community basically played wheres waldo and called around to the point where everyone was checked on till it was narrowed down to Dave.

An Idea for Motivation and Change

2011-06-29T15:14:00.001-04:00

So I have been thinking lately and have been kind of bored with same old thing every week, which has kinda caused lack of motivation. So I was wondering if people were interested in starting another short track series like we kind of attempted before. I know it didn't really work out before but it seems like the mtb scene in tally has kind of grown rapidly in the last year. There is a lot of new faces and it seems like more people are interested in racing or crazy events such as the ally cat thing and crazy long rides.

I know everyone kind of has there own week rides and it pointless to do it during the week. Saturday is kind of always a for big group rides on road and off road. So that leaves me with Sundays. So currently I am thinking about either a 8-9am or 5:30-6pm. This way hopefully it stays out of family stuff and conflict with normal park visitors.

Race format would be 30min plus 3-5 laps with the majority being double track with a little bit of single track. There would be only one class to allow for our crazyness to be short and sweet. No prizes! No entry fee! Just Pride and Bitching! The race would have no team, shop, TMBA, and CCC afiiliation. I am talking old school rogue series. I am thinking that I would attempt to have the race at multiple locations. Ihe idea would be to get an email/ facebook message late in the week.

The idea would be to get in a hard short hard effort in less than an hour so that people can live there life but still get a good hard ride in. I want to see some new rivaleries, mix in different crowds and see tempers flare.

Progression

2011-04-12T23:19:00.000-04:00

Finishing Up The Semester

2011-04-04T00:56:00.000-04:00

School ends April 18! Here is a digital version of my rough draft of my outdoor music experience area based on the historical song "dueling banjos."

sleep school work hw sleep

2011-02-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

Last year this time I was riding about 5-6 times a week and accumulating 12-15 hours a week. I barely did any homework and squeezed by with grades. I lived in an empty house and was going to sleep at 8 o'clock cause I did no homework and had nothing in my house other than my dog, food, and a bed.

Wow have things changed. I live with my parents again, have a girl friend, and have one of the most time consuming majors in architecture. My life now consist of me being up till 3 o'clock in the morning on average three to four nights a week doing homework. I still squeeze in about 31 hours of work between h2 and sunshine and I am lucky to get 1 ride a week. The free time I do have I spend trying to catch up on sleep. I have gone from being up every saturday and sunday at 7 to make a ride, to sleeping till 10:45-11:00 to catch up. Its weird and I don't like it, especially since that has been my routine for about 15 years. So hearing and reading blogs about rides where everyone shows up or just getting invited and not being able to attend hurts and really bothers me. Because while y'all are riding I having to make a model or draw. The good news is that day light savings is coming, the weather is getting warmer, and the semester is actually pretty close to ending. I have three weeks till sb and then I come back from sb and only have one project after. So hell is coming to an end pretty soon and I will be able to join the crew again.

This is for worm too: http://www.bustedcarbon.com/

Snow Bound (by surprise)

2010-12-28T19:09:00.001-05:00

So today was the the first day of vacation to north ga (mccaysvile) and there is about a foot of snow at chet-e-cheeto's mtn cabin. It is a weekend of a bunch of flashbacks and trips down memory lane. I was with the smith family when they were searching for the house and when they first moved in. Chet and I basically lived together growin up. We were tallys golden boy juniors and best buds. So this is the first time we have taken a trip together since he started college. So bonding and our egging and encourage ment to do stupid stuff has already begun.

Today is also the first day I have been around snow since I left Durango. It is weird. It makes me miss my boys from my freshman year and it gives me desires of driving sideways and stupid through the snow. To bad I don't have the driving skills of the vermont boys and the colorado mexican, so I am leaving my car on the main road and dreaming of drifting and making it up the icy slopes. O and I plan riding the single speed around the neighborhood with out falling on the ice. On top of that I plan on riding at ocoee through the snow on a winter wonder land ride through the snow.

So the combination of people I have missed spending time with and the combination of my wonderful girl friend, chet's sister who I have grown up with, and my two best friends tyrell and elizabeth. Add some beer in there and a week away from work and its hard to beat.

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Snow Bound

2010-12-28T18:42:00.001-05:00

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Bling Bling

2010-12-06T19:47:00.001-05:00

Buford Ball aka, lil Skinny, officially became a pimp today. He is now sporting a custom "blackcat" green collar. Yeah you heard right! custom bitches! So hide your female dogs, because they will instantly become in heat when they see lil skinny and his bling bling. Male dogs will either bow to him or run off and whimper when they see this stud running the trails or just when he is searching for a new girl or bone at pets mart. His swagger is at a level that has never been seen before. It will even make GQ member Jim jealous and make Worm cringe in fear. I better not let Mrs. Worm see him!

Even though his swag level is at an all time high, he still has time to read my blog. I guess he knows who fills up his dog bowl. He does look a little bit embarrassed though. Guess my swagger is to low for his liking.

Bike Chain Collar? hmmmmm

Finally!

2010-11-24T00:53:00.001-05:00

Some 20 plus hours and some struggles but man I am pleased. No big errors that i can tell and the inking and coloring turned out just about as good as i can do it. So the time off the bike turned out to be a wise decision but its time to pull that orange and black back on go ride.

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Todd Pulling a Jim

2010-11-15T22:35:00.004-05:00

Todd is a hell of a technical rider but this weekend wasn't a good one for him. Check it out! and click on the link on the side bar to read about the crash that granted him a trim to the hospital.

Disapearing Act

2010-11-15T22:03:00.001-05:00

After a fun but frustrating ride at spaghetti. I kinda fell off the side of the earth. It wasn't a result of my ride but a result of life and and lack of motivation (I hate cold weather).

School is a big part of it though. I have had some big projects that are very time consuming. For example last nights models took me 7-8 hours. It tedious but I am doing good. I have consistently improved and now I am pretty sure I have an A going into my final project, which is due next wed! I can't wait! I am excited for a break from gluing and my fingers are raw currently from using the xacto knife. O and tired of getting critiqued at school by my teacher.

On top of all the school stuff H2 once again made another cut in staff. I am surprisingly still there and this last cut finally affected me. My direct boss was fired and now I am left with no boss and no specific duty. Its nice, my last boss was hard on me and pretty rude before. He talked behind my back and expected me to be able to design and do engineering calc with out any engineering classes. Hello!? My title is just CAD technician. So now instead of being a do boy for one person, I am do boy for everyone. Today I had 5 different people come ask me to do things and to come see them tomorrow morning and I have a on deadline on two newer jobs tomorrow and thursday. No complaints though. My job is a lot more pleasant/ entertaining and my bosses are a lot kinder/ appreciative and I enjoy working for them. Kindness goes a long ways!

So its been 2.5 weeks since spaghetti and I have ridden once. Its not that I don't want to ride JIM and others. Life is just currently in the way. I can't go two hours of the day with out thinking about something that involves cycling, so I'll be back. Starting the week after thanksgiving I will have time to ride everyday of the week, so I should free to ride soon.

From now on I will feature my random thoughts on the side bar due to the popularity of the last blog. And a project or cool photo on the side bar. Hope y'all enjoy.

Photos of my A Model:

hill, cramp, rule #5!

2010-10-30T18:14:00.001-04:00

So I finally got another cx bike after being harassed by the crew for over a year now. The plan was to have it before Spaghetti and it got here in time, when it looked like it really wasn't. So now the 85 mile dirty spaghetti has come and it was a physical and mental battle for me. So instead of telling you how it felt I am going to just tell you my thoughts as the day happened.

Part 1: Boston Bound

-Man my shoe cover are awesome! Brilliant idea!

-Wow we actually made the start.

-Hey lets attack them right at the start and be complete assholes.

-Ah poop stick my left quad and hamstring feel like ass! This is going to be a long ride.

-Rule #5

-Wow people actually reacted to that stupidity.

-O man I am in danger of getting dropped in the first 10 miles.

-Rule #5

-Ottinger your going to pay for that!

-Damn LARRY!

-Dirt road pace lines are awesome.

-I don't like eating clay from peoples rear wheels. Dirt road pace lines are dumb.

-Thomasville? We are in Thomasville already?

-Thank god we are in Boston! I have to stretch!

Part 2: Leaving Boston

-My leg feels better. Alrighty then!

-Wow this is cool BC is leading the group into the second half!

-Wonder what Terry is doing? tear

-Awesome yellow sign sprinting!

-I wonder what Stormin Norman has in his bag. That is a big bag. Pop up tent? Grill and Hamburgers? Cheese please! He definitely has a blue moon in there somewhere!

-No she didn't. You fuckin cunt knuckle! You just cut my boy Steve off and could have killed 20 people with that shit! I am going to cut you! You wait and see!

-Game on!

-O yeah cunt knuckle your mine!

-She just pulled! OOOooOOO Move over Rick! Take that bitch!

-Yeah david keep it pinned lets shell her! byye

-cunt knuckle "guess I am riding by myself"

-Guess so bitch!

-O man I shook the hornet nest! Game on!

-ahhh crap that’s a gap.

-oooooooUUUUUchh

-seriously? Come on Ginger Snap (aka david) That realllyy hurt.

-Huh holding 26-27mph?

-Ok I am done time to ride by myself.

-What? Rick said slow up? You think this is stupid? I love u!

-This is still hard! Ooooouchhh! stop tim! I hate u!

-Goood I am glad u flatted!

-OOOuuucch Tim! I hate you!

-Peace!

Part 3: I am mister lonely!

-You have cokes! I love u sag man!

-Am I slurring cause I am tired or does this man need me to look at him and say it 4 times cause he is deaf?

-15-20 miles left! fuck u sag man! 10 for road! oooo

-rule # 5

-hill cramp rule #5, hill cramp rule #5, hill cramp rule #5, hill cramp rule #5

-What am I doing? I am runner now.

-I am not an expert.

-Those skid marks into a tree look like something I might want to do!

-Thats a pretty field, wish I had my camera. hill cramp rule #5

-Is anybody behind me?

-hill cramp rule #5

-I wonder if they slowed down. I hate tim.

-I bet they are done eating.

-If I get there and chris aint wearing that shirt I will cut a bitch!

-hill cramp rule #5

-I am retiring.

-I sound like Jim.

-ahhh home stretch. I don't see worms truck. Fuck me.

-Good for him that he is still here and wearing that shirt.

-I don't want to talk to them.

-This spaghetti ain’t doing it for me.

-peace bitches

*Sorry I resorted back to my old style of writing but it was necessary.

One Speed

2010-09-20T01:38:00.000-04:00

Every fall Tom Brown hosts one of the eight Florida State Championship races. Each of the last three years have been very different.

2 years ago, I was back in Tally from my short stint in Durango. Everyone expected me to come back to town in shape and they were wrong. I was able to get a surprising 3rd though.

Last year was another year of not being prepared. I had a new bike but lacked some discipline and was kinda scattered brain. Last year, mine as well be considered the scattered brain year in general.

This year was definitely the most interesting. I trained my ass off this summer. Was super disciplined and was looking like the old school Zak was back. I was flying at the Munson TT's and dropped backed down into my race weight of 135lbs. School then hit me in the face and kinda put a hamper on my 6-7 days a week of riding with two a days half the time on tuesdays and thursday. So with me actually doing school work and then add on the new distraction of ms becker, I was nervous coming into the race and maybe a little disappointed that I wasn't able to keep the training up that I had done all summer leading up to the race. The two weeks prior to the race I rode a total of two times. School was rough and I just didn't have time to ride.

Race day came and it was hot and humid. The crew was in rare form with Ron in town and having Kayla around kinda help distract me from the thought of racing. 11:30 came really fast and my warm up was kind of started rough when I found out that my pain in rear little sister squeezed my front brake. I never got it to spin really free but I had to deal and think about the whole time warming up. When they finally called up the class, my nervousness hit its peak. There was 17 damn riders in my class. That is about 7 more people then there has been in the last two years in the single speed class. I guess ss thing has really taken off lol. So the whistle blows and everybody is bumping bars going down the start and I fighting off cubans and locals and find myself in the top five. I am stoked! We hit the double track I am feeling good pass a few and here Daren behind me yelling for me to make some moves. I am also thinking I can't let him beat me! he will rub it in till next year. So I look around and I feel like the pace is to slow. Then some one attacked I followed and then counter attacked him. Boom! I already have 15 seconds on the group right after we turned into Cadillac. My head then starts running through strategies and I am thinking way to much. The plan was to sit in till the third and final lap and then make my move if possible but now I am in first and have a gap already. The trails are also slippery due to it being so dry. So I change the plan. I decide to try and get a good gap and then try and settle into a comfortable pace and let people try to over ride the course trying catch me. The plans working awesome I am 3/4 of the way done with the first lap I have a good 30 to 45 seconds but I am over doing and feeling it. I start to let off and by the end of the Cadillac on the 2nd lap second has caught and I can't keep his pace. The whole rest of the 2nd lap I can see the leader but I am still suffering to much to bring him back. Start of the last lap third place has caught me I am still hurting from the third lap. He passes me on the multi use and he is immediately gone. 2 mins later though he is yelling at me "he isn't that far up there go get him I got a flat." SCORE lol I finally find a rythm the last lap, but the leader is gone. It was to late. So I end the race in 2nd and very pleased. I was happy with the finish even though I blew it on the first lap and felt slow as Christmas the last two laps. That is till I saw the lap times! I would never in a million years guessed my lap times were as fast as they were. My avg speed was just off Davids and he rode very well in cat 1. I know that this man can elaborate a lot but man it sounded good to read this and finally hear something positive from someone other than the crew.

So after worrying my ass off and feeling slow. I wasn't really slow and it felt FUCKING good! So now what? I don't plan on going to Fernandina to trry and take the points lead but will focus my efforts of kicking some ass Gainsville. I really look to put the hammer down and fight hard to get a win after last years embarrassing experience and total fuck up. After Gainsville I will try to focus on school and the 85 mile off road spaghetti. Then the plan is to do either Felasco or Santos in Cat 1 if I can balance riding and school.

Changes All Around

2010-09-14T00:18:00.000-04:00

Since my last post it seems like my world has been flipped upside down and changed completely. My weekly routine of work, riding, blowing school off and no social life is no more.

Starting architecture school has to be the biggest reason. I actually have homework now. The teachers care and are constantly on my ass to have shit done. I have done more homework in the last two weeks then probably the last year and a half. That isn't a joke either. The thing is I have somewhat enjoyed doing the homework. I feel like I am in Kindergarten and elementary art class again just way more work and a lot more African Americans students than Maclay lol. I am kinda tired of drawing bugs and still life stuff though. I am just itching to put some of my home ideas down on paper and show people my ideas. I would do it outside of class and but I currently enjoy my non homework time to much since the homework takes up a huge portion of my free time. But other than the little nit pic things, I like the creativity part and I really like to draw. I even like FAMU as a whole. I like the black kids too. They crack me up and are super entertaining. I just can't stand the cocky ones, but making the them feel like idiots doesn't get old lol. Me and the black girls get a long really well tho lol.

With school now mon-wed-fri 9-12 and class thursday 2-3, work has kinda gotten rough. Both jobs are taking up some of my ride time. Not being able to do foodlion is just plain weird and it sucks having to haul ass to every ride, but I plan to keep doing it no matter what when ever hw isn't a bitch. There have been talks with my parents about not working two jobs but I don't think it will end this semester.

The other big change after West Virginia was Kayla. Kinda all happened unexpectedly but definitely no complaints there. She is pretty fucking cool and she definitely earned her orange and black colors this last weekend at the race. She was a sport. Super supportive and it didn't really feel like she was the new to the crew other than she had no meet a bazillion people. She even took shit from everyone and I would have to say she took it like a champ. The fat picture was priceless too. All I got to say is wait till she gets more comfortable around everyone and is talkative. She'll be giving it back. Just ask Tyrell lol. O and I like how everyone has blamed my decrease in ride time to her but honestly its been school. I know its weird to hear that Zak missed a ride because of homework but its true.

So yeah life is different, but I have no complaints. Yeah I wish I could ride more but whatever. I'll get my stars and stripes jersey one day. But things are finally starting to click for me and fall into place. I can't really tell you the last time everything was consistent, good and fun.

Race Report Coming Soon too.

Here is my most recent project. This project is where the famous Tarantula Hawk poem from worms blog came from. It was required to have a poem about the bug we drew and modeled.

Motivation

2010-07-26T23:37:00.001-04:00

Been gone from Tally for over a week and it was nice. Did some riding not as much as I had planned or thought I was going to do but all in all it was a blast being on vacation. Time away was good and I glad to be home. I am ready ride and put some hard miles in before the state series starts. So the batteries are charged and I am read to role.

P.S. It was nice seeing that some long lost souls are starting to ride again, but for those who are lacking motivation, check out the videos I just posted on ZORB!

Dupont 2 hour route!

2010-07-18T10:19:00.001-04:00

The best dupont loop ever!

Park at Parking lot #19
Corn mill shoal out of parking lot
Big rock trail 2nd left
Left at the top of slick rock down cedar rock trail
Right on to little river trail at the bottom of descent
Hard left on to corn mill shoal
Gradual right onto burnt mtn trail
Right on to corn mill shoals
Stay on corn mill shoals and cross creek
Stay left on corn mill shoals
Right onto laurel ridge trail
Left onto mine mtn trail
Stay left on gravel roads
Turn left on abandoned air strip
Turn left at the end of the air strip on air strip trail
Right at the bottom onto shelter road
Turn left conservation road
Right onto buck forest road
Left on to white pine trail
Left onto hickory mtn road
Left onto ridgeline
Right for 2 hour ride and finish up with 3 mile road climb or take a left and head towards jim branch trail and piece together tails heading back towards parking lot 19.

Description of each trail to come later on. Had type these directions in before I forgot all the turns and lost my hand writen directions.

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Zorb Cycles Up and Rollin

2010-06-30T23:49:00.003-04:00

My first two blogs have been posted on zorb. This time of year is always the best! New products come out every day and the tour is right around the corner. O and the state series is closer than you think!

So please check my new site out! Give me some feed back! love to know your impressions, opinions and recommendations!
http://zorbcycles.blogspot.com/ or just click on my logo to the right that I spent to much time making!

New song is posted as well! Its just for you big worm!

New New New and New

2010-06-28T23:06:00.000-04:00

With life under control and nothing retarded going on I have had time recently to update my sites’ appearance and some new features.

New features include updated links, the song that currently gets played over and over on my ipod and my new site. Z.O.R.B.

Z.O.R.B., which stands for zone out riding bikes, is a site that will focus on things other than my life. I plan to include cool new parts, bikes, and interesting bike news. It will also feature some of my recent sketches and cycling ideas that I annoy everybody with on a regular basis. Just now they will just be drawn out and hopefully a little innovative/ original. Architecture stuff might get thrown in there occasionally once school gets underway.

Site will be officially rockin and rollin tomorrow evening with its first two blogs. The blog will feature my opinions on the new “Gary Fisher Collection” and the new battle between 10 speed mountain bike drivetrains that will take place in 2011.

Definition of Bike Chain

2010-06-26T03:52:00.001-04:00

What is your definition of bike chain? Is it a club? Is it a team? Is it disappearing? I keep hearing that bike chain is dead! But nights like tonight at Paradise, remind you that bike chain is more than a team or a club.

Yeah Mark and Darien had a baby. Let me correct myself, their wives have brought them a new member to their families and I honestly like the new Mark and Daren. Yeah they are more sensitive but I kind of think the baby have been the best thing for both them. And on top of that they both have amazing wives: Courtney and Julie. They would both do anything for you and on top of that they are two of the hardest working wives I know other than my two Moms: My real mom lol and Dr. Valerie Berg.

On top of that Steve has a new girl, well not really new now, but his girl friend Kristin is cool as shit! and she couldn't fit in better! Don't fuck it up Steve!

Kent and Rick. What can I say? Maybe the most unique and die hard member! Their families are pulling them in different directions but we all know y'all bleed black and orange, so relax and we know y'all will be riding with us all as soon as you can and when ever possible.

Terry and Ken have the future of bike chain! And they honestly couldn't be any better hands. We have the new climbing goat the "colt 45" and the "corazy" who shows his game face at all times. These two are the future and I honestly hope they stick with it and I hope to become a mentor to them like the rest of the senior bike chain member have been for me.

Tim the roadie,who isn't really a roadie, but we love you any way!

David, he has his motorcycles which I think he can be very successful on if he keeps his head focused and not worry what is going on around him. But I hope he remembers his colors: black and orange.

Jim, “the come back kid,” is one of the most motivated members and usually ends up the one getting made fun of the most. But someone has to be that person lol. He also has Libby, who I believe is very under estimated by most. She is super sweet and I think Jim is afraid to let her share her kindness with us.

Chris, the diehard old school rider, has the amazing Michelle. They might be the best couple ever and they have relationship that everyone dreams of. They are the definition of love and I listen with both ears when they both speak. They both speak eloquently and they have wisdom that I believe that everyone should hear.

Ron I didn't forget you. How could I! You are our only non white member! You are our crazy latino member that no one understands. Fucking Popo!

So what is bike chain? It is not a team and is not dead! It is a group rare individuals that support their friends, families and their fellow riders. They are group of friends that stick together and grow as they grow. So let the black and orange bleed on!

Its been awhile, but It feels good!

2010-06-08T01:08:00.001-04:00

It has been awhile since my last post and I have had worm to remind me of that for the last couple months. It like he starts to disown you and think less of you if you don't keep you blog updated on regular basis. So I have finally got to it.

The funny thing about my blog it kind of directly follows the pattern of my life from the last year or so since I have been back in tally. It is sporadic and with no regularity of anything. I have spent some time searching for a major, my previous success in school and riding, and just plain joy. Cyclists are weird in general and you kind of never stop being one even if you’re not riding. For me I see a culvert or a grass berm on the side of the road as I drive and can almost feel the way gravity will pull or that feeling when you hit that sweet spot in the berm and you can feel the way the bike pulls out of the corner. So it’s not that I ever lost that desire to ride or race, it just took time for me to realize that is who I am and you can't fix that. I don't know if it was that I was just burnt out of racing or what, but ever since the red bug challenge my life is back to what it use to be before durango, alcohol, and craziness.

Since red bug challenge, I have routinely rode at least 6 days a week except for when I moved back in with the parentals. I haven't rode six days in a week except for maybe a handful of times probably in the last three years. Man can I tell the difference! My body has seemed to have liked it but I have to admit I probably have overdone it some but I am trying to make up for what I feel like is lost time. I know the fitness is improving and I am skinny as hell again. Mom thinks I am to skinny but I eat a ton. Just ask Jimbo Slade. I can out eat him on a regular basis. I am still lacking some consistency and recovery ability but the speed isn't far off.

School has been just like the blog and my riding very unpredictable. I feel like I have changed my mind on what I wanted my major to be like a million times and it stresses my parents like you can't imagine. Car business is picking up so it is not as bad as it use to be haha. After some talking to the wrecking ball and the mom they have both seemed to have found what I will stick with and plan to achieve. I plan on attending FAMU Architecture School this fall. I never noticed till recently that I got a passion for it and I kind of got that vision like I do for those berms and culverts on the side of the road. As I am typing I can visually picture a handful of house that I saw on the side of the rode coming back from Birmingham last night. It’s kind like me remembering people bikes and there every component on their bike and their cars. So I can finally relax and know what I will be doing this fall and into the future.

So now to what everyone one really wants to hear about: BUMP.
Bump has kind of been a cursed race for me the last couple year and a letdown for me the last couple of years. It also has been the reason people have nagged me about DNFs. I hate that. This race was thankfully not that way. I had a crumby week and a half of riding before the race so I was really nervous coming into the weekend. I spent the whole week over thinking stuff, but tried to think positive. Saturday’s pre ride was long hot and surprisingly good. I rode really stiff and tense early on and thought it was going to be a long weekend but it came together. It clicked when we got to the long climb. I rode blood rock without looking the first time and made it pass the spot I flatted last year and I felt like a monkey had been lifted off my bike. After that point I had a flawless pre ride for the most part. After eating the most wonderful pizza of all time at California pizza kitchen and a night tossing and turning, Sunday came. I was nervous and anxious to get the race started. It was a combination of knowing that I have been riding my ass off hoping that I was ready but as well as that feeling in your stomach like it was the very first race I have ever done. I tried to so desperately hard to show no nervousness especially in front of Jimbo, because I kind of was afraid he was going to crack before his race started.. Come the start of the race, there were 18 people in my class which reminded of the old 90s days, but also knew that I was going to have to ride smart. I know the race was going to start off really fast and people were going to be itchin to go. The mingo time trials have really kind of helped me and I knew that I had recently been going out way to hard and screwing up. So going into the woods, I was dead last. I hung back with a guy from tenn and I liked his chill steady pace, so I hung with him and let the group fight each other. We get to the first road, and I think I might have passed one person before that but still was with the main group. I stayed steady and picked off maybe two more as people were already bonking or had crashed. We come to the long climb road and I decided it was game time. I put in a bigger gear and started to pick up my effort. The legs felt good I was able to keep a big gear going and I was picking people off left and right. I climb the whole climb in the big ring except for the final pitch before the trail follows the ridge. It was by far the fastest I have ever climbed the mtn. I went from about dead last to what I am guessing to be fifth. It also made me really happy to know I pulled back Brent who has been winning the state expert races, so I knew I was riding good. I make it down blood rock a little sketchy and said "wow wrong line" really loud and about thirty people busted out laughing as they watched me make through the section ok but definitely not my normal line. After that I settled into a steady pace and was riding good. I had picked off a rider who had passed me after the climb and was setting my sites on Brent again when we made it to the new section of trail. For those who weren't there it was kind of like loblolly but a little tighter, rockier, like 5 big logs which made me happy, since no trails have logs on them anymore, and it had the those new trail bumps from roots and trees. I make it to the finish line where Julie is there to feed me and I greatly appreciated her help. She is awesome. Come the second lap I had to climb the pavement road back up to where the end of the blood rock downhill crosses and goes back into the road. I had kind of fallen apart at the end of the lap and gotten passed by two I believe, but was able to a get a steady pace again after the road. I catch Brent in the new section with a flat but unfortunately get passed by the guy who I used to pace me in the beginning of the race and some hispanic dude. That is how I would finish and I couldn't really be happier. I rode a smart race and was competitive in my mind. It is only been the second or third mtb race with gears in 1.5 years. And the first one completely sober in awhile. So I am supper happy about how it went and look forward to keeping the training going. I don't want to have to say its been awhile in a long time.

Random Trip Facts Not Mentioned:

1. Darien called Andy Johnston, who won my class, a bleeping sandbagger or something on those lines within 5 feet of him pretty loud. Julie freaked out lol
2. I think keith brought along his daughter’s boyfriend just so he could take him on his first mtb ride and kill him. Poor guy looked like he had been to hell and back and was about to blow chunks when we saw him on the pre ride.
3. Darien has the quietest baby of all time.
4. California Pizza Kitchen is the best thing ever!
5. Jimbo has a few twitches while he drives and while he is talking on the phone but I never called him out on. I like the hand walk on the center console one the best.
6. Darien flatted every time he rode his bike almost.
7. Lil mingo was always there when I felt like crap yelling at me!
8. Jim and I spent 20$ on food at taco bell. and didn't crap ourselves on the way home.
9. Jim posed like 7 different times with his metal plaque and wanted pictures every time.
10. Mark has been training in the morning with Eldon Baker aka Rick Carmicals former trainer and has been trying to keep it hush hush. Nothing to do with my blog, but I had to mention it.

Drip Drip Goes the Motivation

2009-12-18T01:16:00.002-05:00

With the rain and school the last couple weeks, it has made me think a lot and stress occasionally. School brings around the ideas of not passing and the thought of when I am going to figure out what I need to do just to get through this. I am not a school person. I have issues paying attention and focusing. I just hate sitting in a class room listening to a teacher. They mine as well sound like Charlie Brown's teacher, cause I don't listen. I just go through the book write the definitions down memorize them an hour before my tests. Sorry Mom. Its just that I am thinking about being outside and not having enough time to be able to do everything I want. Dreams are what they are and they are what distract me from every day life. I'll go ahead and give you the short list of what I have thought about doing and achieving.

-The ultimate goal of mine is is become the best rider possible. I still have that dream of being able to just ride and travel for a living. I know its not something I can do for ever but I feel like I wasting away at my chances. Yeah its partly my fault but at the same time there are so many frustrating things that get in the way such as money, school, jobs, and normal responsibilities.

-Races that I would like to do: la ruta, BC Stage race, Paris-roubaix, Tour de Flander, Houfaliz World Cup, any Belgian World Cup cx race, 1-3 week Stage race, hut to hut, and at least one world championship. I would do just about anything to represent the US at an International level again. The list goes on but those the are the ones I would love to have a shot at.

-Bike Ideas! Wow I don't know where to start. lets just say I went through twenty different custom frame builders websites in one sitting the other night, which was the night before my exam. I want one of everything and have some crazy ideas. Just ask worm he'll tell you about three a day. Here is my two current favorites:

-Of course there are the normal goals in life such as a wife and children but those are boring and I will keep going.

These goals are what keep me from falling into total boredom and into a party crazed individual that is more worried about how many games of beer pong that were won last night. But this darn rain, school,and pressure can put a damper on motivation. Its like a constant roller coaster. But I try to say fired up and stay focused. I constantly think about it and how easy shit use to be. I flew through the ranks and then sputtered and can't seem to get rolling consistently. I think about how the majority the guys my age that I could beat a couple of years are now pro. One in particular has signed a pro contract and has already had a podium finish at a national. It f***in kills me! Another frustrating thing for me is watching Berg. He is having all kinds of success and doing everything I did but a hair better though he is only riding mtbs and I think he had a little better guidance. Its weird I see him having the same struggles with parents, school, races and trying to have social life which isn't easy at that age. I mean exactly alike. David all you go to do is keep the parents happy, not be grumpy a**, keep riding even when sh*t doesn't go your way and don't let adversity get to you. I would also like to personally welcome you to the Cat 1 ranks but remember I warned you! Don't get lazy and you got to keep racing your a** off to be competitive. Its not just another lap its a commitment. There is no more laying off the bike for two weeks and being able to expect to do well that weekend at a race. Your shaking your head with a half smirk but I am serious and I need to do the same. But anyway I am proud of where you have come from and I have taught you well lol. God, this makes me think hard about what I should have done things differently and about how if I only knew somethings I know now then.

Though I over think about all of these things daily, they are what keeps me going. I want to succeed again and give those goals a shot. I think they are obtainable with some pressure from myself, but hopefully some guidance from Rick and other.

OK I am ready to ride!

I am sure y'all have noticed by now I am changing my style of writing. no more crazy outburst of explicit words, though I will continue to to post music with explicit material.

No Gainsville Love

2009-11-29T21:05:00.005-05:00

I don't know what it is about about Gainsville lately but we don't get a long. Haile's trails use to be a guaranteed good finish, but not now. But I thought felasco could be different.

So leading up to this week everything was good. I had four good easy rides, my legs felt good, and fresh. I even restrained myself from going out every night with friends that were in town for the thanksgiving. But did go out one night, for my friends 21st birthday. Its always fun reconnecting with old friends.

The Race:
Saturday morning started early. I showed up at Bergs at 7:30 and as usual Berg had pissed his mom off. O and it was her birthday. So i just keep my mouth shut and listen to music and watch cycling movies to get pumped up before we showed up at felasco. We get there and all Bergs have settled down and things were back to normal. I get registered and eat another peanut butter and jelly sandwich, while getting focused on the job at had. I get a good warm up, piss twice, say hey to some old foes and feeling pretty confident when rolling up to the line. Good size field of 12. The gun goes off and I get a good start. I am fourth going into the first corner and stoked. I am behind a guy I didn't recognize but two that I did from the tally race. So I knew I was sitting in a good spot. I move up another spot almost taking out a Zimmerman in the process and he flipped out. It was pretty funny. So I am sitting in and everything was going to plan considering I was riding the trail off of what I knew from felasco ride, since I never preroad. The trail was honestly what I consider to be made for me. It had some long gradual climbs and some fast tight single track. But things definitely didn't go to plan.

Come the end of the first lap I was in third chasing the leaders down and could tell I was getting closer. Then slowly I started to make mistakes and then it hit me. I was starting to get asthma. It felt like I was breathing through a straw that kept getting smaller. When I get asthma I tend to raise my shoulders in distress. When on the bike it makes my handling go to shit. Not fun. So I eased off race pace and tried to settle into a pace that I could prevent the asthma from getting worse and finish the race. I lose 3 more places over the next two place but finish the race pissed off. I am glad I stuck it out but what the fuck. I barely ride before the tom brown race and get third. I ride alot and get asthma and 6th! FUCK

Though I had a shitty race, it was a motivator. I know I can finish better than that and its fucking frustrating! it made me think and think of some goals for this next year and events that I want to do well at. So I am going to keep on keepin on and try to do it right for the next. Hopefully I will live up to my own expectations and finally get this monkey off my back.

I'm on my grind...

2009-11-11T01:02:00.004-05:00

Its been a little over a week since my last blog and alot of epic rides have taken place and my first hick up in my newly rejuvenated focus.

After the fantastic four weekend being unsuccessful in saving the world, things health wise took a sudden down turn. I spent all day Monday with a runny nose, horrible sinus pressure, and I sneezed about a thousand times. I took the next day off from work and tried to lay low. I laid low for maybe an hour than did stuff I had been putting off. I still felt like shit, but got bored then I decided to go ride. maybe not the best idea but I wanted to ride and keep the consistency up. I rode kinda shitty but still almost got four hours lol. My sinus pressure went away but the nose was still running. The next day I woke up feeling like I was breathing under water. The cold had moved from my head to my lungs. It was like having asthma all day and the inhaler not doing anything. But yet I still decided to ride that night with wrecking ball and jimbo. Awesome ride but I felt like shit. For everyone that hasn't been riding with us on Wednesday nights, it has turned in to wrecking ball story time/ drive through memory lane and photo night. We have discussed relationships with younger women lol to court appearances! You would never know he was such an asshole in the past and that he could take such good pics with a cell phone lol. After struggling a lil wed night and knowing that I was going out Thursday night, I decided i was still going to try to get in three hours in Thursday morning. I started off at 8, still felt like I was breathing under water, but felt pretty good. I got all the way out the dikes, when things started to take its toll on me. I convinced myself it was that my legs were just tired, when really I was in denial. The cold finally caught up to me and called the ride short due to the whole body shutting down. I spent the rest of the day just drained feeling, that is till I started drinking at poboys lol. apparently crown and cokes is a form of medicine and energy supplement, cause I woke up the next morning feeling alot better. I still took the day off the bike on friday tho.

Saturday morning was a day of old school for the new school. Jim, Tyler, Chris and I left Chris's house around 8:30 on our old school adventure. We started off going through Lafayette park, I had never been there and had no clue that it was a big as it was. Worm weaved us all over the two hill sides and I think we all almost died couple times on the dry 90 degree corners. That said it was fun and different. It wasn't the same ol north and east side rides. We then continued a old school lesson by chris telling stories of tag that use to occur in the bbc (before bike chain) era. I kept fueling the fire of stories and got chris in memory lane mode. We ended up visiting all of the campus routes. I really wish I had been around for some of the stories and activities, because people have children and responsibilities today that prevent them from playing tag behind chubbys or cruising though campus now a days. Once we went through chris's memory lane, which took up to 1.5 hrs, we ended up at munson hills. Worm and Tyler had there usual unbelievable speed at munson. I don't understand it. I don't know if worm just sinks through the soft sand and gets hard pack sand or if he just knows that place that damn good. Tyler on the other hand baffles me a little more. He just sticks to people rear wheels and powers through everything. After those two drug Jim and I around for over an hour we headed back to worms house. Thats when everybody started blowin up. I was border line blowing up the whole way back but played it smart enough that I survived. Worm started to ignore everyone, Jim was worried about his tire and was tired, and then it seems like they forgot about Tyler. I hung back with him and rode easy. He too was sick and was bonking as a result. When we got back everyone was tired and hungry, that is except for tyler. He said all he wanted to do was lay down lol. Jim, worm, and I then went to monks or what ever the name is and watched women and ate crazy hamburger with mrs worm. good times and good food.

So by the end of the week of sickness, I ended up with 14 hrs. I was stoked to get that much and still survive with the pretty bad cold. That makes 44 hrs for the last three week. hell yeah! I am starting to feel better though and I definitely over the hump and almost completely better. Can't wait to feel 100%. I really want to test me legs and see where I have come! So beware.

Coming soon Tropical Storm ida ride story!

I Don't Need to be Macon Bacon!

2009-11-01T19:29:00.002-05:00

The Fantastic 4 Theme Song

I thought I was missing out on the trip to Macon but I was wrong! I don't need a zipper neck comedian, an old man with a creepy laugh, pedofile photographer/ artist, cougar chasing fish, a worm with facial hair, fat tire beer, Mexican food, five guys and bad ass trails to have a good weekend. In fact fuck them! There is a new crew in town. We aren't gas guzzling fools who go and waste money and time riding in Macon. We are amazing!

Team Chain Breakers dot org is not like any other in tally. We got beauty, talent, and determination. We are like the fantastic 4! The never aging Tim, the one armed silent machine, the never ending legged retard, and the rambling asthmatic! We are out to break the habits of diaper changing men, trunk stashing whores, experts who train in secrecy, and those who leave town unrightfully! We have jerseys, tshirts, towels, and hats too. All you got to do is visit teamchainbreakersdotorg.com once there you can also find our custom anodized parts that are now available in custom scratch and sniff scents.

Saturday the rambling asthmatic did Chairs for the first time in three months. Left the house at 7:10 and it was dark as fuck. Unfortunately I didn't leave in time to ride over there casually, so I ended up time trailing the whole way there. When I arrived at the community center, I found two of the the Chain breakers dot org team there. The never aging man and surprisingly the Silent machine made is Chairs debut. Unfortunately we weren't out saving the world of those who we are out to save, but it was a good ride. The Silent machine did awesome he made to fire tower and almost hung on over it. Mad props to fellow fantastic. For the never aging Tim and the rambling asthmatic we made a select group of five and rode strong. The never aging man is showing mad super hero strength and riding the best I have ever seen him ride. As for me I give myself a 7. I didn't ride Thursday or Friday and I think it had an affect on my legs. I just didn't have speed. I had the lungs I just had no legs they burned all day. Considering all of that I was able to work a little bit and make the elite group for the last 15 miles. So all in all the 3.5 hr 70 mile ride was good and the fantastics showed that they are fantastic.

Sunday the fantastics met each other at tom brown all at different times. It wasn't planned but we all came together! That how strong our bonds are! We wanted to save a diapers changing man but he was a little girl and was a no show and didn't even call a fantastic back! Even though the fantastic 4 couldn't save the world for the second day in row we had a blast. The weather was beautiful and the trails were pretty good considering the rain this last week. We rode Cadillac and did the silent machines torture loop. This weekends version was different then last weekends version. I some how convinced the rest of the fantastic 4 to do plowed field intervals. Painful but very entertaining. we continued on keeping a very high pace. The grass hill at the end turned into who could make it to the top first. The asthmatic came out on top followed by never ending legs, followed closely by never aging man, and silent machine keeping strong. We all felt pretty good and tired after hard efforts and long ride. We all got about three hours, we are fantastic!

So what have we learned today? I think that the chain breakers dot org are fucking fantastic and that we don't need to 3 hrs of driving, food, different trail, and gayness to be cool! So we will just keep trying to save the world and try to make it fantastic!

I am not bitter at all too!

In seriousness it was a good weekend with some different rides. I got about 7 hrs this weekend of riding and my legs are feeling good. I got to keep the riding up! I want to keep being fantastic!

I got that lovin feelin!

2009-10-25T20:59:00.006-04:00

I know I haven't done this in a long time but things have been very up and down.

This fall started out good and with an unexpected new female in my life. I was talking to a girl that I thought was the shit and thought that I could have a long time relationship with. It gave me motivation to get back on the bike and show that I still had the talent that I had shown going through the ranks in the late 90s and early 2000s. Things were all going good with some epic times at the beach with the fam and with the chain gang, and my legs were feeling pretty good.

The weekend of the gainsville race was suppose to be a fun weekend with my chick and be a come back to the expert/ cat 1 ranks. The weekend was fun with the girl but resulted in dramatic downward spin. The night before the race she got me wasted and later into a fight with. Not the best preparation for the opening race of the fl state championship. I woke up thinking about my relationship with her and not my race! Bad idea. Come time for the race I am still not focused and sweating alcohol profusely! I get a shitty start but decide to just settle in and just pick people off. The plan doesn't work. I crash in the first mile and continue to ride like a lil girl the whole first lap! I bail after the first lap of the worst race of all time. I left the race not speaking a word to anyone. I have never been so disappointed and miserable after a race. I drove half of the way home with no music and kept slamming my fist on the dash of the car. I decided half way home that I was going to never race again!

The downward spiral continued as me and the girl not be named slipped up and told me she was making out with a guy at a party and that she had been talking to another guy for about a month. All at the same time school and work wasn't going good either. It was a low of all lows. I use to just fall back on riding but even that couldn't help.

As my struggles continued, I stopped riding and became a bum. I ate a lot, turned 21 and reached an all time high in weight. 147 lol. O and I had a brand new custom 29er single speed that I waited almost a year for and I wasn't riding it. Its only the prettiest bike of all time! It was ridiculous!

After a few drunkin weekends and 200+ dollars of partying, something clicked the week of the Tallahassee race. I started riding the single speed about two weeks before the race but nothing really consistent. The week of the race, it was like a light bulb was turned on. I kinda became a new person. I was focused for the first time in probably over a year or more. The night before the race wasn't anything like gainsville. I hydrated alot, ate well, watched two mtb movies, and cleaned every inch of the black cat. I woke up ready to brawl and got super motivated blasting rise against before the race.

The race was a blast and I felt like a lil kid again. I got a descent start and made the lead group in the early part of the race. I sat in the back of the group just itching to attack but resisted and just made sure no one got away from me. By the time we go to the bmx track I was still feeling good and people looked like they were struggling. So I didn't even think I just attacked. It was the first instinctive attack in many years. I quickly gaped the group and put my head down and never looked back. Come the end of the second lap I was going good still leading but I was starting to hurt. I get passed right at the end of the lap but I gritted my teeth and tried to keep him in sight. The instinctive attack came back to haunt me on the last lap, plus I didn't eat or drink enough. I was completely fried from head to toe. I was getting light headed and crashed twice, as a result of being so weak that I couldn't correct mistakes. I lost one more spot but hung on for third. I don't know if I have ever been so happy to be third. I would have been bummed in the years past.

The day after the race, I am back on the bike. I go hard again and feel amazing. The legs continued to feel good and the motivation continued to this day. I racked up up 17 hours this week and I love my bikes again. I haven't had this feeling since high school and I haven't put in this many hours in a week in at least 3+ years. I feel like I have something to prove to people.

While things are all good on two wheels, school is still a struggle. I am having to drop two classes (fuck math) but I have realized what I don't want in life. I don't want to fucking sit at a desk for 8 hrs a day and stare at a fucking computer. So there won't be any more engineering major! I want something that I enjoy. That is yet to be determined. lol

The time of struggle also weened out some of my friends but made me enjoy the ones that are still there for me. It has open relationships and become closer with some un likely individuals: Lil armstrong and her chill bf. One other person has been there for me lately and it was unexpected. It started as a hi and how are you to someone that I never would have thought could be that cool. Easy to talk to and listens to me vent and complain constantly, while making me laugh, smile and happy all at the same time. Nothing would be the way it is with out my awesome best friends such as super chocolate bear, eli and dolly parton. They help through everything and are super influential in my decisions everyday. love y'all.

And of course the chain gang. I can't say enough about y'all. I have the best older brothers and lil brother that anyone could ask for. Y'all keep me grounded while making me laugh and not worry about life. What more could someone ask for!

So things are good and I think good things are coming!

New Crib, Good Legs and a Crazy Idea

2009-06-07T21:50:00.004-04:00

So since the Bump race, things have been pretty good and it looks like the bad luck has finally stopped for the time being. This last week started with one recovery day, following my bad showing at bump. Tuesday was the day that things started to look better. The Tuesday ride was super fun with berg, slade, tyler, and wrecking ball. It was surprisingly quick and definitely longer than I expected to ride. The ride ended up being 3.5 hrs long for me and I felt pretty descent. On the way home I rode by a house on Glenway Dr behind the Democrat. I stopped got the phone number and rode back to my car, where I later called the owner and left a message about being interested in the house. Wed started off very wet and I thought I wasn't going to ride but after Berg sucked it up and still rode, I myself went with Marino to Food Lion where the good legs continued to show improvement. I was able to pull the whole ride and play with the rest of the guys and it made me super happy and confident. The group was 15 strong but very fast. We finished the food lion loop in 51.5 mins, which is screamin fast for such a small group. Thursday started off again rainy and after bailing on the joes ride due to the presumption that it was going to rain, I pursued that house that rode by on Tuesday. My parents and I went to see the house and we all agreed that it was a cool place and that we wanted to rent it. The next morning, I had the house wrapped up and it will be my crib for at least the next year. I don't move in until the end of July but I am super excited over the idea of being able to role out of the house and basically being 150-200 yards from the fern entrance. I also look forward to everyone meeting at the place for rides, water stops and just seeing people when they ride by place. Saturday the legs continued to shine and show improvement. I met up with marino and rode from his place to kilearn where we met spook and Donni to ride to chairs. The ride was awesome. I had legs that i hadn't had in over a year. It was vintage lil ball riding. I attacked on every climb and pulled the whole ride. 74 miles laters I was exhausted but I couldnt stop smiling, until i had to take a nap lol. Now for sunday where my mind went wild and possibly crazy lol.

So after reading an interview with Julie Furtado, watching video of the 1990 world championships in Durango, browsing through the QBP books, and showing eric a bike on the Internet, something hit me. I wanted to change the Merlin into a 90s Tomac mtb, like the picture above. This means road bars and shifters! Only if I could find a disc mtb wheel! Check out the video of Tomac bombing down the mtn at Purgatory, which is north of Durango. I am super excited and ready to get this project rolling!

Fuck your three minutes and it was wrecking balls fault!!!

2009-06-01T18:45:00.002-04:00

My Current favorite song. It gets me motivated and flows so good!

This weekend was another frustrating fuck up! The race initially started off well, I was fifth going into the woods and and right behind silk, which is where i wanted to be. I settled in and was actually thinking damn this pace is easy and I might have a good day. We get to the first road and a guy attacks I slowly react and role pass a couple people and join the leader still breathing very easily. The next section of trail describes my whole year on the bike. I go from being one of the elite in the group, to eating shit. So I crashed and went from third to second to last place! I compose myself and get back on the bike and Silk who had some issues, start off again after the group. We pick three or four off before I let Silk go by me. I was kinda suffering from starting to hard after crashing so I let silk go after it and i tried to recover and somewhat keep silk in sight and hopefully close for the road. I realize that I am doing more damage by trying to keep up with silks pace. So I ease up and try to form my own steady pace. I get to the road with the climb and am still trying to recover. I get passed by three 30 plus experts and then my legs clicked in to gear again. I started feeling good and I was starting to reel people in slowly but like the last couple months something else goes wrong. I fucking flat three corner after blood rock. I try to relax and fix the flat quickly but it wasn't a stellar fix. BY this time I am fucking light years behind anybody in my class. I get back on the bike and feel like shit and almost hurled from some odd reason. I can't get back into a rhythm. I come to the finish line and call it game over.

I know its not what I should have done but my motivation was gone. I knew I would get shit for it but i didn't care. There will be other races this year for me and I will finish them. I am not one to dnf a lot and if you look at my 14 years of racing you will notice! so go worry about yourself and shut the fuck up! I know I didn't finish! I wanted to do well and it didn't happen and I was out contention.

Other than my bad luck continuing my weekend was good. I enjoyed being a around everyone for the most part and I definitely enjoyed watching the pro race. It was a wake up call watching it though honestly. I could point out up to ten people that I have raced against and have beat multiple times in my career. Its annoying cause I know i can race with them and beat them if i train. So like almost half of my other blogs I end by saying that I am motivated and motivated to get to where I think I should be. I know I will need to change some aspects of my current life but I know I can do it. No upcoming races anytime soon but I am hoping to put in some good training and be ready to competitive this fall. I expect nothing less than top 5 this fall in cat 1. Anything less will be a failure.

More Crazy Shit

2009-05-06T23:06:00.000-04:00

Dirtiest Move All Time! Kinda Just Like Worms Move He Pulled on Me Last Tuesday!

2009-04-26T11:05:00.002-04:00

AMAZING!

2009-04-26T10:46:00.000-04:00

Inspired. Danny MacAskill from dave on Vimeo.

"I Got It, So Bad That I Just Wanta Take A Shot at It!"

2009-04-19T20:33:00.005-04:00

Its been awhile since my last post but a lot has happened since. So I'll give in my favorite format aka the number format. And the song sums it up in Ebonics!

1. Number one thing that has happened is that I already broke something on my bike. While checking my link bottles before meeting with the chain gang. I was torquing them and the head of the bolt just broke. I had the torque setting right I promise too. I checked three times before I torqued it too. But what I thought was a horrible term of events, might have been the best thing possible for me! It made me ride the road bike and thats what I really needed. You honestly don't how fast you are riding till you are riding in a group ride. It was a wake up and a slap in the face. I had shitty legs and was just a pack filler.

2. Being a pack filler for the first time in maybe 5 plus years was a horrible feeling and not how I like to roll! Being a pack filler and watching the lil juniors beat me lit a fire under my ass like no other. for example here is what I have done in the last two weeks:

Two weeks ago: Mon-2hrs(waverly loops), tues-1hr (night I broke my bolt), wed-2hrs (foodlion), thurs- 3.5 hrs(2 hrs plus joes), fri-2hr (joes loops), sat-3.5hrs (chairs plus more), sun-3.5hrs (waverly loops)

This week: Mon-1hr (trainer), tues-3hrs (2hrs plus 1hr crit), wed-2hrs (foodlion), thurs-30 min (commute to office party), sat-2.5hrs (chairs), sun- 1.5-2hrs (mtb ride with wreckin ball, berg, and foster)

3. Riding this much and actually training helps lol. I have already gone from drooling on the back of a group to being able to pull again and play with the everyone. I still can't hurt people the way I would like to but things are rapidly changing. I am lacking the sprint/ jump thats necessary and the speed isn't there completely. Its all good though. I am learning how to hurt again and what my body can take before blowing up. and all at the same time my body is learning to recover alot quicker.

4.So to sum up 1-3. I am super motivated and have a desire that I haven't had in years or maybe ever. I just want to fuckin get fast and make people suffer lol. If you think thats messed up your not a real cyclist. The best feeling is knowing that you are haulin ass and feelin good while the person behind you has burning lungs and drool running down there face!

5. The first official race for lil ball will be the Kenda Cup race in Ducktown the first weekend of May. I kinda wish it wasn't my first but I am looking forward to suffering. I don't have the highest expectations, but I plan to fuckin drill it and use it to help me get ready for the mac daddy race of the year aka Bump and Grind. Before I try to re assert myself as dominant rider again in state series which is my most plausible and realistic hope, due to my late start on the season. Just means I will be fresher.

I want to go ride now after typing that but its time to update my social life and my career beyond the bike.

6. Opportunity struck again last week when I found out that I will basically be working full time at H2 engineering as a mechanical engineer intern. It does mean 40 hrs a week, but it also means no school, lots of learning, and more cash money. The opportunity was something I couldnt turn down, considering all the benefits and I will be the only student from Tally and the only one that isn't a senior in engineering school. So I can't fuck it up.

7. My major will be officially be changing for this fall to engineering. I will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. It means lots of hard work but I think I can buckle down and do it.

8. This new motivation of riding has been keeping me out trouble. I have been smarter about getting messed up and eating better.

9. Riding my bike makes me a nicer person lol

10. Riding makes me sore and more tired.

...

345. My bike makes me happy and I make it happy by going faster!

Dirt, Wind, Pain, and Speed Controls My Life

p.s. big shit is comin cause "I got it and I want it!"

Emily Batty!

2009-03-30T23:45:00.001-04:00

This has to be the hottest cyclist of all time and she is fuckin fast! She is every male cyclists dream! So check her out.

http://www.emily-batty.blogspot.com/

Holy Fucking 29er Batman

2009-03-26T23:43:00.001-04:00

20 pound 29er! Geared too!

http://yotwells.typepad.com/todd_wells/2009/03/29er.html

Update on Life pt. II

2009-03-26T22:50:00.002-04:00

The last blog might have been a little negative and a little abrasive. Things since have looked up. The energy and happiness came back to me while on my spring break. It was so nice to get away and just have fun and not worry about anything. I might not have accomplished anything while I was there, but resulted in a refreshed look on life and in a way it made me confident in the things I do.

I have come back from spring break and have been able to focus a lot better on the bike and somewhat with school. The new bike took a lot of focus out of me but as a result I have been riding more and have had more fun riding. The new bike is sick by the way. Weighing in at 22.0 lbs with heavy pedals is amazing! The only draw back is I have sold the CX bike to get money for the new bike quicker. I will have another cx bike but it won't be for awhile. I cant afford to keep spendin money on new bikes lol. I need new everyday and work clothes.

So with the new bike and a new refreshed look on life, training is going good.
It seems that I got the endurance after doing some long rides. I struggling with the handling of the new bike, but I am almost positive its just a tire and weather conditions. I am also lack in some speed. I am hoping that will with riding chairs, foodlion, joes, and maybe hill intervals on mondays. This weeks food lion was fast by the way. It was late 1990s speed. We did the loop in 49 mins. That means about a 25 mph avg! So hopefully I will be racing with y'all soon and at a competitive level now that my head seems to be back on staight.

BAlLLlINNNNNN

my current motivational song:

Update on Life

2009-02-16T21:05:00.002-05:00

It has been awhile since my last post and a lot has happened over the period of time, some know parts and pieces and some I have kinda kept under wraps. I'll explain in my favorite format.

1. Being back in tally hasn't been what I hoped it would be and it wasn't what I really wanted in the first place. but it has established somethings in my life. First of all, living on campus isn't what people said it is. Its not some other part of tally. Its all the same just poorer on this side, minus some of the rich ass students with there tricked out bmws and others. I don't really want to dwell on the negatives so I'll stop before I start my stereo typical post with profanity. Being in Tally has established three main things: I enjoy my bikes and the peace in my life it brings, I have two awesome dysfunctional families: the balls/ strobels and bike posse, and that I am definitely not able to be a party animal and ride at the same time.

2. I have also narrowed down what I want to do in my life. A job that was basically given to me just cause of my mom reputation has turned out to be something good. With my job as an intern at one of the best MEP engineering firms in FL and the opportunities that sunshine have given me, has created the desire to put them together and pursue a career that evolve both all in one.

3. Being home you would think would have led me to being able to train constantly but that definitely hasn't been the case. With three or four different aspects pulling at me all at once, it has led to dismal results and shitty fitness. It seems like every time I am heading in the right direction, I hit a road block that completely fucks shit up. For example this last week I rode everyday mon-thurs and felt amazing riding, until friday morning when I became sick for the third time since the Cardinals lost to the Steelers in the super bowl. Its so frustrating b/c I have never been one to be sick and I am the worst sick person of all time! I can't lay down and sleep. fuck that! If I have free time I am going to be on the bike or screwing around outside. When I stayed home last week from work and school, I packed my bag and had thoughts of going to ride 4 laps of tom brown. I then couldn't stop coughing and went back to bed with all my clothes on and slept for 4-5 during the middle of the day which has maybe happened once or twice in my life, but they were extreme hang overs then. And as I speak I am sucking on a cough drop itching to do something especially after watching the tour of California.

4. I still want to race! some have come to think of me as more a recreational rider lately! fuck that! I want to win everything! Its killing me to watch Berg grow from some shy goofy middle schooler, into a retarded some what good rider. which makes me think of the first day that I met him. He rode down to my house and knocked on my door. i expected it to be some boy scout or someone like that who was trying to sell something. But he read about me in the news paper or someone told him about me and he rode down to ask if he could ride with me. I was shocked but I was like yeah whats ur phone number and then I closed the door haha not exactly like that but close. The next thing you know he is riding with me more and more and buying more and more of my shit in my garage until he moved to Marks Garagemahal of bikes! lol but yeah watching Berg, Rick, Mark, Jim and Terry (occasionally haha), Cody, Marino, Spook and Worm have success honestly kills me. O and Tyler def will be the next on that list. If y'all haven't seen him ride lately you should. He is getting faster and more and more confident every time he rides! So one day hopefully soon I'll be able to have the results that I thought I would have gotten by now and blow through the roadblocks.

Conclusion: Tomorrow I am meeting with my mom to tell her my plans for trying to move out west. I am trying to move to Tuscon and I already have a place I can live and I would live with my good friend Thomas. I would attend Pima Community College for a year and take requirements for an engineering degree while I received Arizona residency. I then would transfer University of Arizona and finish out my degree. I have also researched potential bike shop and engineering jobs, as well as the riding in the area and its definitely not bad. But I have to get parental approval still but I plan to fight hard for it. I just feel like I need to get away to achieve the things that I want.

What happens when I leave my own party and possible calender girl!?

2009-01-28T23:23:00.002-05:00

School seems to be the recent talk around BC, so I figured I should talk about it as well!

2009-01-26T20:56:00.004-05:00

Whats all this talk about school?! Its kinda depressing thinking about school honestly! Why would you want to think about long boring lectures with boring ass teachers? Cause I am assuming its so you can live the live that people dream of. Which for me means a bike for every occasion and discipline, a bad ass car, some bumpin music and of course a hot girl! Here is a bumpin track (its so sick) and my favorite free ride clip!

But back to the subject of school. School must be the cool thing cause Wreckin Ball is apparently rolling back to school, I have also heard the big ass worm talkin about the idea as well and seems to be a subject on every ride! But I am in school and I hate it. But I have hated it because I have been able to figure out what I want to do. Recently its been on my mind while I ride, work and while I have been sittin on my white porcelain throne. I have been trying to put things together and figure it out what I should do for a living. I guess you could call it weird math. Here is my current formula for a future career:

mtb + the love of new parts and toys + current job and opportunities + years of riding + the love of outdoors = mtb product developer

Apparently it requires a experience in mtb retail industry, knowledge of trends and where the future of cycling is going and history of advancements, Autocad, and engineering experience. Sounds like a match made in heaven!

So just like the wreckin ball, I to think I might have found my calling. I still don't want to school though!

This is all assuming I don't go pro haha!

FSU? Bucky Paper?

2009-01-22T00:12:00.004-05:00

If y'all missed it FSU was considered to be possibly be related to Lances new Livestrong Madone! Bucky paper is a material 10 times lighter than steel -- but 250 times stronger. A single sheet is 50000 times smaller than a piece of hair. The material is being promoted and pushed by FSU to the areospace, body armor, automotive and cycling industries. They have been searching for a company to help push there development in cycling and other industries and thats from a reliable resource aka my mom, and I told her to investigate. O and FSU is leading everyone in development. even over the chinese.

Here is the Velonews article:

FSU2009? The view from underneath Armstrong's TDU2009 bike.
Australian journalist Benjamin Fitzmaurice got a look at the underside of Lance Armstrong's Trek Madone at the Tour Down Under this week, and saw something unexpected:

"The bike has some letters and numbers on the bottom bracket," Fitzmaurice said. "The guy from Trek said that he would show us but could not tell us what they meant. When we shot the bottom bracket a guy from Astana staff came rushing over to question what we were doing ..."

As the photo and Fitzmaurice's video shows, the lettering is "FSU2009." A reference to Florida State University?

Felasco and finally some use for my Atomic clothes

2009-01-12T23:43:00.005-05:00

Felasco got me so motivated! I just rode the trainer for an hour! yeah the trainer the fun sucking machine! I sat on the trainer reading every bodies blogs stoking myself up even more. And here is my training song! Straight Hood Baby! Slim Thugga

A New Look

2009-01-07T20:25:00.005-05:00

Yesterday while I was riding, I came up with a new look and ideas. Starting today, I will be keeping track of my training and motivation level. It gives me the motivation ro ride and train harder and maybe start some shit with all of y'all! I will be updating atleast weekly! So I'll being bringin the heat bitches! lol

p.s. check out the BC colors!

Wake up call, lessons and Macon

2009-01-04T22:34:00.004-05:00

What is it about something new that just gets the juices flowing and lights that fire under your ass. Riding in Macon definitely did that for me. We might have eat just as much as we rode, but it was a time of riding, laughing, and relaxation that made it awesome. I'll leave the story telling to Worm or Jims blog because they are better story tellers. This weekend though was a pleasant change to my life. I will admit that I have been drinking and partying more than riding but that will change! The realization came half way through the slipping and sliding in the mud at Dauset. I felt like a kid again, while enjoying the difficulty added by the mud. By the way Huff and Puff is the shit! I too learned more than just life lessons.

1. Wreckin Ball never shuts up! but thank god he is fucking hilarious!
2. Tyler is chill as fuck, likes beer and never complains! mad props!
3. Worm will find the trail eventually!
4. Darren goes to bed extremely early!
5. Jim knows is always down to learn how to ride better. and he likes peanuts!
6. I can eat at anytime! mmmm 5 guys!
7. Garmin doesn't know shit!
8. Thomaston was a bad ass trail about 5 years ago! what the fuck happenedd tho?

Last of all:

Cycling is a drug and the more you do it, the happier it makes you! It realeaves stress, brings friends closer, takes you to amazing places and O YEAH, its fucking fun wet or dry!