Nice Day for It.

Man, what a day. Beautiful riding weather! I wanted to get in a good ride today, and also go watch the cross race over in Hendo, so I packed up a bunch of gu's and Probars, dressed a bit too warmly, and headed over in a very round-about way to watch the pro race. Awesome day, lots of climbing, got my cheer on, saw some friends, now I'm blown out on the couch playing Halo and eating leftover pizza.

78mi

4.5hrs

Walnut Hollow > up East Fork > over Cedar Mtn > over Jeter Mtn > Big Willow > over Laurel Park > race > back over Laurel Park > back on the river home.

That's a lot of climbing. No wonder I blew myself up by the time I got to the race.

Thanksgiving.

My family is going to be gone (most of them) on thanksgiving, so we started early with a meal tonight. It was amazing. The only thing it was missing was a chocolate pecan pie from Bracken Mtn. And turkey. But no one really misses that anyway...

Wisdom

Un-requested pearl of wisdom for the day:

"Oh, you're single? Enjoy it now, because this might be the last chance you'll ever have to be single"

- Old man after asking me if I was married.

Thanks.

Mini-Trip

Just got back from a mini-trip to Chapel Hill/Raleigh/Durham area (aka, the triangle). I like it there. Made me start thinking about some big things.

Also, apparently that's where all the pretty girls in NC live. Seriously, I was in Target, and I think there were more attractive females in that store than live in Brevard.

Also, I'm quite tired right now from driving all that distance.

Also, H&M needs to make their jackets/suits/whatever available in long sizes, just like Banana Republic.

Also, I need to get a netbook until the middle of December. Just a temporary one.

I feel like there was something else I wanted to say, but I can't remember what it was for the life of me.

Peace out y'all.

4 Weeks

Tomorrow morning marks the 4 week anniversary of my decision to dig myself out of a giant hole I had allowed myself to fall into. It's been an uphill battle, but completely worth it and honestly not all that hard. More like a false flat.

If you know you've got something that needs to be changed or eliminated or even added to your life, DO IT. It's completely worth the effort.

Swank

First Swank is in the books. It was a good time and hurt just as much as I expected. I think I was 14th like 25 minutes off the leader, which is disappointing off of what I would have liked to have done, but right about where I figured I would be given how out of shape I currently am. It was a very different experience riding the trails I know and love while full of fatigue; mostly just slower and hard to stay focused on what was coming up. I was fighting a couple of serious distractions the whole time...I think I need to work on that for races like this. Farlow sucked every bit as much as I expected it would, and I can't actually think of a worse trail to finish on than Cove Creek. Seriously, does that trail actually lose any elevation from start to finish? It doesn't seem like it. Could be just because my XC legs gave out at about 2:30 so it was all about survival after that.

Post race sucked a good bit, but overall a good day once I got home and got some food in me.

Uhh, what else? T Cowie pulled some stupidity at the start and ended up passing 192 people to finish 8th off the couch on a brand new bike. Wes used his bionic shoulder to keep it together to finish 12th or something awesome. Art and Derek CRUSHED it in 5th and 6th, and Dan showed ever body what was up with a 15th. PAC was on point today!

Up next: lots more riding, keeping on with work, and planning an awesome trip at the start of next month. Should be some good times!

Swank

Swank tomorrow. I've wanted to do it for a long time and am finally getting to. Pretty much gonna just be a fun ride in Pisgah at this point. Results to follow.