You Didn't Hear This From Me...

Nights like last Wednesday are nights I wish happened more often. I jetted out of work at 6:15pm swung by Midtown Liquors to pick up a bottle of Blackberry Brandy in honor of Grandpa and a travel sized bottle of Makers for dad's house, then made my way over to a very crowded and already happening Tap Room.

Smiling Super Dave (one of the captures from our dueling embarrassing photo ops)

Dave had made it in from a whirlwind tour of Nebraska and Arkansas in time to rest for a while before heading on out to Richmond for the show. He'd set up a few looky looks in the tap room that I had to admire and touch on my way over for a pint of Sly Rye.

I wish the liability for forks weren't so high cuz this Snoots fork is dead sexy. Kinda looks like how my WW LT 2.5 feels.

Checking out the Snoots.

Just past the Snoots I saw Snake Creek Gap's current SS leader Rockstar Adam and that Steve guy enjoying some pints.

Sexy looking enough to get me to consider a 29'er, the 10th Anniversary MootoX YBB.

Matched bits on the Moots Layback Cinchpost.

Big D drawing some prizes for the attendees.

Inside the Goody Van. The VaMoots RSL is the first bike on the left, the one on the right is Dave's PsychloX SL 6/4 tubed bike with fresh dirt still on it. (as it should be).

Dave's sweet PsychloX SL

Me: "Hey Dave What's this sweet ride?"
Dave: "Thad get away from there that is top secret."
Me: "Is this really a, holy shit! No Way!"
Dave: "Shh don't say anything, it's top secret, please just calmly back away"
Me. "Holy Crap is this for real?! When can I get one? Can I have this one? This fork is sex!"
Dave: "Just don't snap any photos or blog about this until.. ahhhhhhhhh"
Dave's last statement was interrupted as I shoved Dave out of van, slammed the door and started snapping photos.

Shhh don't tell: You didn't see this from me, but here is my new Dream Bike: PsychloX RSL!! It's packed with sweetness and surprises. Check out the matched fork! Total Lust. I heart this bike. One of the sweet secrets Moots will have on display at the booth in Richmond. I'm so into this bike I forgot to snap shots of the other items of interest.

This night and spy photos brought to you by the Southeast GrassMoots team.

Now go register. See you in May.

Into The Sunset

Reminder: Ti One On at the Tap Room Weds

If you like bikes and beer and live around the MidTN area, make time to swing by the Yazoo Tap Room tomorrow to Ti One On. Moots crew will be on hand too. A special night to enjoy Yazoo Pints and talk bikes with some of the industries best custom bike builders.

Yep, even Last Man Standing Winner Super Dave

See you magic metal and hop connoisseurs at 6:30PM Weds.

Open Range

Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.

- John Wayne

Cowboy, you'll be greatly missed. Rest In Peace Grampa Spence.

Sunny Sunday Morns

Riding buddy.

Taking full advantage of the lengthening daylight, I got out of bed early to make time for some dirt before heading into work at 11am. Since we're still hovering around freeze/thaw temps overnight and still have lots of wet ground, I opted to stick close to home and ride the back with JD.

The sliders fit 35x15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and now 20t cogs without having to break the chain. Enough range to cover gravel grinders, cross, and mtb needs.

First a cup or two of coffee, a bowl of honey nut cheerios, and a quick swapping to my new 20 Tooth of Doom cog, then out the door for some fun. This was my first time on trail with the bike in this month of February, I think the last time was at Clayetteville in January.


The inertia steeling qualities of the WW LT 2.55 tire are easily overlooked when the trail points down or gets rocky/rooty. The benefits are similar to those enjoyed by 29'er riders: more roll over, eases trail chatter and smaller bumps, more cornering grip, and increased momentum all at the expense of a heavier tire and added climbing resistance. Right now it's still my main choice for PMBAR, but the added climbing resistance in the steeps might make me go back to my Ignitor 2.35. Though both are listed at 790 grams (~1.75 lbs), maybe it's just mental but the I don't notice the ignitor on the steeps.


I've got the ignitor 2.35 on the rear in place of my normal 2.1 ignitor trying to keep the chopper affect of the massive 2.55 front tire down as well as add a little extra cush in the tush. Even with the sliders slammed all the way forward, there is plenty of clearance and no tire rub what-so-ever, even with a QR.


The leafy bed on the trail has settled in nicely with all the hiking and horse riding this winter, leaving an easy rolling and mostly dry trail bed. The leaves protecting it from freeze thaw effects much like the soil and Monkey Bell, leaving perfect trail conditions for the WW LT. I'm really digging the downhill grip, especially on leaf covered rocks and roots. Cadillac ride. That Weir guy just might know what he's doing...


A quick game of ball after the ride with house guests Tommy and Riley and now it's off to clean up and head out to work for the afternoon. I'm hoping the rain in the forecast passes and JD and I can get out more this week before and after work. Trail sure beats the hell out of trainer sessions.
Don't forget Weds at Yazoo for Ti One On with the Moots crew, IMBA/SORBA, and the DSG Squirrels.

Broke My Rusty Cage

Dish: Eyes always on the horizon.

I ended up getting a surprise free day off today amidst the 13 days of hell, making it 12 days of hell for me and my co-worker. Sweet. As of last night, I was still planning to have to come in so I based my morning on getting on the road to work by 11:15am. At ll:15 I was just pulling into the drive way from my morning ride and racing to the shower to clean up for work. 11:30 am and I'm heading out towards the work when my phone rings. Bossman said I'm not needed today and not to come in. Sweet.

The boys watch a deer as it runs off.

Back home I grabbed the pupples and headed out to the big city of Ashland City to check out the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail. I had plans to ride there Saturday morning but those plans got canceled due to having to be into work earlier than initially planned. The trail is 6.5 miles along an old railroad bed with the latter miles gravel. It'll add a nice 13 mile adventure to a monster hilly back country road route there.

A bath house/welcome center greets you about a mile into the trail.

This tree is a little tea pot, there is it's handle.

One of the old truss bridges converted from rail to pedestrian traffic use.

Since the weekend daylight hours are truncated due to the work schedule, I'm planning to shoot out with a bike after work Sunday to investigate the full length of the trail. The pups and I jogged/walked 4.5 miles of it but didn't make it out to the dam or the gravel sections. We did make it out to the lake though.



Bike stuff:

I rode the Moots SS set up with the WW LT 2.55 front and Ignitor 2.35 back setup on the road today since time was (or so I thought at the time) short and I wanted to get a good mtb ride in despite the lack of dry dirt around here. I'm not sure if it's just my lack of fitness or the heft of the tires, but the hills had a little extra sting in the legs today. I must say that I might actually like the WW LT 2.55 tire despite it's inertia stealing climbing. It feels as though it's going to loose traction in fast turns, even on scree coated old pavement roads, but if you trust it and lean it, it hooks up securely and drives you through the turn. I had a few "Oh Shite!" moments on some 45mph+ downhill turns only to end up pushing the tire harder as I grew accustomed to the bite.

Granted that was pavement (loose scree covered rough pavement, but pavement none the less).

I had to release Crow from the barn upon my return to the house and rode the bike down the muddy gravel and grass to the barn. Despite the sludge feeling on the climbs (which could just be lack of fitness), the bike carried momentum and felt more svelte off road. I really can't wait to try it off road to see if it'll be a keeper or not. I might need a wider rim as it is a bit squirmy feeling on my XR4.D, but the cush is nice.

I've got plans for a hike with the Slumlords and the pups later today in the back woods. If the trail isn't mucky I might take the Moots out and test out the tire on some singletrack climbs, downhills, and rock gardens.

Any fans of the WW LT 2.55 out there for XC riding/racing?

IMBA/SORBA Thurs, Ti One On Weds (or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the Sly Rye Porter)

Due to all the wintry mix weather of late, the local trails have been closed due to either freeze/thaw murkiness or just plain wet TN clay muddiness. In the midst of the 13 days of hell at work a mental saving grace popped into the social calendar, the February IMBA/SORBA social meeting. If you can't be out riding bikes at least we'd be able to talk about riding bikes while drinking beer.


Several new trail opportunities have been brought to the table which should dramatically help people get a weekday ride in without too much travel. Pretty much all corners of Davidson county will have some singletrack to offer when completed. One close to Murfreesboro and another near Inglewood. Good news for dirt lovers.

Free food and a Jam Danver sighting.

Charlie Bob's kindly offered their family owned restaurant to serve as our meeting place. Big thanks to Mike for allowing us to get a little rowdy. Great food and beer selection too. He ran out and picked up some Yazoo Dos Perros and New Belgium Fat Tire specifically for us as he thought we'd appreciate it. We did. Well all of us but Miller Lite drinking Kelly Bob. That's service that is hard to find nowadays, you can bet I'll be back to support Charlie Bob's in the near future.

TeamDicky supported Chicken Wings?

Fat Tire Rick poses with Kelly Bob's Miller Lite Six Pack.

The local IMBA/SORBA chapter has stepped up their game for 2010 and there is a lot planned, both trail and social based. Join up and get involved. Especially if you enjoy riding on trails. It's a fun group for all ages too.

If you missed out on tonight, fjear not as there is another chance to partake next Wednesday. The Squirrels of DSG and the Mothership have talked Linus into opening the TapRoom doors for us next Weds at 6:30PM to Ti One On. Come out and talk bikes, sign up with IMBA/SORBA, and register to win a MOOTS similar to the one below, only without the mud.

DSG Podium finishing Muddy MootoX YBB

Podium finishers Team Moots: Matty The Welder, Rob the Bosser, and Dave the Daver

The good folks of Moots have stepped up to raffle off another fabulous Moots frame for DSG. Not only will the be back for the race again, their heading through town with their mystery machine full of ti wonders on their way to the handbuilt bike show and are stopping in to join in the party at the taproom. If you can't make it to Richmond for the show, stop by the TapRoom and get a taste of Moots accompanied with some of the best malty (or hoppy) beverages this side of the Mississippi.

Word on the street is Last Man Standing Winner Super Dave will be on hand to sign autographs and kiss babies.

If you're lucky you might get to meet Former Olympian and World Champion T. Brown and Current World Champion and sweaty pitter Julien Absalon.

See you Wednesday.

Smelly Trinkets

inverted vertebrae

JD managed to mostly haul a rotting 5 month old dear carcass to the house. Smelly Trinkets can found daily lurking underfoot around the house. Like a full leg brought into the bed at 4 am. Tasty. You can get your own smelly trinkets here. (ZUMBAPANTS is the secret discount code)

Tommy's not all toughpants.

Aside from the daily excitement of skeletal disposal, JD also has a couple friends over for the week. Tommy and Riley are staying at the vista, enjoying JD's toys, crate, vast collection of horse poop patties, and carcass parts. Yeah we're less than 24 hours in and already teaching the pups bad habits. Moo-hah-hah!

JD dragging toughpants across the floor during a game of Monkey tug.

Would someone please play with me?

Feeling crated up myself, I planned a post dinner night hike with all the pupples, hoping the exercise would help us all sleep better. Suited up for the cold snowy temps and armed with a helmet light (and helmet - safety first!) we headed out for some nighttime fun.

The snow is still sticking around.

H. wisely strapped a reflective vest on JD. His markings make him blend into the terrain and nearly impossible to see.

Dish and JD ran amok on coyote patrol and carcass retrieval while Riley and Tommy practiced for their upcoming knot tying wilderness badge by half-hitching, marlinespike hitching, sheepshanking, and klemheisting every sappling or downed tree in the woods with their retractable leashes. For little dogs they sure can move fast. We hiked for about and hour and change, then did the barn chores before turning in for the night.

I am Jack's intriguing burrow.

Not quite an epic alpine adventure, but a fun time with what we're given. The sky above the ridge line was a shade of red which contrast eerily against the dark gray sky. The trail was frozen and still mostly leaf covered which lent itself well to hiking, but would have supported the bike without mucking up the tread. The temps today are similar to which means I might actually get a chance to test out the 2.55 Weirwolf LT off-road before March 2nd. Light batteries are already on the charger.

Shot by Cupid's Alero

Heart Shaped Breakfast

I hope everyone enjoyed a good VD! H. and I met up with Papa Ted and Hil in the hopping metropolis that is Louisville KY. Honestly, what's better than a VD spent in KY?

Alero Tuscadero

They were there for a long weekend spent soaking up the bourbon of the bourbon trail and brought along Grandma's Alero to save us from another turnaround trip homeward. H. and I are buying Grandma's car as she's unable to drive herself anymore. We've been in need of a second car for work as sharing one car between a day shifter and a night shifter gets tricky as work hours and traffic fluctuate. Besides at 11 years old it only has 65k miles on it and owned by a little old lady who only drove it on Sundays (or so that mustached salesman told me). I think it only took a year and a half for my car to roll 65k. It feels good having a car with less than 150k on it in the fleet.

Woodford Reserve. Damn tasty.

So after a day in the saddle, me on the road bike and H. on the horse, we headed to "God's country" as Dwight refers to Kentucky and enjoyed a night out on the town at Bristol's and a night cap of Woodford Reserve and heart shaped brownies. Sunday morning we enjoyed a quick breakfast of champions with Papa Ted and Hil at Panera in the M'boro doppelganger city of Clarksville, IN before making the drive back home. I then brought home a romantic lunch for H. of gas station pizza and a sixer of Fat Tire which we enjoyed out in the cold barn waiting on the farrier. I know I know, I'm a hopeless romantic. Emphasis on hopeless.

Happy VD! Oh, and Happy 40th Mayor Clay!