The Grapes of Nash

From this early morning Saturday.

Of the 4 day Holiday, H. was off Saturday. Her schedule: Weds, Thurs, Fri, and Sunday nights. Her weekends are pretty booked solid the next few months with limited "free" time. A week or so ago, after helping H. tick off one of her resolutions, I came up with an idea for us to schlep the Evil Mother In-Law (EMIL) around to some of the area wineries. The EMIL had expressed interest a few months ago that seemed to fall upon deaf ears around the kitchen table, so I cooked up the plan and H. picked the day.

The plan was in slight jeopardy with the Gravel Grovel though. If I didn't get back in time, H. would have to come off of 3 12 hour shift nights in a row and drive an hour to her folks place, then hours during the day to the selected wineries, then back home (and folks, she's carcoleptic even after a full nights sleep). Luckily, the 'doadiedorfer really likes to sleep in his own bed and we were able to make it back Friday night, the plan safe. I was able to assume my role as Chauffeur.

To this late afternoon Saturday.

Another plan saver was that the Post Office was open until 11 a.m. Saturday. H. had gotten a notice slip that her Moots had shown up. Well not really a Moots, but a test saddle of such saddle quality for me to refer to it as "her Moots". She's needed a new saddle for a long time, her old one (of 10 years) doesn't fit her horse and needs to be replaced. She had to put off getting it during my unemployment stint where she carried the household. She finally caved and ordered a test saddle that I am hopeful works out. She deserves it, but mostly I'm sick of hearing about her wanting/needing a new saddle. So cross your fingers, do a little jig, say a prayer, whatever you think will help that this saddle is the saddle and we can go back to her normal complaining (Actually, she's never complained and I think I am more excited for her to get a new Moots saddle than she is, but it's fun to tease her about it).

The Happy Package Hauling H.

Anyway, it finally showed up and we were able to pick it up in time for her upcoming lesson on Monday to give it a go. Typically the package would either have been delayed, lost, or arrived after her lesson. It's how life usually treats her, but this time the Sun was shining, the weather was warm and clear, a perfect day to ride, she had her Moots and the day off. And here we were about to head South to M'boro for a winery tour of some of the area wineries. Which meant no riding for H. (key muted trumpet: wah, wah, waaaahhhhh ).


We made our way down to the 'boro to pick up the EMIL. The EMIL graciously allowed us to continue on our journey in her sly ride, seeing as the truck is big, noisy, and less roomy than her car (and my car is still M.I.A.). We loaded up and headed South to the Mountain, choosing to start our day off atop one of my favorite area spots. EMIL had never even seen Sewanee's campus or experienced Shenanigans, so after our wine tasting visit at the Monteagle Winery, we headed into town for a bit. Shenanigans was closed, but the blue chair was open and H. treated us all to a pleasant lunch in the sun.

H. and the EMIL waiting in the warm sun at Arrington Vineyards.

After lunch we made our way Northward to Beans Creek Winery, where more flavors were on tap (uncorked) and ready to be sampled. Tasting wise, we probably spent the most time tipping glasses at Beans Creek. Even asked for the "in the know" samples, the knowledge bestowed upon us by the friendly Monteagle Winery folks. Friendly folks and good wine.

From their we wound our way Westward to Arrington Vineyards, Kix Brooks' little grape shop. Whereas the other wineries were more low key, Arrington Vineyards was Ruth's Chris' mixed with a family reunion in a park. An hour or so wait on the tasting list, where you get to each sample 4 selections from their menu before being turned loose to purchase the wares, combined with picnic tables upon picnic tables of people drinking wine and picnicking. It was definitely different than the others, but worth it. If you get a chance to go, pack a lunch and buy a bottle of wine to drink while you picnic and wait for the tasting. Free music and bonfires occur regularly on the weekends there as well.

We made it back to the EMIL's house in time to enjoy some dinner and spend some quality time with the lil' nephew. All in all a fun day spent drinking and driving with the EMIL. Three down and only 34 more local wineries to go...

Monkey ready for some Monkey Bell

Sunday I woke up early and snuck out with the dogs so H. could sleep in. She'd gotten maybe an hours worth of sleep in over a 36 hour period and had to work Sunday night with a Monday morning full of appointments, horses, and driving (I'm telling you she's carcoleptic folks!). I figured she needed every available minute she could muster, so the pups and I fed the horses, turned out, mucked the stalls, threw down hay, cleaned water buckets, and prepped the stalls for the evening. I then set about swapping my gravel gearing over to a more singletrack friendly ratio as the Monkey and I were going to meet up with the 'dorfer for some Monkey Bell action.

Wet leaves, such a nice change of pace after the recent mud and grit races of late.

The clouds were moving in, but the forecast was for 20% chance of rain over night. I woke H. up around 10 so she could get a quick ride in and enjoy some free time before her pre-work nap. I rolled out of the driveway as she headed towards the barn and not 3 minutes later the rain drops started to fall. Crap. I knew I should have woken her up earlier. Dammit. Wait, nope, it's just a short sprinkle shower. Whew. Driving on. As I get to West Nashville the rain starts again. This time with more purpose and evidently had been more purposing for quite some time. Damn it. I press on. Luckily it stopped by the time we pulled into the parking lot, though the temps had dropped what felt like 10 degrees. MB being magical soil (and leaf covered) was in perfect condition allowing the 3 of us to enjoy some time in the woods. Though judging by his level of crazyness still, JD could have used a few more miles in his legs.

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home" - the shoes of the 'dorfer or as I'm told he's been called "the United Colors of Benneton"

Believing In Not Believing

Thanksgiving, alone, long car ride ahead of me, waiting on Doadiedorfer, I started celebrations early.

The doadiedorfer showed up 7:30ish after enjoying not one, but two family turkey day dinners (Carbo-loading in style) and we headed up to Columbus Indiana for the night. An uneventful drive elongated by the baby bladder of the 'dorfer (it was nearly every exit). Off to bed to the unknown clicking noise (next time close the closet) and up earlier than early being in future time.


Some crappy frozen not-frozen waffles and bad cheerios later followed by some tatonka on the tube, we headed out for the Story Inn in Story IN, the gathering place for the maiden voyage of the Gravel Grovel.

Nestled in the heart of Brown County surrounded by state and national forests, the area is a step back in time. In fact, as we were making our way along the back roads towards Story, 'dorfer commented "ah $hit, we've gone back in time. I tried to keep it under 88 miles an hour".

men's open class awards

The area is gorgeous and much hillier than I expected. It's on par with most of Nashville's terrain, but with much sweeter gravel. 121 people were registered as of the night before, I'm not sure how many actually showed up but the start line was packed. We all left together at 10:15 in a mass start and blazed on in the 32 but feels like 21 degrees weather. I expected hills and ridges for most of the course, but after 5ish miles, the Gravel Grovel's hand was shown. We hit some sweet (albeit wet and muddy) double track and single track sections. Very reminiscent of the section of Snake on the second half from the clay wall that is always wet before the hard right hand gully clay turn leading to the singletrack left turn all the way to the gravel climb up to the 8 mile left turn. Yeah, seriously sweet. Backwards it rode like the downhill into the halfway climb.

Throw in a couple Trans Iowa style bridges, Kanza's Texico Hill section, and the wooded/shaded cold forest roads of Southern Cross and you've pretty much have a solid idea of what the Gravel Grovel course is really like.

Women's Podium

I started out similar to Kanza and was in with the second group rolling down the road. The front group took off like it was a 7 mile race. Crazy intense. With the narrow roads and the large group I was more worried about keeping out of trouble until it opened up than sprinting off the line. I lost contact with 'dorfer and rolled up to a few other singlespeeders. Word was there were two "fixie looking crossers" up ahead. I assumed one was 'dorfer the other an unknown. I rolled with my SS cohort for the first few miles until we hit the first hill. Think Seedtick but gravel. Many were off the bikes and walking already. I took it one pedal stroke at a time and crawled my way up and over, rewarded with a sweet downhill, then shortly the singletrack.

I caught up with 'dorfer in the singletrack and we rolled together following others up the road. He informed me their was a silver hipster looking SS'er up ahead riding "crazy fast". As the false flats started, punctuated with rollers, I started to warm up and feel good. I decided to pin it with what I had and see how long it would stick. I new I would pop, question was when, but I really wanted that custom made trophy. My low spot started on the way to the turn around, no idea of where I was, how far I was, I really needed the mental boost of knowing I'd reached somewhere. It was kind of a grueling false flat and hills ride there. Once there, I was motivated. 15 miles left and the first 5 miles of it was smoking fast going down what we'd just crawled up.

Singlespeed Podium

Fading, but still feeling good. I tried to keep the rpms as high as I could for fear of getting caught from behind on the flatter stretches. I knew 'dorfer had the gearing advantage on the flats and surely he wouldn't be that far behind. I gave it all I had anxiously awaiting the singletrack. I thought if I could get there before I saw him, I could increase my lead having fatter knobby tires for the mucky and slick trails. Mission accomplished, then a 3 mile all out effort to not get pipped at the line. I crossed it assuming I was second as I never saw the silver ss again after he passed me inbound on the turn around stretch.

'Dorfer loafers

To my surprise, I came in 1st singlespeed! The coveted trophy was mine. My expectations met without any belief that I could do it. Perhaps believing in not believing is the key. 'Dorfer took the podium shot for me, after snapping this artistic view of his feet. I'm questioning his footwear choices though.

At least he was out of these already

My take home memento from the Gravel Grovel

Don't worry, 'dorfer got a memento too.

I wish we could have stayed a few more days as there are tons of mountain bike trails and dirt/gravel roads to explore in the area. The bar at the Inn had a great selection of beer and good food. Judging by the number of hunters we saw out though, it's probably not the best weekend for such explorations, but I'm definitely making it a point to get back up there for some R&R and riding.

Thanks to Mike Sharp and all his volunteers for putting on a fantastic and challenging race. If there is a 2010 version, it's on my 'must do' list. Also thanks to Anthony Minstein, Master Educator from Leave No Trace, for his time and information. In his short 5 thoughts speech I learned lessons I'll never forget.

The LeMond or The Cheney

I got out for a quick spin today to wake up the legs and test out the recent changes on the bike. I logged 22 miles and just under 1000' of climbing in a little over an hour. That's pretty much my riding of late. I'll get between and hour and an hour and forty minutes of riding (22 or 27 miles) twice a week if I'm lucky. Some people are under the impression that I've been riding daily for months, not sure where they got that idea, and call me a liar when I say I get 4-6 hours in a week. It is what it is. When I can get back to commuting, yeah I'll get about 10 hours in a week but the new gig doesn't really lend itself well to daily commuting, so I'll get maybe once a week in. When someone figures out how to get more time out of the day, lemme know. Until then I'll enjoy my couple hours a week and just try to keep the pack in sight as best as I can.

Eagerly awaiting the shot. Dish likes to chase the splashes of the skipping bb.

Speaking of the pack, while wrenching on the bike I had a couple hounds needing some attention. One of the most annoying yet endearing qualities of the Catahoula breed is that they will not let you forget you have one. When they require your attention, they will definitely let you know. So post ride, I grabbed the Red Ryder and headed to the back forty with the overly excitable mongrels (Christmas is coming and I have to get some practice in if I'm going to beat Deadeye Dick - my brother AJ - at this years backyard shoot out).

Naturally JD found the mud. MMM tasty.

He's pretty self cleaning though, splashdown in 3, 2, ...

Like a whining Catahoula, the overly mud raced '06 bb7's were in dire need of attention.

To tally up the pre-race bad ideas, we've got not riding for 6 days opting for beer and couch vs cold and lycra. We've got wrenching and changing things on the bike left to be untested just hours before departure time. We've got hiking in the back woods accentuated with the potential to shoot my eye out (hence the naming of this page of the bad idea handbook The LeMond or The Cheney). And we've got expectations well above current fitness. Sweet.

Happy Thanksgiving all. If you're bored and looking for some more internet time to keep from having to hang out with the family, click here and read a good write up about Papa Ted. He's retiring after 38 years 5 months and 27 days on the job.

* Update: Tomorrows area temps *

me brrrr, me brrr!

Bad Ideas, Better Beer

Tube, patches, and a boot held tightly by Awesome pre even Awesomer

Finding myself alone in the house with nothing but time on my hands to obsess over Friday's new adventure, the Gravel Grovel (H. thinks it should be called the Gravel Gobble). (Hey that reminds me of an NPR joke, what sound does a space turkey make? Hubble hubble hubble hubble!)

The weather is either going to rain and be cold, snow and be cold, or just be cold. No worries, I've got all those bases covered in the clothing department (I don't really have a clothing department, more just a mildewy closet and a hang bag). The bike is geared in my go-to gravel grinding gearing and is all washed and polished up for battle. Awesome Straps in place and my clip-on third water bottle cage attached. 3 bottles should easily get me through 100k.

One of the few things gRant was good for, the attachable/detachable 3rd water bottle mounts.

I've booked a party suite for the 'doadiedorfer and me (it must be a party suite since she said it comes with a non-smoker and 2 queens) up in Columbus, Indiana. He's driving since my car is still at the shop without a diagnosis (or eta) so that makes me navigator, which has me combing over maps for travel and, while I'm at it, satellite and terrain maps of the course trying to decide if I've chosen gearing properly. Pretty sweet that the race is Friday since H. works tonight through Friday night, I'll get a road trip and race in before she even knows I've been gone and still get full use of Saturday and Sunday to enjoy the weekend. Hell Yeah FTW!

A pile of goodies. Time to introduce Indiana to the magic socks.

The excitement is the unknown. This is a new event in a new to me riding location on the gravel/dirt roads of the Hoosier National Forest in scenic Brown County. I think the last time I was in Indiana was during swim camp with the late Doc Counsilman many moons ago. The excitement of new events is addictive. Like the first time I did ORAMM, or Leadville, or Kanza, or PMBAR - the whole not knowing what to expect, how your body will react, how your mind will react, what the weather will do, etc... Exciting and increasingly rare. If only I weren't in slough* shape.

*slough definition for krs1: a condition of degradation, despair, or helplessness.


I'm in "roughed off" mode (H.'s term for when you turn a competition horse out to pasture to just be a horse for the winter) which kinda sucks because ideally I'd like to hit this event with everything I have and see if I can come home with a custom trophy but I'm not prepared, conditioned, nor have any idea the complexity of navigating the route (unmarked roads in a National Forest, yeah expect a few wrong turns and cursing). Basically full on TeamDicky playbook style, but with less talent, more height, smaller wheels, outboard bearings, and a better beer selection.

Snoutzer

WhatChuLookinAt?

Another perfect weekend lost to being a good hubband... er I mean, another fun weekend horsing around with H.. Finally sound Ian was able to compete and H. signed up for a show with the SRPC in the 'boro that had a musical freestyle option available. She picked out her music (from her favorite musical "Tommy"), created her routine, and worked hard to accomplish one of her lingering New Years resolutions. I was able to edit the mix for her and I must say her music kicked all others' asses, even though no mules participated.

Hey, does anyone else smell Fritos pie?

I think Ian likes feeling like a rock star and he really was on his game during the musical freestyle. He's pretty flash. The Fritos pie was as good as I remembered it and I even got to hang out with my friend (mentioned a few posts ago). Time well spent. Both times.

Run Ian, Run!

Still no diagnosis on the car. Anyone out there good with cars? It's overheating, but randomly. Last time it was supposedly something floating around in the radiator. A new radiator resolved it, as did a new thermostat, new hoses, flushing, but now it's back. Go figure. 5th times the charm, eh?

Should be back to some biking this week as I have a race coming up and I've not prepared (or packed) at all. I did just get the bike washed, which is a good start. A clean bike is a fast bike. Maybe I'll just shower and call myself ready.

Thad's Law #1

Stupid car

I got a glimpse of a no plate lifestyle this week. I experienced a healthy balance of work, home, side projects, social, and recreational activities. Two night rides, one on road and one off-road, some good progress on projects left lingering due to the heavy influx of work during the 12 days of hell, and some social interaction with friends and family. Life was cruising along nicely except for Wednesday's minor hang-up on the way in to work.

$924 dollars spent on the car in preparation for winter and travel for oil, tires, alignment, and balancing, etc last week had the car driving exquisitely. The yang to that yin always seems to be inevitable engine issues.

Thad's Law #1: When a car is driving like new again, a large repair bill is soon to follow. This is doubly true when preparing the car for holiday travel. Triply true if you've already spent car maintenance budgeted money on items hoping to prevent such issues. Quadruply true if shuffling the vehicle around with work and home creates larger hassles. Quintuply true if your first name is Thad.

Welcome back overheating issue. Yep, same behavior that has been "repaired" 5 times already this year. Twice by a place in M'boro where the car first failed last Christmas. Three times by the Mazda dealer. Back for #4. This is what happens when your car is paid off. It ran beautifully while the payments hung overhead. Now that they've been gone for a year it's been nothing but trouble. The last car I had that was paid off got totaled in a wreck on a rainy day (minor vehicular damage, but both airbags went off @$5000 a pop).

Pessimism: keeping my irony and sarcasm fed.

Mootlighting

Got out for a short night ride with the 8Ball tonight. SS gravel grinder setups in the 38 degrees and oddly sleeting highland rim hills and hollers. It's been a long time since I've been able to get a ride in with Mike due to his wacky work schedule. It was good to get out for a "fat and out of shape" spin. Clears the mind, calms the nerves.

Bellies were refilled by Jeanie's home cooking in a bag and the last of Mike's New Belgium beer. Hardly feels like a Wednesday night. Lights are charging back up for another Mootlighting session. I can't wait.