SIDEBURNS & "THE BEST"

I have people ask me a lot what is the best bike to have. Sometimes I don’t understand why because I’m not the expert. That aside, I then I ask them "what type riding are you most likely to do?" Then I the try to point them in the right direction and let them choose. Many times it happens like this; they see one of their friends riding something really sweet and want that same sweetness so they go buy the exact same sweetness. I think many cyclists are guilty of that though. My take on this? Well, after RIDING and TESTING the ones that you have had your eye on for a while only then after testing the bike should one make a choice. After you have been around a while and ridden lots of bikes you can look at the tecky stuff online and see what works for you probably but nothing beats riding it! Just my opinion. In the end I think that EVERYONE has the best bike, the best bike for them. No one’s bikes are better than any others, even though some cost tons more than others, we still throw one leg over them at a time just like everyone else. It’s just like this big ole world we live in, there are minorities everywhere just as in the cycling world. 700c, 650b, 26”, 650, 29ers; just as the old saying goes why can’t we just get along?

Chops! No not the one you have for dinner but the ones you grow on your face. I recently started growing some facial hair that Geoff Kabush has made famous in the MTB racing community. They are turning out pretty sweet in my opinion but a lot of my peeps don’t like ‘em. Well my opinion is the only one that counts here so I’m keeping them at least until I can’t stand the itch anymore. They make my fat jaws look even fatter, omg. I could never beat Kabush one on one riding a bike but I’m going to whoop his butt growing these chops! J/K!! C.O.B. or our local cult hero grew some of these out one year and he let them get so long they looked like beagle ears on a dog. I don’t know what got me into wanting to do this but I am. I will keep some pics up and posted of the growth if I can remember to.

Above - me rockin' the newly grown chops...................
Below Mr. Kabush is sporting a moustache..............hmmm not working for ya guy! Stick with the chops you have made famous in the cycling world!

Below is a sweet shot from Roan Mountain. It was pouring back at the house when I left but up there it was a bit nicer considering the recent storm.

Spring Break? Oh yea! Next week is Spring Break 2011. I’m not a party person by any means and as I get older I’m not a fan of the beach or any super-duper overly-crowded places. I’m more of a “run off to the woods with my mountain bike” kinda guy. Last fall I disappeared for 2 ½ days into N.C. This Spring Break I have a few sites to visit in S.C. and a return trip up through N.C. Last time I used the term bike palooza Capt. Dingo sorta slammed me for not writing up some “epic” (I can’t stand that word) mtb journey for the weekend. His definitions and mine, of words, usually end up being different when it comes to words of that nature, generation gap probably, my bad I am older by more than a decade. I was just stoked that the weather had finally broke and a full weekend of riding was had, plain and simple. So, sometime next week I will head south after looking at a long range weather forecast to see what days I can get the best bang for the buck out of traveling. Upon return I should be greeted by an excavator at ETSU with Mr. Applebeast at the helm!
Here's a pic of the Lees McRae bike room. This is only about 1/4th of it. ETSU are you paying attention??? cough cough..............
I headed up there last evening to get a bike from one of the LMC kids. Februry has made me feel like a stockbroker of bikes for sure. I flipped four Litespeed bikes this month but I think I'm going to keep the BMC for awhile. The bike market is good right now but this gas situation....meh, going to kill the economy again!

LAter G.......................