Diggin' in the Dirt

What did I do with my first day of Spring Break? Well since I wasn't in SC/GA riding my bike I started with a few errands. COB has my very first 29er bike that I ever tried and was talking trade after I delivered him a brand spankin' new 650 mtb the other morning so I decided to take him up on the offer but it ended up being a indefinite loan-a-frame. The SE Racing 29er is going to get a new life given to it by having a 29er play bike in my stables. Yea it's a "cheapy full rigid bike" but it's another bike.

What's rule #12 of Velominati? I ALWAYS try to never break this rule! I heard a guy's wife tell him amongst a crowd tonight he couldn't have another bike.... sad, sad, sad - actually it's pathetic. I really don't understand women that won't let their husbands enjoy themselves or have hobbies, hell dude could be out hanging in a bar with temptation lurking around every corner. I could say a hell of a lot more here but I won't. I will say that I'm lucky to have a woman in my life that encourages me to do more in a lifestyle (cycling) that I love! Thanks Babe!

After a couple errands to Alpine Ski Center, Oreilly's Auto and then to get more vinyl for the van I headed to ETSU to do a little maintenance work on the trails. I dug a small trench up behind the big water tower/radio station trying to get this spot to dry out. This section stays wet even in a drought. It's about 6" deep and drains right into the drain tile to shoot in down the hill. I really hope this works.

Here is a section that "used to be" many years ago. It was almost completely grown over. Only a few peeps knew that there ever was a small rough hiking trail up through these parts of the woods. It keeps everyone off the grass behind central receiving and adds a bout another 100yds of sweet single track to our system. You can never have enough single track right? I'll let this settle and get ridden some before I finalize the little bit of benching that this may need. I want to see what the water does first.

Another spot in need of attention: a place where several huge trees feel over two years ago and the trail was just rerouted to save many hours of work. People drag their brakes alot here and the trail has crept down the hill more and more over time so I found a couple of tree limbs, braced it with rock and started shoveling the dirt in to begin the process of berm building. Hopefully this will take and give riders something to lay into when coming down the fall line. It's crude but it'll do for now.

It should extend about another two feet but after 4 hours of trail work my poor back was screaming at me so I shuffled it back to moto-van and called it a day. The weather was very brisk and most of the time I was out there I saw snow flakes falling. As long as I kept moving I stayed comfortable. Stepping down from the leadership position of the cycling team into the trail management position will give me a little more time on the trail, I like this! This would be a dream job if it would sustain living expenses; go out ride your bike, inspect trails, do a little maintenance, report back to the higher-ups, push a little paper work then get paid for it? Very, very nice I say!

Day 2 Spring Break Tomorrow....

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