TAC'D OUT: what's UP with the DATE?

Ha! How did you guys like that blog title? Pretty cool huh?

Get it, "up date". Hahaha. I'm smrt.

Well, blog posts are the epitome of procrastination. Once you skip out one time, then it's on. It's been quite a while since my last post. And there have been many things going on. However, I have not really been doing anything, just sitting at the house trying to find stuff to do.

I'll start with Bump and Grind. Tash and I drove over Friday night after she got off work and stayed at Momma and Poppa squirrels house. It was awesome, well except for the time that their next door neighbor woke me up, but she brought us cinnamon rolls so that made it all worth while. Big props go out to the squirrels for letting 6 people crash at their house for the week end.

The pre-ride went good, the trail might have even been drier than the year before and it seemed like Blood Rock was changed a little bit. Since the laps are 17 miles long each, it's kind of hard to remember stuff year to year. We had a great meal at Moe's before struggling down the street to Wal Mart where we could get some tooth paste. After two minuets we figured we couldn't make it to Wal Mart and swung by Books a Million. They had an awesome collection of cycling magazines so that kept us occupied for a bit. When we came back to the house, the squirrel family hooked us up with some watermelon and basket ball action.

The race went good, not great. I was a little late to the start but was able to sneak up to the front after the instructions. Had a good start and followed Robert Marion, Charlie Pendry, Travis Livermon and Ray Hall into the woods. I was trying to look around to see if Wes had a good start, but it was kind of hard trying to stay on the trail and look behind me at the same time. I got popped off the front group after I slid off a bridge but I almost caught back on at the base of the climb. I barely latched on and got popped again. I decided this time to just shut down and ride my own pace up the climb and try to make up time on the next lap. The idea seemed good at the time but once I started my last lap, I was in no-man's land and I didn't really know how far up the leaders were. I ended up passing three guys who had flatted and held on to take fourth. I was happy-sorry guys flats suck-to finally profit off someone else's trouble. Since that's been happening the past couple of races. But I was kind of bummed because I thought I hadn't raced the smartest race that I could have.

Oh well, racing's racing. A week later I drove Tash up to the GSC race at Carter's Lake. I've been on a long five week training block and I was pretty tired, both mentally and physically. So, I rode a lap before the sis's race and fed her during her race. It's been a year since I've ridden at Carter's Lake and I was impressed at the course. They haven't made major changes but it runs neck to neck with Fort Mountain for the closest "World Cup" style course in the south east.

They have also expanded their downhill course. They still have the "advanced" course but they have added a tamer version which has some pretty fun lines. I rode it on my xc bike so it's not that bad (insert comment from Pinnett).

I finished up training yesterday in 90 degree weather. I'm from Georgia so that automatically makes it possible to complain about hot weather. Despite the very uncomfortable rides, I am getting a nice tan.

I guess I should say something about the titles. Since not that many people understood the "Rush Limbaugh.....blah, blah." I'm changing the title to something that really describes me. Not sure what, I'm still working it so check back once in a while to see what changes I've made.

Now for the question. The first person that answers the question correctly will get a free Kenda Small Block Eight mountain bike tire with an autographed certificate for being an American from me. (Non-Americans are invited to compete in the contest as well).

I'm adding some pictures from the Bump Pre-ride and some others ones I might have floting around.