this space for rent

We've lost another good one folks, sorry if you haven't already heard, but Sheldon Brown passed away.  For those of you who never knew who he was, he was a legend in the maintainance departments of bike shops around the world.  Got an issue that you've never seen before and a question that you can't find the answer to, consult Sheldon Brown's website for the answer.  The guy was a fountain of knowledge about bikes and he will be missed.

  The weather's been pretty awful around here lately, and I haven't been spending near enough time on the bike.  Between working my three jobs and balancing the schedule that goes along with that I just haven't been able to make the time.  It's a poor excuse and one that I hope to not have in a weeks time though.

  Not much else to report other than that, the looks of things are going to change here over the next couple of weeks so Im interested to hear feedback on what everyone thinks.
POAS
matt-

  A new month and a new transfer limit has been granted to me.  As you can see the pics and banners are back up, and the penis nose guy has gone back into hiding for the time being.  I appologize to those of you that do read this thing that I didn't have any new posts, things have been pretty stressful around here lately.  I'm still trying to find the right job for me which means the long process off talk to recruiter, do a phone interview, talk to recruiter about phone interview, prep for actual face to face interview, talk to recruiter about prep work for interview, go to interview, talk to recruiter about interview and then...........................wait.  It sucks, I hate it and the sooner I find what I'm looking for the better, though I guess that applies to several other areas in my life too.  I guess when it comes to my business life, I'm the kind of person that if the answer is going to be no anyways, then please just tell me that from the get go so I can focus my energy on something else.  Like the DNC song says, "If you don't want me, taggin' along.  Why don't you turn around and tell me so, instead of wasting my time."
  So along with that, I'm working in my old guitar shop three days a weel again.  It's nice being there, sometimes I wish it were possible to make a better living doing just that.  The people are great, very few jerks come into that shop and the ones that do tend not to come back.  Guitar shops and bike shops are a lot alike, the same type of people that will go into a bike shop and paw over things and talk for hours and keep you from getting anything done are the same ones that come into a guitar shop and want to play the really nice high dollar stuff, talk for hours about it, but rarely buy anything.  I'm not saying these folks are jerks, in most cases they're really nice people and tend to refer a lot of business your way.  However the ones I'm refering to are the people that talk down to you, treat you as a second class citizen w/out getting to know you, and then demand that they get some sort of discount.  Frankly thats one of the things that pisses me off the most, since we put a lot of time and effort into research to determine what we want to sell something at, it's rude for someone that I don't know from adam to demand that I lower the price on an item because they feel they deserve it.  Most of the time when you ask someone why they feel like they should get a discount they'll tell you, "well I've been shopping here for years, thats why."  Ok that's valid, but you really want to tell these people that asking me to cut money off of something that I"m selling is like me asking you to take 10% less payroll on your next check, and I expect that same 10% deduction everytime I see you and bring up the subject.  Look at it this way, we've got to keep the lights on somehow and that really nice guitar that you have no intentions of buying, but acts as a great work distraction, didn't just show up.  We had to pony up the cash up front in hopes of someone else loving it enough to want to own it.  Anyway, enough of all that.
  Yesterday I rode the 45 mile option on the Brewery loop up in Cartersville w/ Al. Scott, Paul and Carebear.  It was Al.'s b-day ride and the weather albiet a bit cold to start was great as was the ride.  A few run ins with some of the local dogs on the route, but other than that no other issues.  Last night Band of Heathens played Eddies Attic in Decatur with Jackson County Line opening up for them.  I wasn't really all that impressed w/ JCL, they're a decent band w/ some good song writing and decent melodies, but there wasn't anything that stood out about them or made them unique.
  The Heathens on the other hand brought the place down, every song they did was just plain flat out better than the last.  I'm telling you this right now, so mark the date, these guys are going to be big someday real soon.  So check them out and go see them next time they're in town, then you can be that guy that goes "oh yeah, I know them, I saw them back when they were_______"  Come on, you know you want to be that guy, even though you can't stand that guy and would tell others not to be that guy, you secretly know that some part of you would like to be just that guy.
  Oh well, there's things like laundry to be done and coffee to be made before I leave to go to work today, yep I work saturdays now, it sucks.  So I guess I better get to it, sorry for the lack in correspondence, I'll try not to let it happen again.
POAS
matt-

  This past weekend was the Ronnie Thomson Memorial weekend festival in Macon Georgia.  Folks from all over descended upon the Thomson facility in Macon Georgia to honor the life of a man that has given so very much to the cycling community.  As most everyone knows by now, Ronnie passed away the weekend before what was to have been his birthday celebration.  The weather forecast called for rain and low temps, but those that made the choice to show up and brave these conditions embodied what the cycling community really means.  I have to stop and say that I'm pretty disapointed at those that said they were going to be there and choose instead to stay home.  I can understand folks that couldn't afford to make the trip down from Nashvegas after having to suffer the hefty sum of a car repair bill like our friend the Marsupial, and I can understand the need to stay at home and take care of your four kids like our friend Flatfender.  What I couldn't understand was how so many others could just turn a blind eye to it and just flat out not show up.  All I'm going to say is that I found it pretty weak, no use to say anything further about it.

  Friday afternoon, Hodge and I made the trip down to Macon.  The temps were in the mid 50s, sun was shinning and if you hadn't listened to any weather gypsies, then you might think that it was going to be a nice weekend weatherwise.  We got set up in our vendor tent and started to hang out w/ the folks that were there.  One guy looked really familliar to me, like an old friend that I hadn't seen in a while that I didn't know was a cyclist.  Turns out it was my old friend Thatcher Young, or Thwacker as we used to call him, he's the only person I know of on the planet whos skull is as thick as mine.  Hodge, Jdubbya and I barely had enough daylight to catch a ride at the Thomson trails.  I led everyone out, wanting to be out in front because I wanted to be the first to see the wood bridge that had thrown me into the earth a year ago breaking my collarbone.  Once I saw it, I knew I had to roll it like it was nothing and not think twice about it, I committed and sure enough it was nothing.  One year later and I can check that one off on the to do list.  The rest of the trail was as fun and flowy as I had remembered.  Unfortunately I broke a spoke on one of the clown wheels and it cut my riding short for the remainder of the weekend. ( I run my spokes in a twisted pattern on the Niner and didn't have any spokes long enough to replace it)
  We partied until the later hours of the night, drinking SweetWater beer and listening to some really great music and enjoying the general all around dipshittery of the evening.  I finally cashed in my chips around 12:30, just as it was starting to sprinkle, which turner into rain somewhere around 4:00 AM
  Saturday morning arose to rainy skies, and an ever increasing wet field.  I told Hodge that we needed to move the car out because things were going to get swampy in that field sooner than later.  After laughing me off the first time I convinced him to do so with som helps from some well placed threats of beatings on my part if we got stuck later on.  This turned out to be one of the better moves on my part of the weekend because everyone that made the decision to stay in that field needed some assitance in getting out by the end of the day.
  The 420 race was awesome, probably some of the worst conditions I've ever seen people race in and for once I was happy to be running support instead of racing.  Hodge took first place and was impressive as hell, perservering and not giving up in conditions that would have killed my spirits after the first lap.  Thankfully with the help of Gore Tex and Capt. Morgans, I was able to stay dry and warm all day, even in the rain.
  The memorial ceremonies were very touching and heartfelt, with the Thomson family sharing stories about Ronnie and what had promted him to start making bicycle parts that led to the original partnership with Klein.  A cherry tree was to be planted at the trail head in his memory, and the agreement that we would keep the festival going next year.  It's what Ronnie would have wanted.
  I got to sit in and play a little music later on that night, it was almost too cold to even play my guitar and w/out any prior planning we didnt know that many songs to play (even though b/n the three of us we could probably win any name that tune contest) but it was fun anyway.  Had some car trouble on the way home Sat night and finally got in w/ the help of Code Red to the house somewhere around midnight.  Owe ya big on that one bro, thanks for saving our asses again. 
  So despite the rain, despite the cold weather and despite anything else, those that showed up had a great time and did right by showing their respects.  I'm proud of everyone that came out and look forward to next years festival, really special thanks go out to OMBA for putting eveything together and to those that helped out in a big way like Bam Bam and Pebbles who cooked the most amazing dinner and Bruce Dickman for being the driving force behind hyping everything up.  Rest in Peace Ronnie, we're not going to forget you down here.
POAS,
Matt-

For anyone who hasn't heard, Ronnie Thomson passed away over the weekend.  I had the pleasure to meet Ronnie on several occassions and every time I went away with the feeling of amazement at how humble and kind he was.  Thomson parts have played a very key role in my time spent on a mountain bike and I don't just mean by keeping me connected to whatever bike it is that I happen to be riding at the time.  My first mountain bike as an adult (which was my second mountain bike ever) was purchased from that same summer camp that I seem to be mentioning an awful lot these days.  It was a Trek 4500 that was used in the camps mountain bike program and purchased for $250.  I can't keep track of the amount of miles I put on that bike and money I sunk into it, it became quite the joke around the Roswell Bikes shop as Chad dubbed it "the most expensive Trek 4500 ever created."  You see once I got bit by the mountain biking bug, the poison spread like wildfire through me and upgradeitus took over in a major way.  Those cheap bontrager cranks, gone and replaced by a set of Shimano cranks w/ the new external bottom bracket.  Those cheap wheels, gone and replaced w/ a set of Mavic wheels.  However the parts I was most proud of were my Thomson seat post and stem, I remember Peter and Chad both telling me about how Thomson parts were made in Macon Ga and how there wasn't a better made stem or post on the market.  Bombproof was how they described them, I can remember thinking "damb, that sounds badass, I need that kind of part on my bike!"
  Soon after those purchases I was told that the Thomson facility was going to play host to a birthday party and festival for Ronnie.  My friends Joey and Stephanie Polk were planning on going and invited me along, never being one to turn down a party and having the opportunity to see how those parts I was so proud of were made I jumped at the offer.  It was bitter cold that day but a good turnout none the less, the first time trial was being held and Ronnie himself was giving tours of the factory.  Me being a gear nerd, I was in heaven walking around that place seeing how they lazer etched the Thomson name into every part and how they shaped and formed the components for all their parts.  Of course my favorite stop on the tour was how they tested the strength and durability of their stems by dropping them from over six feet up w/ weights attached and onto a sharp block of metal.  The competitors stems snapped like twigs while the Thomson stem stood fast w/ hardly a mark on it.  "Bombproof" I thought, damn right!
  That day was also fateful b/c it was the same day that I met the BODbikegroup that as you all know has come to be like family to me.  Sitting around a campfire at Dausett, telling stories and drinking, me with a bottle of Capt. Morgans......and a coke.
  Several more festivals have passed since that first one and each time I remember being amazed at how humble Ronnie was.  He was a quiet man and you would sometimes have to lean in to hear what he had to say, but a kinder man I have seldom had the pleasure of meeting.  Even taking the time to find out how I was doing after I broke my collar bone at last years Thomson Day Festival. 
  Im told he could be quite the giant in the business room and held fast and tenaciously to what he thought was right for his product and the business.  Ronnie and everyone at Thomson have been largely instrumental in growing grass roots racing in the Southeast, rarely would you ever go to a race that you didn't see the Thomson name listed on the sponsors banner.
  This weekend the show will go on, and the festival will happen.  People will gather at the Thomson facility in Macon to ride bikes, swap stories, meet new friends and remember the man that was and still is Thomson.  Ronnie would have wanted it that way.
POAS,
Matt-

So for those of your that read this blog let me start off by appologizing for the picture of the little guy w/ the dick nose.  Apparently there are folks that read this thing and my monthly data transfer limit was exceeded 5 days into the month.  From what I've been told the post about the big ole' Texas wedding and the midget was quite popular around the CDC, so know if the next strain of super flu breaks out and we don't have a cure for it that it's my fault for writing something that's entertaining and kept the good people at the CDC from saving the world.  My bad.
  Anyway, now I'm faced w/ either upgrading services, AGAIN.  Or riding it out until next month when I get my montly alotment of bandwidth to exceed.  So once I get my bills taken care of for this month and set some aside for next month, if there is enough left over then I might bite the bullet and spend some more money on this thing.
  OK enough of that, if any of you have been reading www.sorba.org/forum then you know that my good friend Al. took a pretty nasty spill on Bear Creek over the weekend that required some medical attention.  I offered to drive him to the hospital in Jasper since I both knew where it was and had been there before.  So the good docs at the hospital got Al. stitched, patched and cat scanned up, can you believe that they found a brain in that skull of his?!?!  In all seriousness I'm really glad that it only required some stitches and that he wasn't hurt any worse, heal up quick bro!
  Oh yeah remember me mentioning that  I'd been to the hospital in Jasper before?  You didn't think that I'd let you go w/out telling you that story did you?  Hang on, I'm going to need either a beer or some coffee for this one...........
  (I choose coffee)  So back in the summer of 2000 I was doing an internship at a summer camp in Jasper, the same one I mentioned in the story of the Texas wedding.  We were getting the camp ready for the summer which meant cleaning everything up and clearing out some growth that had sprung up over the last year.  I inadvertanantly got myself into some poison ivey, which had never been a big deal before b/c I had never been all that alergic to it.  It would come into contact with my skin and the are exposed would get a little pink, but no itching or swelling or hidieous festering boils that you see when you search google images poison ivey.  Try it, I'll wait........... Pretty gnarly, isn't it?
  Anyway, so I get this stuff around my eyes and apparently that was the one spot that I was alergic at b/c both of my eyes swelled shut.  Down to the hospital I was sent for a cortisone (sp?) shot and back then Jasper Mountain General (as it was known) wasn't the modern picture of hospital technology that it was now, but rather something that was about 50 years past needing a renovation.  All of the curtain rooms were taken so I was directed towards a gurney in the hall.  From my place of honor I could see all the other patient rooms and hear what was going on, there was a little boy who needed stitches from playing with a knife and cutting his finger open.  The little girl that had also gotten into some poison ivey but only needed some sort of cortizone cream for it.  Then there was her, an elderly woman that with one look you could tell that she was used to seeing the insides of a hospital and with the second look at those that had brought her there, you could tell that they were sick of having to take her.  She complained of chest pains and shortness of breath, while her family tried to convince her that she was going to be ok just like the time before and the time before that and the time before that.  She claimed she was dying, the doctors told her is was just an upset stomach and gas and she would be fine.  She called out" JESUS!  I'M COMING HOME TO YOU!  LIFT ME UP JESUS!"  Ok now I don't want to sound like one to make fun of an old woman, but it really was funny.   You could tell from the looks on her family memebers faces that they were trying to hold back laughter as well, and it wasn't the first or the last time they were going to go through this.
  Finally after about three hours a nurse came by and said "OK Mr. Smith, stand up and drop 'em?"  "Umm excuse me?  Here?  Shouldn't we go somewhere more private?   I mean there are children here and while I do have a pretty sweet looking ass, are you sure that they should see that sort of thing?"  (Ok I made up the part about having a sweet looking ass, which I do by the way, but the rest is true)  Nope, she was on a time schedule and this was the best care that I was going to get.  So bare assed and in a hallway, I got stuck.  But on the bright side I was fine the next morning and could once again see.
  OK so something serious here, for any of you that have ever been to Eddies Attic in Decatur to hear a show, then you have had the pleasure of hearing Shalom Aberle work the mixing board.  His job for the most part is one that if done right, you barely even notice, but if wrong then it upsets everyone from the person on stage to the people at the back of the house.  Shalom may very well be the Eddy Merckx of (if you don't know who that is, then you probably need to find another blog to read)  Anyway, Shalom is having some health issues and like many in the independant music business, he has no health insurance to help aid the bills that are piling up.  So starting last night a three night stand entitled Calling All Friends benefit series started.  Many of the original attic performers and attic rats were on hand last night, Matthew Kahler, Krisitan Bush (formerly of Billy Pilgrim, now of Sugarland) Kodak Harrison and many others were on hand.  I only had time to stop by to listen to the three before mentioned play, but it took me back ten years to hearing all these people play for the first time and the music that came out of that room.  That music would never have sounded near as good had it not been for Shalom working night after night behind a mixing board, making sure that everyone sounded their best and the crowd got the very best performance out of the performers.  So now Shalom needs our help, please folks if you're reading this, stop by Eddies Attic in Decatur and take in one of the shows and give some money to help Shalom out.  Thurs nights show promises to be something special with Pierce Pettis stopping by and rumours of a few suprise guests as well. 
POAS,
Matt-

So this was in my inbox this morning....
Thank you for your interest in SSWC08. Unfortunately registration filled up prior to receiving your form. We had over 800 people interested and only 350 spots to fill. We hope you will still consider coming out to Napa, CA for the race festivities and to cheer on your fellow single speeders. There will be  various rides around the Bay Area the week leading up to the race and afterward too, so it should be a lot of fun. We will be posting a blog soon to keep everyone up to date on what's going on. Thank you.
 
SSWC08 Team


I've been holding my tongue on this one for a couple days now and haven't bothered to check over on MTBR.com so this might be an old issue to some, but personally I think the way they  (being the race directors) went about this whole thing is a load of bullshit.  I can hear the planning meeting now, "Let's open registration on new years eve and let's do it at midnight california time."  "Hey that's a great idea, that way anyone on the East Coast will have to stay awake past 3 in the morning on amateur night!"  "Better yet, let's not bother to email the people who signed up for email updates six months ago when they first heard the worlds were going to be state side (like myself) and have them discover it after registration has been open for a full six hours already."
  Sorry, I know this whole East Coast West Coast thing isn't nearly as big as Biggie and Tupac, but I meant come on people.  Why the hell would you open up registration on New Years Eve?  I thought the whole spirit of single speeding was doing things that you enjoyed and who enjoys either having to skip drinking and wait by a computer for a link to open.  Or try to stay sober enough to make it past 3 AM and then make it home w/ enough where with all to operate a computer.
  Which brings me to my next gripe 350 SLOTS?  What the F@#K is that?  This is the World Championships and you're only going to have 350 racers?  Crap on a stick, I've seen NORBA races that have more contestants, now I know that there are people that will say that those races have more categories, but those races also weren't billing themselves as a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP race.  Anyway one last one for the homies and then I'm done with it, Mt Washington is the week before it and way tougher anyway.


 so for those of you not in the region, it's been stupid cold (for Georgia) the last couple of days.  Cold to the point where it actually makes sense to own a $200 fleece jacket as something more than a fashion statement.  Wed night I tried to go ride at Big Creek for the night ride, I say try because even though 90% of me was layered properly to keep me warm, my hands froze into useless chunks of flesh resembling this shape.....


and to top it all off, the cold weather caused my Fox RP3 shock to go into the stuck down position, making the entire bike useless.  Now I know some of you are thinking, what kind of single speed 29er uses a RP3, and to answer your question, none.  That shock resides on my Turner Flux, my old race bike that I won't part with and use especially this time of year when I'm trying to keep a lower heart rate.  The rest of the year is devoted to trying to make riding a bike as difficult as possible- one gear on mountain town, check - 55 toof big ring on the road bike for the gaps, check- punching Bam Bam in the quads at the finish line of a race......well even I'm not that stupid.
POAS
matt-

Jan 1 2008 and again another chance at getting it right this year, same thing I think every year when the calanders change and I begin the slow process of training my brain to remember to add another digit to the year column when I write a check.  The night before had been a late one with people lingering about the house long after midnight, I had hoped to be in bed by 1:00 but that didn't happen and I finally was able to call it a night around 2:30.  However 7:00 AM came with all the subtleness of a head on collision at high speeds and I fought to free myself from the comfort and warmth of my bed to go ride in the cold of the mountains.  I made it over to Speedy's place almost at exactly the time I said I'd be there (minus 5 minutes) and we made it up to Ellijay way ahead of schedule and met BODfather and Carl at the Burger King just inside of town.  I had slept for the better part of the trip up there and was greeted with the harsh reality of just how cold this day was going to be once I rolled my window down.
  Once onto Gates Chapel Road we joined into the crowd of folks getting ready, saying hello to one another and generally all around complaining about how cold it was.  Once layered up and dressed to go Bruce (the mouf o' da souf) DICKman got us going, and 10 minutes early from the posted start time I might add.  Up the service road towards Bear Creek, I settled in towards the back already having resigned myself to behaving for the day and doing my best to stay in my base zones even if it meant walking and taking breaks.  I should note that I hate stopping on rides, I don't mind the occassional regroup, but the ride for a half hour stop for a half hour to socialize thing kills me.  I get cold, my knees get stiff and starting up again is both frustrating and painful.  I'd much rather just keep moving.  Thankfully though at the pace I was keeping myself to, I was able to miss most of the standing around and waiting on folks, b/c I was one of the ones being waited on!  Anyway, as soon as we hit the Bear Creek trail we made a left onto Pinhoti 1, kinda dissapointing b/c I was hoping to see the overlook since it was such a clear day with great visibility, however it's hard to be upset when you're riding on the Pinhoti trail.  Every inch of that trail just flows and is so consistantly great, it's no wonder it's still my favorite trail system.  The trails were in great shape, very litttle mud overall and somewhat leaf covered, but not to the point where you lost the trail.  A few downed trees made for some interesting sections, but as usual Pinhoti delivered on being some great riding.  The descent down Pinhoti 2 was a blast, the bike felt great and thankfully the brakes worked as intended (otherwise I would have had a tree to handlebar meeting at one point) and the climb back up Pinhoti 2 made for some great bonus miles.  Ride highlights for the day included choosing exactly the right amount of layers to keep me warm all day and then watching Bruce talk smack right before his little off trail excursion, what was that about skills Bruce?
  Once back onto Gates Chapel rd, Mama http://biken4fun.blogspot.com/ who had been taking pics as our own personal photog all day long broke out the New Years Day chocolate straight from her own kitchen.  For those that don't know Mama has her tour card in chocolate and can bake some of the best and tastiest chocolate creations ever dreamed up.  After we said our goodbyes shared a few beers and loaded up the cars, Speedy Rusy and I headed south to my parents place in Canton who treated us to a New Years day dinner of chicken collards (for money) and black eyed peas (for luck) along with other trimmings.  It was really nice to have a dinner w/ family and friends there to share it with, I wish others could have joined us.
  So here's to a new year, better than the last.  Hope to see all of you out there.
POAS,
Matt-

btw check this guy out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mEqEe-PIC8&feature=related

After coming off the miserable awful day that was yesterday, I awoke to this....


bloody wonderful conditions for a bike ride eh mate?  Visibility of about 50 feet, wet, cold and every trail in the surrounding area is closed.  So unless things change for the better real soon this may remain a piece of artwork....


I just don't think I have it in me to ride the trainer again today, so far I've logged about 7 hours on it in the last week and I just can't get my head right to do it again.  For me riding the trainer is like getting a dog to take its medicine, we both have to be fooled into believing that we're getting something good out of it.  Right now every minute on the trainer passes like an hour, I know I'm bitching and whining.
  So the two positive things of the last 48 hours.  I got a smoking deal on an Ultimate bike stand at the local REI scratch and dent sale.  These things never fail to amaze me at not only what REI is willing to take back, but the audacity that someone would have to return some of the items they do.  I mean who in good conscience can purchase an item say like a jacket, wear it for an entire year and then return it when they rip a hole in it on a loose nail in their house?  It wasn't the product or the sellers fault, and yes there were several items like that on the sale racks.  I think people take the term customer service to mean that if you sell something the since you made money of me then you always have to keep me happy.  Once again another group of people who fail to take full responsibility for their own actions.   OK enough of that, so I find this bike stand, I wasn't really looking for one but I've needed one for a long time now and didn't want to spend the money on what they cost new.  I come across this one and it says that the customer stated that the stand wobbled a little bit when a bike was in it.  Well duh! they all do that, if the thing isn't bolted to the floor and attached to a professional grade bike clamp then theres going to be some wiggle to the way it walks.  Hell even the pro stands move a little bit.  So I figure that the $48 they're asking for it is more than a steal and I could probably fix it even if it was broken and I wasn't seeing it amongst the hustle and bustle of rabid bargain shoppers looking to pick up someone else's cast offs.


got it home and there's not a thing wrong with it.  Used it on four bikes last night and it's solid as a rock.  Best $48 I've spent in a while.
  Now the other good thing of the last 48, the garage and bike storage area is finally clean.  It took a week, it sucked to do, I walked away from it nine times and drank about a twelve pack over the course of a week in the process.  But it finally looks like this..............




that's it for now, I'm going to go wait by the window for a break in the clouds.  Be safe out there on amateur night
POAS,
matt-

Just got a great Christmas present from my bud Darren out in Katy Texas, a whole butt load of pics from his wedding back in September.  Now for those of you that remember and doubted me and those who haven't heard the story, let me bring you up to speed.  Darren and I met back in the summer of 2000 where we were both interning at the same camp in Jasper Georgia.  I worked with the high ropes and adventure dept. and he was on the construction/maintenance staff.  From day one I learned a few things about Big D, the first being that he had a love for West Texas country music, big trucks and jeeps, good beer, the Simpsons and what some might see as a bit of an obsession about midgets.  We also both had the same idea of training raccoons to do tricks and put on a raccoon carnivale, but that's  a different story for a different time..... hey they have lil man hands and can do stuff with them, don't believe me?  then look it up, its true so back off.
  Anyway so one of the first things that D told me that has always stuck with me was that when (and if) he got married he wanted a midget dressed as a mariachi to be there w/ a sombrero on w/ chips along the brim and salsa in the middle.  That way he could wander throughout the party and people could eat off his hat.  Now I know to some of you this may sound awful and very socially unacceptable, but trust me the idea and the way he presented it at the time was and has always been very funnny.
  So flash forward six years later, Im having one of my annual conversations w/ Big D over the phone and we're catching up on one anothers lives, him living back in Katy Texas and me living in Canton Ga at the time.  He tells me that he's met someone and he thinks that it might go somewhere.  Now me being the ever supportive friend I tell him, "yeah it's going to go places, mostly with her going somewhere else once she figures out how big of a goob you are."  Well as usual with my predictions........ I was wrong (hey one of these days I'm bound to get one right, it just hasn't happened yet.)  But what do I know right?  My old guitar teacher tells me that he's written a new song and wants my opinion and plays it for me, my respones?  "I don't know Shawn, I just don't think it's going to be a hit"  Yeah, you might have heard that lil gem somewhere, it was called Lullabye and the teacher was Shawn Mullins.  My friend tells me he thinks he's found the right girl, and I crack a joke and he gets married.  So if anyone out there has an idea that might make millions and you need someone to shoot it down for you so that it's a success, then hit me up.  My going rate these days is 5%, a bargain if you ask me but once again, what do I know?
  Ok back to the story, so Darren and Mary Beth get engaged set a date and I buy a plane ticket.  I get into Texas and no sooner have I left the airport than I begin what I call the 4 day sweatathon.  Now Georgia is both hot and humid in the summer time, but Texas makes it look like the coldest day in winter.  To top it off, Big D has again aquired yet another car without air conditioning.  Now those that know me well, know that I am a full blooded southern air conditioned whore.  I was born into the stuff and raised in the stuff and have a very hard time not sweating without the stuff, air conditioning is my drug of choice during the warmer months.  I meet Mary Beth for the first time that night and right away I can tell that God made these two people with each other in mind, and I can tell that my friend has met his match.  The weekend was great, visiting with old and new friends, great food every day and a trip to the St. Arnolds brewery in Houston.  By the way, did I mention that there was a wedding?  And not just any wedding mind you, but one of the best and funniest weddings I've ever had the pleasure of attending.  Now as I mentioned before, my friend Darren isn't just your average garden variety goof ball, no he takes it to a new level.  So your average garden variety wedding vows just wouldn't do.  Like many people they choose to write their own vows, however unlike most people, their vows were not only great, but had the entire congregation laughing out loud.  To top it all off, the words I know prononunce you man and wife preceeded a big ole' Texas spin dip and kiss from D to his new wife and then it happened.  At first just a few familiar notes, and then a few more and finally..... yep their processional was from Star Wars, you remember the music from first movie released at the end where Princess Leah is awarding Luke and Hans Solo for destroying the Death Star and saving the rebellion?
this one for those of you who've been living under a rock for the last thirty years, btw how do you get an internet connection under a rock?


  There couldn't have been a better song for them to march out to.
  So after the usual boring process of pictures we were on to the reception, now with a wedding like this not just any place would do, and with a couple like this your typical banquet hall wouldn't suffice.  No an event like this you need someplace special, someplace with a certain look, somplace with a certain feel.  You need an animal sanctuary, one that comes with it's own ginormous adobe inspired reception hall and it's own llamas, emus, peacocks and other assorted exotic animals wandering about the grounds.  Along with that you need a margarita bar and a burrito buffet that comes equiped with its very own photo booth to preserve the moment.  Now I had flown out from Atlanta alone and had gone to the wedding stag, so not wanting to be the only one from the wedding photos without a date I had to think fast.  I think I did pretty good considering.....


let's just say that St. Francis was a perfect gentleman the whole time.
  So Mary Beth and Darren had a special connection to a song by Austin Collins called Wreckless and Lovely, on their very first date they went to one of his shows and their first dance together was to this song.  So it was only right that Austin Collins come and perform the song live so that their first dance as a married couple could be to the same song.  Now I need to tell you a little bit about Mary Beth, she's studying to be a lawyer ( don't worry it's the good kind, she plans on using her evil lawyer powers for good) and she's got a wicked sense of humor just like Darren, so towards the end of dinner I see her sneak off and it struck me as a bit odd.  However about five minutes later I see what she was up to when she led this guy into the room....


  The sound that came out of Darrens mouth can only be compared to the same kind of joyous squeal that a four year old can make on Christmas morning when after a short nights sleep they come barreling downstairs to see that Santa has indeed come to bring them presents.  He was speechless, there standing in front of him was his idea come to reality, quite the perfect gift on Mary Beth's part.


check out thost pythons on Big D's feet!
  The night finally was coming to a close, but the newly weds had one last trick up their sleeves, a fireworks display unlike any you've ever seen courtesy of Big D's uncle Bubba.  A perfect end to an amazing wedding and a great way for Darren and Mary Beth to start their new lives together. 

we clean up pretty nicely, don't you think?
  Oh yeah, what's the best way to take the edge of the pre wedding jitters? 

IT'S BLITZT BABY!  NFL Blitz that is.



POAS
Matt-

Christmas has again come and gone, I'm not going to get into my feelings about the holiday season other than to say that I'm not so much a big fan of what they represent on a commercial level.  Same junk you've heard before, no reason to rehash it again.  So without further ado, I'll show you pictures of what I gave myself for Christmas this year.


long sleeves and 100% merino wool, two things that my arsenal of jerseys was desperately lacking.  Oh and the hand signed Wes Freed DBT posters you see there are getting framed too, just have to wait for the holiday rush to die down at the frame place so they can get to them.  BTW the big ball you see there above the jersey, that's made of nothing but rubber bands.  It weighs about 4 pounds and will probably end up getting dropped off the balcony the next time I have a bit too much to drink (more of a public service announcement for my neighbors, just in case they come across my blog).
  So far I've put in two 3 hour rides on the road bike, one on Christmas Eve after most of the family had taken off, and another today with Speedy.  Both rides were in and around the Canton, Alpharetta, Cumming or Canalphumming area as I like to call it.  About one and a half hours into the ride today I notice that Speedy's rear brake is dragging really badly.  We pull over and I pick up the back end of his bike to spin the wheel and it gets all of about 4 revolutions before coming to a complete hault.  I did my best to try to get the brake recentered, but his Ultegra brakes and different from both my Campy and Durrrrace brakes so I couldn't get it right.  Fortunately a pair of other riders passing by asked if we were ok, I ate some crow and asked if they were any good w/ Ultegra brakes.  As fate would have it one of them was and had Speedy all set up in no time flat.  You would have thought he had crammed a rocket up his ass the way he took off after that, "this bike rides so much better, I mean it was riding good before but now..... I mean DAMN!"  FUnny how a well functioning bike makes a difference......
  Hope everyone is doing fine and getting some rides in, with any luck it won't rain too much tonight and the trails will re-open tomorrow 'round these parts.
POAS,
Matt-