It was Friday and I got out of work early. Earlier in the day, I’d gotten the IT guy to install ITunes for me. I’d spent most of my day tying up lose threads and talking MMA with a buddy. When my girl got home, we drove to Iron City to deposit money for a friend who was buying a Crosscheck. The owner gave me an x7 front shifter for free cause it had a little crack in it. We went to east end brewery for growlers. They had a new one –wheat hop. It was lemony and sharp. Initially it tasted bad, but it was so intriguing and original, I wanted more. I imagine it would pair well with shell fish, sweet sausage or grilled mushrooms. My friend Damon came. We drank beers and talked. I got 2 growlers which pushed me to 10 on my little card so I got an additional one for free. We decided to go to an Ethiopian restaurant we’d never been to before. It was good to see my girl getting along with one of friends. the food was incredible. We split a growler of Big Hop which matched perfectly with the pungent earthy flavors. Amazing meal. We headed over to Kelly’s and stayed for a few more hours debating music and art. My buddy Jeff came too. It wasn’t smoky. The barmaid busted balls in a friendly manner and only charged us $10. I went home and ate some tater tots and fell asleep.

Saturday I overslept and woke up very hungover. i could hear my girl throwing up in the bathroom. The bank closed at 1 and it was already 12:30. I crawled to the couch and fell asleep reading. The other bank closed at 3. I got there at 3:05. went to kraynick’s and bought housing and cables. An old friend was performing at 9pm so I had a few hours to finish building up my bike and hopefully do a lil riding. At 8 I quit. Top pull bottom swing derailleurs defeat me. I mistakenly thought I had a 185 mm adapter. My allen wrenches were all too short. The cable cutters kept making ragged cuts. Since I hadn’t made it to the bank, I had to borrow $20 from my girl. I hate doing that. I was riding to the show with a buddy and he announced that his wife was going as well. She is a beautiful intelligent normal person and I always feel like a subnormal weirdo around her. We got to the bar and there was a cover charge. We got a table and I realized I’d already lost my $20 somewhere. Most of the people there were former coworkers whom I have avoided for the last 2 years. My ex girlfriend showed up and began texting me. Former coworkers came over to gossip. Lot’s of saccharine sweetness and hugs from people I don’t like. Lot’s of being called Bro and chest thumps. Lot’s of people who stopped talking to me when we broke up affirming that we were still friends, right? Everyone wanted to know why I was hanging out in the back. My friend played. I love the guy and he is supremely talented, but I hate his music. I was there for support. Anyways, I snuck out the fire escape.

After years of grinding out in the dark ages of UFC at 205, Tanner gets a great idea – he’ll faire better at 185, so he cuts the weight.

Goes through 2 (controversial) wars with Phil Baroni, then subs Lawler (remember -those guys use to be very very tough) to secure a title shot against BJJ phenom D Terell who had just ko’d Matt Lindland in 24 seconds.

His moment of validation at hand; Evan gets caught in a guillotine that’d kill an ape. It looks bad but Evan perseveres, escapes and unleashes vicious ground and pound and wins the MW belt.

Next thing you know, that prick Franklin -a f’n math teacher! follows suit and cuts down. Ace gets an immediate title shot and wins the belt due to a cut (yeah Rich was already winning decisively, but let a champ go down swinging at least) and gets fed cans till the Spider arrives.

You bust yer ass at work till yer pants are a big sack of sweat. Then one day you get a good idea and it works, then some good looking prick comes and does the same thing only better, gets all the accolade and raises the f’n bar all in one fell swoop.

been working out pretty good and keeping the drinking somewhat in check. been concentrating a little too much on fighting so this summer -the tenative riding plans are:

memorial day -camping and riding up at Sinnemahoning valley with some buddies from the dirtrag forums

hit MT Denton 1-2x. i’m not a hucker/ big hit guy but i rode there last year. resorts are really fun

24 hours at 7 Springs (now if i can only pull a team together)

24 hours at Ellicotville -still need a team

i’m probably getting laid off so i reckon i’ll see how fast i can ride from PGH to DC. i did it 2 years ago, but went slow.

rent a full susser and ride Big Bear. i was born to ride hardtail, but i’m still a little curious…

jim thorpe

MS150. i’m a fat assed mtn biker but i’d like to beat out 7500+ other riders and finish in the top 500.

ride/camp rothrock

what about you?

Most people who know me would agree that I’ve got a “melancholic temperament.” Ray of sunshine I am not. It sounds sociopathic but in general, I cheer up when others are miserable and am miserable when others are cheery. It’s not that i enjoy their unhappiness; it just somehow lifts me out of my gloom. Hence, my love of winter. I ride more in winter than anyone I know. I love everything about it. My commute is better, the trails are better, the air is better, the people you meet are better. Everything looks new and less complicated. In the summer –peckerwood yuppies in spandex riding $5K bikes don’t acknowledge your existence –meet someone in a blizzard and you’re fast friends.

anyway

Crack of dawn guzzling good hot coffee/listening to jawbreaker/reading Harrison/eating a hot breakfast. Watch the snow drop like atomic fallout. –Throw on thermals, underarmor, tights, lobster gloves, balaclava, winter jersey –fire up the truck –load up the Discipline –let a little air out of the rear wheel. No cars have even attempted to drive in my neighborhood and the snowplow wont be here for 2 days. Its like I’m the Omega Man. No one left alive on earth. Fishtail 10 miles to the trails. All fresh powder. Virginal and pure. no tracks. Manual off the bed of my truck and eat it. Lay in powder laughing. Cross my eyes and watch a snowflake land on my nose. Brush snow off, climb to the top of the parking lot to build speed, turn and hammer as hard as I possibly can at the trailhead hitting the powder like an ICBM and pulling a perfect midair split as I soar over the handlebars- front wheel lodged firmly in unseen snow bank. Why is no one ever around to see that kind of stuff? Again, lie in snow laughing. Watch flakes drop from heaven. The climb up the first hill is tough. Powder on ice. Spinning out every 1-2 minutes. Pushing a bike in 6” of snow is still better than going to work. Or grocery shopping. Or watching TV. Or sitting on couch feeling sorry for myself. Feet can only be cold for so long before they go numb and cease to nag. Standing in the woods, alone listening to snow falling. Breathing hard watching breath Get to the top of the hill- the transcendental part is over. This trail is tough when it’s dry, treacherous when icy. Dropping in and sliding out. Snow makes familiar trails new. The scritching popping hissing sound of tire on snow is music. Gliding around corners w/o fear of damaging trails. Going faster than is really safe but unable and unwilling to slow. Laying in the snow post-endo and watching a squirrel watch me. 2 hours out and no one in sight. Last man on earth.

What the fuck does spring have to offer but density, bugs, sweat, dogs, mud…

forgot how much i like riding in the winter.

familiar trails look alien but instead of feeling isolated it makes you feel more alive. like an explorer or an astronaut

the frigid air like touching your tongue to a 9 volt battery

savoring the emptiness and freedom of the trails

arriving at work on time after a -8 degree commute and secretly feeling all smarmy while listening to coworkers bitch about scraping ice off their windows and then eating it on the ice as you leave at the end of the day

sidewalks become singletrack

the forests’ all encompassing silence juxtaposed by the crunch squeek and hiss of tires on powder and the occassional cawwing of crows or being scolded by cardinals.

how good a hot spinach pie tastes afterwards or a good beer while you thaw in the tavern

anyone else do it?