Annual Spring Bike Ride, BALLS V

This was actually a few weeks ago...guess I'm getting a little lazy.
BALLS V (basically a 100 mile mtn. bike ride on rail-to-trails of varying conditions) started like most of them, weather a crap shoot, leaning mostly towards crappy. It stopped raining long enough before the 7AM start for Tim Mullen and I to get out of the sag wagon (my trailer, where we slept for the night, in front of Bear's house) and join the rest of the crew as we got packed up and headed out.
Loading up the trailer.

 End of the ride prize.

Jin tossing in his bag....I think this was his 4th BALLS. He was in on BALLS I..link to it later on.

Sorry Tim, I ate 2 of Bear's rolls before I realized he only made one pan....how was that cold cereal by the way?
15 or so decided to clean the garage, wash the basement floor or just hang on to Mommy's skirt as the rest of us, 35 or so strong, took off.
It was a fast lead out, 17 mph or so. Weather conditions not bad by BALLS standards. By the time we hit the exposed part of the ride, about 25 miles in, the sky opened up and we were all soaking wet and getting cold....and colder if you even slowed down, let alone stop. The front group I was with decided to grab a cup of Joe and warm up some and let the weather maybe sort it's self out some. Coffee, pancakes, oatmeal and the list went on.... quiche??? ok, Dave, whatever trips your trigger.

Random shots along the trail....I didn't take many pics this year. It seemed to be a year where people just wanted to keep going and get it done. I rode by myself a lot of the way, something different. If new to this blog, check out BALLS I for some interesting comparison pics.

It was damn cold actually due to getting so wet. Some riders carried dry clothes, some used rain coats, some just took off like it was a sunny summer day. Hummm....wonder who that was?
Cold feet were a common complaint. Buddy Tim stopped at a store to pickup some plastic bags to use as socks with one guy dropping because he couldn't feel his tootsies anymore....I couldn't either, what with my sandals and all...so I took a peek once in awhile just to make sure they were still there.

I actually wore socks this year and something other than shorts....I'm getting to be a pansie, I guess.

These guys were rather amazing...I could never consume as many adult beverages as they did and still finish with the rest of the pack, if at all. At least the stops they took kept them riding with most of us mere mortals. Not sure what Dave was thinking, but Randy and Mike seemed to be having fun.

BALLS V.... in the bag....

Brule River Canoe trip, 2012

Perfect day.....
Yours truly:

Take a Kid Mountain Biking, 2012

Take a Kid Mountain Biking....an IMBA event.
Although not really meant for kids this young, I had to bring our Grandson out to see how he'd take it. He wasn't intimidated in the least. At 3 years, 3 months, he took to it eagerly.

Heading out to the singletrack. If you listen close, you can hear him humming the whole time.

Thirsty work!!! Even a little dirt from one of the diggers he took. Never seemed to bother him, just got right back up and took off again.

Random videos of "the ride" and the skills park.

Singletrack.

Great Smoky Mtn Vacation...Fire...

Had a great time in and around the Great Smoky mtns last month. Plenty to do. This day we were going to go white water rafting, but when I opened the drapes to our deck our plans changed.


Condo complex of about 48 condos went up in smoke right next to our complex. Never heard what caused the fire. The complex was 15 miles or so from town. The fire department ran out of water....so the fire got out of hand before more water could be trucked up the mtn. From where I was standing to take this picture,sparks landed behind me and started a 175 acre brush fire later in the day through the night and into the next day.

 Taken from our deck.

 Video I recorded of the local news...Yours truly commenting.

More info:

Right before the water ran out.

So, while Lynn was helping a 76 year old lady that lives by herself get as many personal belongings out of her condo as possible, I helped (when not capturing video that appeared on some local stations when after I sent them the clip) the local fire department rammed down our only escape after the flames prevented leaving out the front.

The TT doing some off roading, escaping the complex.

Nobody got hurt and the local Red Cross seemed to have things under control. So after driving the ladies car down the mtn. we took off to resume our vacation. The Company we rented from contacted us (impressive) and moved us to a different location.