Just Ring the Bell

Out in the middle..........

2009-08-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

Somewhere near Bon Aqua and Lyles, TN

August 22, 2009

After your first day of cycling, one dream is inevitable. A memory of motion lingers in the muscles of your legs, and round and round they seem to go. You ride through Dreamland on wonderful dream bicycles that change and grow. ~H.G. Wells

The tifosi, from Littlelot, TN

Tarkington store, est 1927

40 miles of dirt and gravel just to see

the chicken cross the road

The tifosi, from Bon Aqua, TN

Where the hell are we going.....

2009-08-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Gordonsville, TN

August 4, 2009

Im only happy when it rains
Im only happy when its complicated
And though I know you cant appreciate it
Im only happy when it rains

Garbage

An omen of things to come???

not fast enough....

Did I mention it was HOT!!!

Praying we get back home....

Frank gives AWESOME directions

Then......... All HELL breaks loose

If I ever get back home........

2009-07-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

Primm Springs, TN

July 21, 2009

Life has got a habit of not standing hitched. You got to ride it like you find it. You got to change with it. If a day goes by that don't change some of your old notions for new ones, that is just about like trying to milk a dead cow. Jack Kerouac

Here we are, on this dot.

Frank giving directions

Where are we? We're not lost!

Where are we, part II. We may be lost !?

Then the rain came.......

Where are we part III, we are lost !

Flynn's Creek, TN

2009-07-15T06:29:00.001-07:00

Gainesboro - Flynn's Lick

July 14th, 2009

Southern Accents - Tom Petty

There's a southern accent, where I come from
The young'uns call it country
The yankees call it dumb
I got my own way of talkin'
But everything is done, with a southern accent
Where I come from

don't we pay wheel taxes??

Flynn’s Lick got its name from a man named Flynn who lived here: deer would come to

the creek area and lick for black sulphur which had a salty taste.

For several years the creek was the road. In 1914 Jackson County voted some road bonds,

and the road was taken out of the creek and built alongside the creek..........

2009-07-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

Beechgrove, TN

July 7th, 2009

Today's song stuck in my head...........

Up Around the Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival

There's a place up ahead and I'm goin' just as fast as my feet can fly
Come away, come away if you're goin', leave the sinkin' ship behind.

Come on the risin' wind, we're goin' up around the bend.

No words more true......A land of legend, a land of song,

A land of hallowed and heroic memories

TTT?

Ron's best attack of the day!

Southern Ingenuity ???

2009-07-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

Short Mountain - Liberty, TN

July 30, 2009

Highlight of the day - Climb up Short Mtn - 17% avg for .6 miles

Can't You See - Marshall Tucker Band

Gonna climb a mountain, the highest mountain, Lord
And gonna jump off, ain't nobody gonna know

Downtown Pea Ridge, TN

Cruel Summer

2009-06-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

Ashland City -Narrows of the Harpeth

June 23, 2009

Cruel Summer -

Hot summer streets
And the pavements are burning I sit around

Too hot to handle, baby
Trying to smile
But the air is so heavy and dry.....

YESSSS!

After The Goldrush -Neil Young

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver
Space ships flying
In the yellow haze of the sun,
There were children crying
And colors flying..... BONK !!

Calfkiller........

2009-06-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

Cookeville via Monterey.... June 16th 2009

Out Here in the Middle - James Mc Murtry

....Out here in the middle
Where the center's on the right
And the ghost of William Jennings Bryan preaches every night
To save the lonely souls
in the dashboard lights...

You're not on fire Ricky Bobby !!!!!!!!

Ridin' the Storm Out - REO Speedwagon

.........The wind outside is frightening,
But its kinder than the lightning life in the city.
Its a hard life to live but it gives back what you give.

And......... we did NOT get rained on. Amazing

2009-06-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

Ashland City, June 13th

This Old Town, Tom Petty

......The hills are gold
Mornings are cold
Don't know a soul on the street
I keep to myself like everyone else
Nobody says much to me....

Alto Road

2009-06-10T04:56:00.000-07:00

Arnold AFB to Sewanee via Alto rd, back through Cowan.......

In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry

In the summertime when the weather's high,
you can stretch right up and touch the sky,
when the weather's fine,
you got mountains, you got mountains on your mind.
Have a drink, have a ride,
go out and see what you can find.

CAUTION! Items in the picture are steeper than they appear

Franklin, KY

2009-06-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Excursion ride, 3 June 2009

Franklin, Kentucky

Tuesday Afternoon - The Moody Blues.....

Tuesday afternoon,

I'm just beginning to see, now I'm on my way

It doesn't matter to me, chasing the clouds away.

Something, calls to me,
The trees are drawing me near, I've got to find out why?
Those gentle voices I hear, explain it all with a sigh.

Banana & Orange pudding?

Our friend the fawn, who ran up to us on the road as his mom looked on in horror I'm sure.

Tsali Day 2

2009-04-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Day 2 started with overcast skies and drizzle, and Taylor forcing Andy to air up his tires.

The gratuitous "shiny, happy people" group shot

Jason employing a interesting technique to stay hydrated, essentially catching water with your tounge

In the end a great day.........

.....until Andy decided to disrobe in the parking lot. Taylor's right there ready to catch what falls out, while using Jason's hydration technique

Finally back to the h'tub for a little relaxation. Note the secret handshake, and Taylor trying to stay hydrated. Oh and check out Chandler practicing the victory salute! He's going to be a roadie yet!

Tsali NC - Day 1

2009-04-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

Despite the conditions, the trail drained fairly well. We would have to wait a day for the real mudfest to begin

The rollercoaster ride made everyone smile, despite the grit in our teeth. No matter how much we meditated, the sun just wouldn't break through

The high point of the day was just steep enough to ensure everyone knew what their climbing legs were for.

For that effort, we were rewarded with an expansive view of Fontana lake........

and time to contemplate the trail ahead

Just ring the bell you pansy

2009-04-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

I'm always amazed at how and when inspiration strikes. This weekend I had the pleasure of spending 3 glorious days Mountain Biking some of the best trails western North Carolina has to offer, with 7 of the best friends you could ask for. Thus the inspiration for this blog.