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Tour de Cure, 2013, Little Mountain, SC
When I chose Tour de Cure for my first century of the year, I expected it would be a glorious sunny day in early May. Not only was it for a good cause (which was my primary reason for riding), but it...
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Strong Legs, Weak Bones
First, let me get the good news out of the way. My recovery is going well, and the doctor cleared me for Mitchell. Fitness is snapping back, and I’m even relatively optimistic that I can do well. I...
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Tour de Midlands, 2013, Lexington, SC
After all the harsh weather we’ve been dealing with, it was not comforting to see rain on the forecast for another Saturday. There was a lot of chatter in the days leading up to the event, but...
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Mitchell Readiness Check
For those readers who don’t know, the Assault on Mount Mitchell is one of the toughest cycling challenges in the Southeast. In my opinion, it is the benchmark against which all other rides are...
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Assault on Mount Mitchell, 2013, Spartanburg, SC
Before I delve into this year’s Mitchell experience, let me backtrack a little bit. As I mentioned last week, because of this injury, it usually takes a few days to recover after a big ride, but it is...
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“It Doesn’t Get Easier …”
Greg Lemond famously once said that “It doesn’t get easier, you just get faster.” I’ve heard this refrain repeated dozens, if not hundreds of times from fellow cyclists. It is thrown around so much...
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Ride 4 Animal Care, 2013, Tigerville, SC
This one wasn’t on the calendar. I had been planning to relax after Mitchell, but during the week got the itch to do a longer ride. I signed up to do a flat century, thinking it was this weekend. It...
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Bones, Hips & Harmony
I’ve been long overdue for some good news. Finally, over the last couple weeks, I got some. When my Dexa scan results showed abysmally low density in my femurs, my sports orthopaedist was alarmed. As...
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Assault on Morrow Mountain, 2013, Locust, NC
The plans were up in the air again this week. The coastal ride I had registered for was canceled because of Tropical Storm Andrea, which had passed through later in the week. That left me with Plan B...
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Summer Weekend Wars
I love the summer. Not only does it give more opportunities to ride, but also more excuses to escape the heat. That means heading to the mountains as much as possible. Knowing that my injury would...
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RIP Dr. Ed Hudson
This is a tough post to write. Last night we lost a brother. Dr. Edwin Hudson passed away after crashing during a group ride. It’s a shocking, unthinkable, and frankly, a baffling tragedy. Dr. Ed was...
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Aftermath of a Tragedy
Last night was difficult, but it was a big, first step in the healing process. The Tri-Cities group came together as a community. There were over 100 riders, many of whom had been on the Tuesday ride...
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Jackson Brevet, 2013, Braselton, GA
I remember when I first set foot into Disney World. It wasn’t the elaborate theme parks that immediately caught my eye. It was the distinct attention to detail. Once within the Disney compound, the...
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Centuries of the High Country
This article was first written for Carolina Cycling News in October of last year. They shut their doors just a few months later. With Blood, Sweat & Gears coming up this weekend, and the other...
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Onto the Next Phase
Believe it or not, it has been 9 months since when we think the injury occurred. I’ve been back on the bike for three months, gradually getting some fitness back. Ever since Mitchell, the injury has...
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Bee Buzzin’ Bike Tour, 2013, Greenwood, SC
I had been told that Greenwood’s Bee Buzzin’ Bike Tour is a fast and well-organized ride. A friend had ridden it in about 2:30 without unclipping once. Keeping up that sort of pace would be a tall...
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Vegas Excursion
In a week, I’ll be leaving the hot, humid temperatures in the Midlands for the hot, dry temperatures in the Nevada desert. We’re going to Vegas! The trip is oriented around family, but I should have...
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Bike Lanes on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Back in mid-May, in the days before my latest Assault on Mount Mitchell, I heard from my old friends at Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine. They wanted me to contribute to a piece about whether bike lanes...
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Mount Charleston, Fail
Our timing for Vegas couldn’t be worse. We happened to be traveling during a record-setting heat wave. The temperatures have been in upper hundred-teens. Yes, that is teens with a 100 in front of it....
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Vegas Wrap-Up
After my failure to take on Mount Charleston, and my first day dealing with the sweltering heat, I cut my losses. I returned the rental bike, and decided to spend my vacation like an ordinary tourist....
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