Uwharrie and other events

So its is finally Wednesday, I had Tuesday off (Ill get to that little sidebar tomorrow)and getting around to the events that happened on Sunday. It was the Southern Classic Series at Uwharrie. I was a little iffy with the weather heading up there as there were some drizzles and even a few miles of real showers up to the park but as soon as I got there the rain stopped. But it was cold. Colder than I expected and had a hard time warming up for the race. Once again I did the sport class to get a few extra miles in (8 extra miles to be exact) and run the trail, but the good thing about this one is that I have experiance running Uwharrie.

I did pretty well and took 6th out of 11. Not to shabby. Part of it was because I was faster than a few guys, and part of it is that I wasn't faster than a few guys. Let me explain. One of the advantages of going slow is that you are easier on your equipment and it doesn't fail as often. So as I used my speed to beat 3 of them. I used my lack of speed to outlast one other. Points are points. Anyway the bike was so dirty from all of the gravel and wet trail that I had to find myself a new bike washing stand, here is what I came up with.


So as I was coming back I got a call from my buddy with my Jeep. His car was being worked on but the conversation went like this. "Hey Pat, you busy?"
"No, just on my way home from an awesome race where I did average"
My buddy, "cool man, well anyway can you come over when you get a chance? My car caught on fire and I need you to drive the jeep and help tow it back to my apartment"
Me "HAHAHAHAHA, ok man, thats not that funny because it happened to you, but its funny that it happened. Be right over"

I forgot to take a picture of the engine that caught on fire. Rookie mistake. Anyway this isnt the first time I had to use my jeep to tow him home. The other time he didn't want to pay a mechanic to put in a radiator so I towed it down WT Harris all the way back to Sugar Creek from Old Stateville. Luckily it is a small Hyduai so not to much of an issue, but its always an adventure seeing a cherokee pull another car by a nylon strap. OSHA would not be impressed. But that was sunday in a nutshell. a little biking, a little reckless endangerment and another day closer to 6 hours of warrior creek.

Its on like Donkey Kong

So I was planning on today writing about my Sunday and the Uwharrie race and the fun events that happened afterwards when I got a call regarding my Blefferprise rent-a-wreck Jeep, but I have been discovered.

The burrower just found out I had started a blog. She had the privilege of reading through it and made a few "suggestions" Number 1, why was she called the burrower and didn't have a real name. I had to explain to her that everyone that has a blog has to have a handle to be known by. This is the internet you can be whoever you want to be. The second issue she had with it was the introduction. My speeling and grammmer are yet to be refined. She did not like that she was called "my current finance" Ok, she does have a gripe there. Although she is my "current" she is also my "only". And also I have no idea how to spell fiancée and the spell check didn't pick it up. She is more than just a future tax deduction to me.

But the reason why it is on like Donkey Kong is that after finding it out she has started her own blog. Now I ask my loyal legion of followers (thank you Mutt, your check is in the mail) to pass on the good word for my blog (their checks will also be in the mail shortly afterward) to destroy her on the number of hits I get on this. Spread the word. And here is a picture of a dog to make everyone smile.

And let the weekend Begin!!

Well, Another weekend I forgot to take pictures so you will just have to use your imagination. Saturday started out pretty slow, decided to take the old rigid bike mountain bike out for a road ride (it didnt start out rigid, it started out as a front suspension but forgot to wash out the dirt after the wonderful short track series and now the fork doesnt move at all) and did an easy 7 miles, basically around IBM drive and back. I didn't think I would have time to ride before my Uwharrie race sunday so I squeezed it in where I could.

After I got home it was breakfast at the most magical place...IKEA. Man, for a 99 cent breakfast I sure was stuffed. Another meal down and more importantly the burrower was happy with getting out of the house. She should be officially ready to get off crutches on Tuesday from her hip surgery. That followed by grocery shopping and the weather was so nice I begged her to let me go on a ride. and it worked!!!

The only loophole was that I had to drop her off at our friend Erin's place and the only trail on the way was N. Meck. That works for me I haven't been there in a while. Ripped off 3 laps in less than 60 minutes. Top time 19 minutes flat. Not bad for the beginning of the season.

This was all before a fun filled evening with our new home-owner friends Cashley. Sometimes you forget how much fun you can have with people without cable tv or internet (as theirs are not hooked up yet). That that might be because I got to play with fire though too.

And for those who wanted a picture, here is the first official one of me in mandex from last week. Enjoy it ladies.

The Weekday update.

Ok, enough of the weekend updates and back to the weekday events that have happened. It actually was a pretty busy week so far for me. One of my (and the burrower's) friend is in town. Angie. That is one of the photos of her and her husband Ax-wound. I played soccer with him in college and can't remember how he got the nickname, but I do remember that it was justified. Luckily she was staying not to far from us and makes it real easy to pick her up. So I had the pleasure of making her, burrower and myself food on Monday. Steaks, potatoes, corn. So I had the pleasure of doing this was her and the burrower chatted like hens. Lucky me. That was monday.

Tuesday was moving Cashley day. 3 hours but it went pretty smooth. furniture went in real easy and smooth. The only part that slowed us down was getting the stuff out of the storage facility. The truck couldn't go up the ramp and the kia was the closest car so guess what happened. Load up the kia and bring the stuff down. 2 full loads and the kia was not happy. The suspension looked like this.



Anyway, that was the first half of the week. More to come after that as still a few days left, hopefully there will be some decent stuff to talk about.

Sunday Cont....

These chores I spoke of yesterday werent bad at all, just some little stuff in which I had been too lazy to complete earlier.

After cleaning out the back of the Kia from the race


I had to get clean and take a shower then the honey do list came out. Nothing major just needed to put up a towel rack and those things in which hides the cables from a wall mounted TV. The burrower has a thing about cables showing, and just organization in general. She enjoys the structure of a clean house. I thrive on the madness of a messy one. Its a battle in which I usually lose. It was nice to rest on the couch though after those were done and watch some baseketball. Like I mentioned early even though my brackets are shot, so are everyone elses so there is still a hope for me to win the pool in which me, burrower, Erin, J and amy started. Battle of the titans it is not, but still a battle.

I am in Way over my head

So I enjoy riding so much that I also enjoy racing. Last year I took 7th out of the beginner mens Charlotte Summer Series. I also did a 50 mile Marathon at the USNWC


I decided to do the Maxis Southern Classic Mountain bike series. This weeks Location. Hobby Park in Winston Salem NC.

I decided to move up a class to sport because the beginner class only rode 6.5 miles and those go by real quick in a race. I actually enjoyed it even though I got my butt handed to me as the first half of the trail was real rough. It was like a bigger Reni Park. I hate riding at Reni Park. I ended up meeting another guy from the South Park Cycles Team, Guy who ran the older classes. He was nice enough as he past me near the end to give me a push forward. Although technically illegal, when you are fighting for 16 out of 19th place, the official let those things slide. I tried waiting around for the official results but after waiting 40 minutes I was hungry and wanted to go home.

Little did I know I had chores waiting for me when I got there...

Let the weekend Begin!

Ok, so I don't remember all of the details that happened on Friday, I think me and the burrower just went out to dinner with some friends and had an early night.

Due to my bike racing schedule me and the burrower decided to go to church on Saturday morning. We are trying this whole get holy before the wedding thing. Also going Saturday night for us is just never a good idea as we are usually out and about by that time.

But according to her it was the first communion retreat so there were a lot of small grade schoolers in the mass. After deciding it wasn't appropriate to ask a nearby parent if we could borrow their kid just because we felt left out we went home to find a welcome surprise. Our neighbors Leo and Eli were outside and working on their lawn. Leo was also nice enough to take care of the killer plant that straddles the property line. Although he didn't kill it (which would be great) he gave it one heck of a haircut. It will grow back though, it always grows back. After a few thank yous and kind words to them it was off to J and Amy's place to play with their new toy. A nice pontoon boat. Here is a picture of me on it.



Ok, I just didn't bring a camera and don't have any stock photos of the boat currently, It will happen in the future. maybe even for the ladies a few of me in swim trunks for summer!

And after the nice sunburn we went to watch the basketball games at a local bar. It was great to watch Northern Iowa knock off Kansas. Even though I have both my brackets Kansas winning, I did spend a few years in Iowa and rooted for them. I am not sure the bikers at the seats next to us appreciated the cheering to watch the one seed fall, but a good time non the less.

The Beginning and Then Some

First Blog post, I guess lets start at the beginning.
I'm Patrick, 27 male currently residing in Charlotte, NC.
I enjoy mountain biking, soccer, video games, good beer, and rum and cokes.

Some other key characters in my so called life. My current finance Erica (a.k.a the Burrower), Charlotte friends include, J, Casey, Erik (residing in Raleigh) Amy, Ashley, Erin and Angus
My College friends, Web, Cranky Dan and Sh*tbrick. And some H.S. friends, El Chuck, Spiden, Kope and Squeaks. Maybe one of these days Ill get some pictures of all of them.

Also included is my bike riding crew, Mutt and Mad SS.

I'm going to try and do this daily, not only for the few of you that are reading it, but also as current journal of my life so if I continue this in a few years I can remember the memories I drank away. I also am a daily reader of a few of these mountain bike blogs. One by my friend the Mutt and the other by a local guy, that goes by the handle Team Dicky The last guy doesnt know me, but he keeps it pretty entertaining and kills a few minutes at work for me.

Ill keep trying this for a while till I get bored, but otherwise tune in tomorrow for another exciting adventure of me and this weekends activities


Patrick