Gobbled

Four days off.  Four bike rides (sorta).  Three mornings of an alarm to wake me up before I wanted to.  Two alarms for some serious adulting and one for an early day of bike cycling.

Day one, get up Thanksgiving morning and go for the second shift ride.

All good rides start with a flat...

(or two).

Hooray for non-tubeless.  Always good for a break in the action.

The "action."

Random Hubbs sighting in the wild.

No flat.  Hang out anyways... because... Thanksgiving.

Who wore it better?  You decide.

Extra bonus.  Got back with enough time for some wheelie practice.

Day two, Black Metal Friday Run Bike Slam with the crew from The Spoke Easy.

Ride over to the shop.  Drink beer.  Receive mockery for non-metaling of my face.

Leave the shop.  Ride breaks apart as we try to ride en masse through the city and then over to the park.

Right through the heart of uptown Charlotte (AKA work).

Eventually, get to the park where the others who had no idea where the actual ride to the "venue" was heading but knew where the race was going to be, so no big deal.

Elimination style.  Two racers at a time.  Run up an insanely steep hill, jump through an obstacle, ride chainless/brakeless disturbing bikes down an insane hill, slam a beer.  Until one man remains.

I'm sure someone was declared a winner.  As the sun started going down, I realized that I didn't bring lights.  I headed over to Birdsong to get my one free Bicycle Benefits beer, got in line, realized I was cutting it way too close, got on my bike, and headed home.

Found this along the way:

A torque hammer.  I have to admit, I played with it for a short while trying to figure out how it worked... and got home just that much later than I wanted to.  It works by hitting things hard... play with the torque adjustment to amuse oneself in between hitting things.

Saturday was a quick solo ride at the US National Whitewater Center.  No pictures, because enough picture taking already.  Rode some, not all, some twice.

Extra bonus?  Back at home with plenty of time for more wheelie practice.  Discovered that it's much more difficult practicing the closer I am to total exhaustion.

Day Four.  Sorta got Ferris Buellered again into going to Lake Norman.  Different crew this time, so can't hold it against them.

Tom, Dave, and Kangalangamangus.

Or just Kangalangamangus and I, depending on your perspective.

After Dave got done trying to destroy me, it was a pleasant ride.

A proper use of a Thanksgiving break.  Incredible weather and good times and such.  I'm almost too embarrassed to admit it, but riding my bike four days in a row like that kinda hurt.

I'm so outta shape.