Fat Tuesday and Peglegs

Marti Gras has come and gone and all I have to show for it is a headache and temporary pegleg. Yesterday started off healthy enough as I ate some good oatmeal and set off for a 3 hour ride with Bruce. We climbed up to the parkway in 70 degree temps and sunny skies. We had an adventure route in mind and I trusted Bruce who had looked at a map to get us there and back without any major hikes or trails that would require us to stay out overnight. About an hour into the climb my legs let me know that they are not quite back from the race weekend, with heavy legs I push the pedals of the sycip up the Blueridge. We hit the trail about an hour and a half into the ride and just as quickly we are off the bikes and hiking up road stairs and navigating major rock outcrops. It was fun for a little while, kinda like riding Hamilton Creek with the opportunity to fall of a major cliff if mistakes were made. Grinding up a steep mountain side was not the recovery ride my legs were looking for and when we ran into hikers who informed us that our final destination was still 7 miles UP the mountain with more of the same I decided this was as far as I was going for the day. We turned around and headed back down, which made for some very technical descending along with exploring some historic sites where there were remnants of a hunting lodge built in 1900.

Back in Asheville I cracked the first beer of the day, gave the dogs a bath, made some lunch and got ready for the fun to come. Being Marti Gras Day it was only fitting to be drinking by 3:00. I have been to the Gras a few times and spent my far share of time in the streets of New Orleans so I know how to kick it. Ty got home and we were off to the bar. Three pints of Pisgah Pale at Jack of the Wood started things off. Meet some good people there but decided it would not be Marti Gras without a pretty colored Rum drink so we walked down the street and caught a seat at the Yacht Club for Hurricanes. The drinks were great but at eight bucks a pop it was a little too much like New Orleans so we headed back to the house ate some food, drank some Yazoo Dos and grabbed the bike for what adventure was next. As Bruce and I were heading down town Ty calls to say that the Grey Eagle was “going off harder that he has ever seen it”. The Firecracker Jazz Band was playing the marti gras party and they were tearing it up. Tons of people shaking their butts like it was the Dragon’s Den in the French Quarter. Lots of cute ladies in costume, two dollar Turbo Dogs, and a smoking hot band makes for a good time and a good time we had. Meet several ladies via the dance floor, learned how the do the Charleston and caught a beer buzz that only Turbo Dog can provide. Not quite satisfied when the band wrapped up at 12:30 we head downtown for a night cap. I don’t remember the name of the bar but I do remember overweigh chicks flashing titties a few feet away from me. Kinda like a car wreck that you don’t want to look at but for some reason you can look away. Oh well, after a pint a several titty shots later I decided it was time to roll. Got my bike out of Ty’s car and pulled the lamest move I have done in years. With a running start I tried to jump onto the seat only to miss, plant my left foot on the ground and let the bike ride away with my other foot on the pedal. I very quickly found myself doing the splits and laying in the middle street on Broadway in front of Barleys Taproom looking around for cars or someone laughing their ass off. Fortunately since it was past 1 there were neither so I get up only to realize that I could hardly walk and my leg muscle was wrenched from me doing the spits. The pain went to my head and I felt like I was going to throwup. I hobbled inside, gave Ty his keys and headed back out to fresh air and my bike that I now had to ride home. I couldn’t throw my leg over the bike so I decided to start walking (hobbling) up the hill towards home. At the top I made it to the pedals and used my good leg to get me home. Feel asleep to escape the pain, only to be awoken by severe pain and a wicked hangover. Didn’t want to have to get up for fear of falling down but did eventually and have been hobbling around all day. I got the whole pirate walk down pat by now, I just need a cool hat and parrot and I can hit the open seas. Hope to be back on the bike in a few days, wish me well.