This ones for the boys back home and whoever else is listening...

It's been awhile. Lots has happened too much to really update. I can only say that this town just keeps getting better, the crow's nest has been a revolving door of good bike people, bad ass musicians playing until the wee hours and course lets not forget the lovely ladies. Spring has hit in the mountains and the good times have taken over. Girls on handlebars, DJ's, pumptracks, 5 hours rides and 5 mile descents have been my life over the past two weeks. The stitches are out, the riding has picked way up and I am feeling good on two wheels again. As I sit here listening to Ty's band practice in my living room with a beer in hand and a shot of Maker's in me I wonder "can it get any better than this"? Well the answer to that question is always a big Hell Yes. First off, a party awaits this weekend at the crow's nest (my b-day) and if you are reading this consider yourself invited. Send me a comment if you need an address. Several of the crew are waiting it out for the Enduro De Ocho coming in June. I can't say I blame them as the "Ocho" is not one to miss and will hopefully go down in history, however, it sucks that the combination of jobs, high gas prices, and responsibilities keep good bros at home. There may be a few hardcore coming up so let me post a picture or two tempt a few.

so anyways this is the pumptrack two miles from my house. I meet the dude that created this masterpiece last week on the La Zoom bus. His name is Jeff and he is rad. This sits next to his house in Asheville and takes me back to my roots riding bmx bikes in my backyard track. Jeff's kids are lucky and so was I to have this type of an upbringing. So I digress... The point is that there is a party this weekend and a bad ass bike race weekend in the works for June 27-29th. The Enduro De Ocho will be unlike anything Asheville has seen and Asheville is about to see what what lengths I am willing to go to so other people can have a bike experience unlike anything they have ever seen. If you are reading this put the date on your calendar and get ready to sign up when the news hits the streets. The Purple bus only holds 40 people so the field for the first jut rut production will be limited to 30 people. Expect the unexpected and know that the Most Bad Ass Mountain Biker in the World will be determined on this day once and for all. This is not some SSUSA, SSWC, NORBA Champion, or Yellow Jersey crap, no the MBAMBW title is up for grabs so get your ass to Asheville and compete in what will be a mountain bike race that will test every aspect of what it means to ride two wheels in the dirt with big tires. Mountain biking has come a long way and so have you so why not use everything you have in your bag and show up to see how you stack up. One half oldschool, one half new school and one third wtf? this event will level the playing field and may just be what you always wanted but didn't know you were lacking. So, that's enough for now. Come to the party Saturday if your cool and come out in June if you have what it takes.

The beer is taking effect. Peace.

Jut

A week in review

It's been another exciting week in the mountains. Last weekend was LEAF Festival and there was more wonderful music and people in one place than I have seen in long time. LEAF is an interesting combination of world music and local flavor that comes together to create a eclectic mix of people and culture. In addition to catching lots of great music I took the Pusgly out for afternoon rides and sampled home brews and sipped the finest of wines with the folks camping with me. Good spring weather and cute girls made the weekend about as good as it gets for Jut Rut and kept the smile on my face all week long.

I did manage to take care of a little business this week and it looks like I will be selling my first Green House since making a move to a new town and focusing on the Green Thang... A custom green house in West Asheville that will push the envelope of comps for the area. Hell yea, Jut may finally make a few bucks so this party can keep going!

Speaking of keeping the party going... My friend Doug rode his bike up from Atlanta and hit town on Thursday night. Drinks, nurses and a stir fry competition at the Crow's Nest ensued. By midnight I was on the bar having my stitches taken out by one cute and one slightly naughty nurse that Bruce and I brought home on the handlebars a few weeks ago. We kicked it well into the early morning hours and upon waking proceeded to cook pancakes and hit the parkway. I took the single speed cross check and Doug hauled his home on wheels up to Craggy Gardens where we had lunch and then saw Doug off as he ventured through the DO NOT CROSS Barrier just beyond Craggy on his way to Linville Falls. I didn't hear from him last night so either he made it through or is in jail facing Federal Charges for trespassing. I hope it's the first one, god speed Dougie.

Tonight it's off for a ride on the purple party bus with my coworker and new partner in crime Mosrie. He is a former New Orleans wild man and now an Asheville Green Building/Real Estate Guru so you could say we have a few things in common. Dave has a wife and kids so he is on the catch and release program which I guess makes him the perfect wing man, get em' in the boat and I can take it from here... He knows the dudes that own the bus and tonight is a party "just cause it's spring..." as Mosire says. Should be interesting and hey I haven't done this one yet so let's go.

On the philosophical phront I leave you with this life lesson in the form of a bumper sticker that I saw yesterday as Doug and I cruised through downtown before heading to the parkway.

"Don't postpone Joy"

was the sticker and it made me smile. If there is something you want to do in life why not start now, cause tomorrow never comes. Live good, good people.

Word.

Just add water...

Mountain Bike racing rocks. The people, the dirt, the unknown that exist when some huge dude fires a double barrel shotgun into the air sending a few hundred adults on bicycles on to a muddy trail can't be beat. When you hit the trail you open yourself up to a thousand possible outcomes. This past weekend didn't turn out like I thought it would but never the less I had an amazing time. The Vegas Crew was in the house minus Stobin and Jace the Ace but the spirit was there. Thursday night was awesome, from the start the party was on with food and friends at Clay's house. Thad, Ohio Rob, The Rev Ben Thornton, DeJay and Fuzzy all showed up with a ton of other's for a great welcome to DS&G party. Sharpie pulls up around midnight and laughs continue well into the morning. I wake up to more of Sharpie's one liners and proceed to track down coffee and breakfast biscuits before the start of SSUSA. Adequately filled with a variety of breakfast foods in biscuit form I lined up for the start of the first round a fast two laps around an eight mile loop with a mandatory beer stop between laps and an option of chasing down Grant the bunny for some swag. Two fast laps put me in 7th place and assured me a spot in the hill climb. With a few beers in me my motivation for the hill climb portion wained but once someone said go my instincts kicked in and I dug in to make it to the top just behind Thad and the Rev. For round three 8 people were selected, I was not one of them but my friends did make the cut and I was treated to sitting on the sidelines and cheering on Ohio Rob, DeJay, Rebbecca, and Thad for the pugel stick showdown in the giant blow up ring. Ohio Rob and Rebbecca came out on top as the official/unofficial ss champions and the proud owners of some fashionable and functional wool and leather belts. The day wrapped up with the arrival of racer boys pills and an afternoon of poaching beers from Mike Stanley and the Wake and Bake crew. The night came to a close on the early side as I thought I had a long day ahead of me planned for Saturday. Saturday morning I woke up to the sound of rain around 2 am and knew that my hopes for a fast dry trail were now just a dream I once had.

Race day was here and the trails were slop. The plan was to wait it out and let a few hundred people fuck up their bikes, the trail and possibly themselves in pursuit of twelve hours of true suffering. Well, when the double barrel shotgun went off it may as well blown my plans away with it cause the race was on and I rode right past Sharpies tent and hit the trail. I rode with Jeff Scott and a few others that I knew for the first part of the lap but when things started to get tight and slow on the trail I started passing people. At the top of the first long climb I felt great, I like the mud and it's rare that I get to ride in conditions like this so I was making the most out of it. People were bitching about the mud clogging their bikes so I figured the best way to get the mud of the tires was to go faster. I passed several people as the top of the hill and then proceeded to come around several more as the first long downhill started. By the middle of decent I had WAY more speed than anyone should ever carry down a super slick trail and just as I was thinking about backing off the bike went into an uncontrollable slid as though I had just hit a patch of ice. Two seconds later I am sliding on my right side down the trail that consisted of a 70/30 combo of mud and sharp rocks. I was up in a heart beat before the guys I passed even caught up with me and I was given props at the bottom of the hill for an amazing crash and recovery. I got up without even looking down at my leg but at the bottom of the hill I took a second to look down and realized that I could see more white tissue than blood and that my lap was probably over. Rode it out and hiked a few hills to get back to the car area, Brandon handed me a cold one and I made my way over the medical tent to see Jennie N and the Vandy Med crew. They said it be best to head to the ER but after a little negotiating and nice dudes with the ambulance I was allowed to hop in the back for a good cleaning and 12 stitches. The rest of the day was filled with kicking around the field talking with great friends and drinking great beers. Not a bad way to spend a beautiful day in TN. It was nice to take it easy at a twelve hour race and just enjoy the day rather than trying to determine how much suffering I could endure. The night went on till the early morning with moonshine and playing twister with girls in the field by the fire. Not a bad way to spend a weekend and the stitches come out in a few days so it's back to long rides and getting ready for the next adventure that will be the SSWorlds.

Jut

What the hell, was that a bike race or Marti Gras?

There was a party in Fayetteville and Yazoo was invited. The were bikes and lots of them, about 400 people showed up and rocked out the beautiful back yard of the Higgin's amily farm for three days. One bike, one gear, 100 beers and twelve stitches later I sit here thinking about what a killer weekend I just had and wishing I could go back and do it all again, minus the stitches and with more bike riding. I'd love to write all about the battle royal called SSUSA, my 12 hour race that lasted 30 minutes and all the hilarious moments that occurred over the course of the last few days but I don't even know where to start. It doesn't help that I am still pretty tired, so for tonight I will let a few pictures tell it from my point of view then I will fill in the gaps later. Besides, if you are checking this blog you probably know most of the story already anyways or know where to get the scoop. However in the event I don't get back to this subject, I would like to say thanks to all the crew in Fayetteville that made it such a killer weekend. Grant and Clay threw one kick ass party/race and did an amazing job. And everyone else involved was great, tons of locals that came out to help make D.S.&G one rockin' time. To Doctor Warren and Ginny N, thanks for the free stitches and the medical swag bag. It was so good to see the Yazoo crew as well as the extended bike family and hang out for a beautiful weekend in good ole' TN. It defiantly was not the way I expect the weekend to go but good times happen both on the bike and off it at a race like this. I formally state that this race defiantly gets the "Yazoo Crew Seal of Approval" and if I was more proficient with photoshop I would take the time to make one just so I could send it to those guys. The ability to combine competitive cycling and serious "good times" has apparently been forgotten by to many people out there riding bicycles. I heard several people this weekend talking about how this reminded them of the good ole days of cycling events. Well the good times are back again, bring on the bike love & beer hand ups. Write up will happen tomorrow once I get some sleep.

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