One week till take off..

The Enduro is almost here. The absence of a news updates is due to me staying busy on the bike and in the real world of work. However, if you have been to the Enduro you know how it works.

Show up, have fun..

This is not some official race. It started as a way to celebrate my birthday with friends from all over the southeast and I figured if I put together an event they may have more reason to come and ride trails and DRINK BEER!

Well it's happening and if you're in the loop then you may already know what several of the events are and where they will take place. However, if my busy schedule has kept us from hooking up lately to shoot the shit then this is what you need to do.

SEND ME AN EMAIL! jutrut@gmail.com

Once I have your email I will send you the schedule and let you know what to do. In the spirit of keeping this celebration out of the public eye we are asking that you contact me to share your interest and get unofficially signed up. We have limited time and volunteers to handle each event so as in years past we limit each event to 25 people.

Participants from Enduro De Ocho and Enduro Nueve and ALL Women will receive automatic entry! After that if there is room then you're in and on the roster.

Again, SEND ME AN EMAIL! This is the only way you will know times and locations. Or you can give me a call if you have my number or know someone who does.

That's all for now. It's on and it's going to be rad!

Jut Rut

Next up..

The Enduro is on the books. Start putting in long hours on a bike and jumping shit. Locations for XC, hill climb time trial, and DH are being explored. Industry Nine and the Caldwell Compound are confirmed. See you in June. Bring your balls.

Jut Rut

A Greener Way..

When I moved to Asheville to pursue Green Building my timing couldn't have been better. Two weeks after my arrival I noticed the Western NC Green Building Council was offering a green home tour. I chose to take part in the tour by riding my bike to the properties on the tour and as far as I know I was the only one taking part in tour by alternative means. I toured several progressive homes and also got to talk with several Realtors who pointed me in the direction of Ecohouse Realty which I now call home.

I would be willing to bet that I spend more time getting from A- B via bicycle than any other real estate agent in Asheville. I have an intimate knowledge of the streets and the green properties in the downtown area so it would only be fitting that I pull together my knowledge of Real Estate and Green Building and experience on a bicycle and host another unique event.

Press Release..

WNC Green Building Council presents the Many Shades of Green Property Tour

Take a bike ride through Asheville’s core neighborhoods and learn more about green building during the Many Shades of Green Property Tour on April 10th. This year, the WNC Green Building Council will offer a cycling option for the annual green property tour. The tour will include a variety of green properties and provide participants information on bicycle routes and alternative transportation options in Asheville.

Avid cyclist, Justin Mitchell with Ecohouse / Dwell Realty, will lead a tour of seven properties ranging from a commercial green rehab to the first passive hempcrete home built in the country. Green building professionals will be available at select properties to answer questions and provide information about green features and construction methods.

The tour will originate at Biowheels Bike Shop and visit properties in the Downtown, North and West Asheville areas. The ride will be approximately ten miles in total distance and due to the hilly nature of the Asheville landscape a moderate fitness level is suggested and helmets are required.

Time: 12:00 – 5:00
Cost: Free
Start: Biowheels: 81 Coxe Ave. Presentation at 12:00. Ride begins at 12:30.
Finish: Biowheels: 81 Coxe Ave. 5:00

Reception to follow at Biowheels with refreshments & light appetizers.

For general information or to register for the tour visit www.wncgbc.org.

For specific questions pertaining to the bike tour contact Justin Mitchell with Ecohouse / Dwell Realty at Justin@justinasheville.com or 828.713.9400.

Here are a few of the homes that will be featured on this years bike tour.

The Nauhaus - "Prototype House Becomes First Passive “Hemcrete” Home in the World. The material, called Tradical Hemcrete, is made from waste hemp shiv and a lime-based binder. Designers from NHI have opted to pursue Passive House Certification which would make the house not only one of the first ten certified in the US but also the first Passive House hemp home in the world."

Possibly the 1st LEED cert. home in AVL! (certification pending) Truly innovative Healthy-Built home featuring steel and SIP construction. Modern style incorporates passive solar design for serious energy efficiency/money savings. Solar panel awnings shade interior & produce hot water. All appliances included (Energy Star), Icynene, no VOC paints, rainwater harvesting & more.

Cool green built, west-coast style courtyard cottage community in walkable West Asheville. Cottages surround a central patio & are HealthyBuilt Silver and Energy Star. Green features include solar panels, radiant heated floors.

Trend setting, Healthy Home built, affordable downtown residence- views of the river. Prewired for Solar PV or water heating, bamboo floors, gas fireplace, back deck front patio, urban infill at its best. The first of 6 contemporary healthy built Urban "dwellings" in Chicken Hill

The Springtime Cottage. One of the more efficient homes built in Asheville. EcoPanels SIPS construction all but eliminates thermal breaks. Thermosiphon solar H2O, passive design, energy monitor, ERV. Concrete countertops, custom cabinets. One of best blower door tests in history of NC. Projected to use just over 25% energy of code built home of the same size.

So as you can see this ride should be informative and fun. Since I am a sponsored bike racer with Pisgah Brewing Company you know there will be some good beer and the post ride gathering at Biowheels should offer some good food as well. Come and meet new people and learn something new as well. Hope to see you on April 10th.

Justin Mitchell

Ecohouse / Dwell Realty

828.713.9400

Bikes and Porn. Now do I have your attention?

More snow fell yesterday in Asheville. We picked up several inches in town which probably means there is a new foot or two in the higher elevations. The decision to postpone the Heartbreaker Super, Super D once again has me looking for the next thing to get excited about and maybe you're thinking the same thing.

Well, look no further, the Bike Porn Film Festival is coming to Asheville and the Brew Crew are all about it. There is even going to be an Alleycat Race to kick things off.

We have all heard the stories about what negative effects cycling can have on your bedroom workouts. So we need to counteract those possible let downs with something to get you going.

After giving bikes and porn some thought I have come to the realization that riding bikes is a lot like S&M. Race promoters, jump builders and even your best friend often find great pleasure in making you suffer on a bicycle, damn Sadist. As bike addicts, we sign up for events like Double Dare, we feel compelled to chase down our friends when we feel like we are going to die, or push our limits on a new gap jump knowing we might end up in the Hospital. We know it’s going to hurt but we do it for pleasure that comes once the pain is gone, how masochist is that..

Well don’t expect too much pain from this alleycat (it’s all about pleasure really) but we are going to get crazy sexy for this one. Spring will hopefully be here soon and with it comes a deep instinctual desire to get down so here’s your chance to let it all hang out if you want.

The Bluelight Alleycat / poker run will kick off the Bike Porn Film Festival. The ride / race will start and end at the Kmart parking lot in West Asheville (the Bike Porn Film Fest takes place a block up the street at 9:00). The course will require you hit five checkpoints around West Asheville and Downtown, each checkpoint will provide some naughty good times. Various prizes will be awarded for fastest time, best dressed (male and female) and best poker hand for those that hit all five stops.

Bring five bucks, a bike, a helmet and an open mind. (we encourage you to practice safe riding and safe sex).

You will get a map with the checkpoints listed at the start of the event. Various checkpoints will provide you the opportunity to quench your thirst. Since this is a kick off to the bike porn event so dress appropriately (naughty).

Sponsored by the Pisgah Brew Crew, Pisgah Works and all those who like to get dirty.

The event details are here on Facebook. Try to let us know if you plan to show so we can plan appropriately.

As for the event to follow.. The Bike Porn Film Fest, will take place right up the street from the Kmart parking lot. It's five bucks, BYOB, and will offer a film, various performances, and a DJ dance party, woot woot. The event details for the film fest are simple.

Location: The Mothership 594 Emma Road.

Time: Door opens at 9 pm. Film at 10 pm.

Cost for the film and party: 5 bucks if you ride a bike, 7 bucks if you drive.

18 and over only.

More information about the film and tour can be found here. (May not be safe for work)

That's it for now..

Jut Rut

Trading bikes for boards.. for now.

Conditions suck for riding a bike above 5,000 ft. So the Heartbreaker is rescheduled for 2/28/2010. Same time, same trail, hopefully with less snow. Every bike addicted fool I know is bitching about the weather, and I am one of them..




Rather then bitch anymore. I took advantage of the horrible mountain biking conditions and rode a mountain in a way that made me happy it was winter in NC. Thanks Beech Mountain and Mother Nature for the best boarding conditions I have ever seen in Western NC. There will be plenty of time to ride this mountain on a bike later this year.

See you fools at the Heartbreaker on the 28th, I'll be carving turns on the slopes till then..

Jut Rut

Will you be Heartbroken on Valentines?

As of right now the Heartbreaker is in jeopardy of being rescheduled.. A week and a half ago myself and a crew of 8 checked it out and was stoked to find that the trail was in the best shape I have ever ridden it. That was of course the day before mother nature dumped another couple of inches of the snow on it, temps dropped and I am sure the snow and ice of the past weekend have dealt another blow to the superb conditions we experienced. Now I am not pulling the plug just yet but I do plan on checking it out this week and making a call by Friday night. The 10 day outlook looks ok but it doesn't look as though the temps are going to be melting too much snow in the higher elevations this week. Rather then shorten the course I would want to reschedule the race. The Heartbreaker is about feeling some pain both on the way up and the way down and to only race 3 miles or so just wouldn't be heartbreaking enough for a Jut Rut / Crow's Nest Production.

So hold tight. More news coming Friday..

Jut Rut

Check with me in March. Feburary is fully booked already..

Let the good time roll! 2010 is off to a great start and with a full calendar of amazing events how could one not smile knowing what's in store for the next month. This weekend is the Icycle bike race/throwdown party and then Monotonix later that night. photo cred to suckapants.

Next weekend is party at the Bennett's celebrating my good friend hitting the big 4O and more good music in Asheville. Hopefully the trails will dry out and some good riding can take place on Sunday so I can loosen up the legs and feel ready for the Heartbreaker.

Hell yea, it's the one and only Heartbreaker coming your way. I have a kickass band coming together for the after party but I will keep our musical entertainment hush hush till all the details are wrapped up. I rode the trail last week with Jeff Z and it was in great shape (till I hit snow 2/3rds of the way up). Up to that point the trail was dry, fast with no blow down. If you want to ride Heartbreak in the next few days you might want to consider the ole' out n' back otherwise you might be dealing with this. If you heed my advice and ride it out and back and you get to enjoy scenes like this.

The next weekend will feature either a trip to Bike Love or a winter surfing trip to Folly Beach. Can't really go wrong either way, Bike Love has been a such a wonderful time for the last two years and I hate to even think about missing it (although I can't usually remember them either but that's another story). However, a free trip to Charleston and reports of head high glassy winter waves would be the only thing that may tempt me away from the world class good times that are associated with my favorite AOB throw down of the year.

The next weekend is the Clemson DH race. This race is SICK. Bring the flow and let go of the brakes. It was my first real experience in gravity last year and I am looking forward to hitting this one again with less braking.

I feel very fortunate to live in an area where there are bike events every weekend in February. While it would be nice to be riding the pow pow with my friends out west I am thankful that I will be busting berms and shredding sweet single track over the next few weeks in preparation for the rest of the season.

As for other matters in the life of Jut.. Business is picking up, my green home newsletter is in the works, and I have been working on another blog that that focuses on my passion that pays the bills. The phone is starting to ring with calls for new listing opportunities and buyers looking to make a move in 2010. Funny how when you put it out there and do the work necessary stuff starts happening (duh). If you want to know more about what's happening on the Green Scene here in Asheville (I am referring to homes) send me an email justin@justinasheville.com with your contact information and I will add you to the email or snail mail list and keep you in the loop on green home news and sales information. Or if you want to talk about Real Estate in general give me a call. In an attempt to be cool I am not sure if I have ever shared the extent of my real estate background on this blog since I try to keep it focused on bikes and good times. But just so you know I have over 300 Real Estate Transactions under my belt over the last 10 years and if handling a Real Estate transaction where anything like riding a bike I might be able to keep up with this guy.

That's it for now. Work, ride, repeat..

Jut

Let's break some hearts..

It's that time of year again. It's cold as hell, my bikes have been collecting dust and the idea of riding my rollers tempts me more and more each day. I have yet to break them out but the need to sweat out the good times from the Those Darlins show on Thursday may the final straw. I am not sweating it though. I literally rode my ass off over the last two years and I know that with warmer temps coming I will be back out there again soon enough. However, there are two events in the near future that will require some level of fitness and focus on a bicycle.

The Icycle is in a few weeks. I have been to this party / race for the past two years and it is by far the most fun race of the year that I don't put on. It has the proper ratio of bike racing to good times that I look for in a race / competition these days. This year I will just be racing the DH and skip the morning XC race. I have plans to race suspension class this year as well as the Hardass class now that I have a squishy bike. I am the reigning Hardass winner, and took 2nd in 2008 so I once again have my eyes on that prize. We will see how the suspension class goes which to be already seems like an exercise in your ability to comfortably drift in the turns and maneuver the final tight right near the finish. I will unfortantaly miss out on the Icycle after party as Monotonix are playing the Rocket Club in Asheville. I saw Monotonix in 08 at the New French Bar and have been looking for another fix of unadulterated rock n rock ever since.

Next on the list is the Heartbreaker. This one happens on Valentines Day and is a Super Super D race. Taking place on one of the premier descents in the area, Heartbreak Ridge is one of the trails that sold me on Asheville a long time ago. Last year we had a three way tie for first thanks to some shotty scoring. This year we will have a new time keeper and will be able to declare an official Heartbreaker. The party will continue at Pisgah Brewing post race and I hope to have a kick ass band there too. The event is free, the beer will be awesome and many of the people who attended last year felt it was one of the best races they had been too. I must admit it was a fun one despite the 5 mile climb required to participate. This race will test you and if it doesn't warm up soon will provide an incredible opportunity to test out those snow tires you have been saving for just such an occasion.

So far 2010 is off to a great start. I've been laying low on the party scene, staying productive and feeling very optimistic about the year ahead. Yes, I'am moving on and it's all good. Wishing everyone out there all the best in the year ahead.

Jut

Jut Rut is dead, love live Jut Rut.

Warning: Serious Post.

The two year vacation is over. I have lived the dream to the point where I am ready to wake up from it. A lot has become clear over the last two months and I have learned a lot about myself and where the ride I've been on takes you in the end.

I've been at this crossroad before. In 1998, I pushed the envelop to this point. After months of surfing in Costa Rica, snowboarding in CO, then riding the summer out on Folly Beach I was hungry to have responsibilities and feel productive. 1997-1999 were good times indeed and I remember them with a smile on my face but I knew when I was done. The later part of 2009 made it all to clear that it's time for a change once again.

With a new year comes new opportunities. I think I'll take advantage of them and remind myself that before moving to Asheville I had a lot to be proud of that didn't involve riding bikes and throwing down.

I know I had some stuff to process and hundreds of miles of great trails to get to know. I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of both now and it's time to grow in other ways. Does this mean it's back to business for Jut Rut, yes. Does Jut Rut know how to mix business with pleasure, well of course.

So more quality Brew Crew events will happen, dance parties will ensue and of course some level of documentation of rides and races will take place. But be forewarned you will see me in a collared shirt more often.

All the best to all my friends and family in the year ahead. I have a good feeling about this one..

Win in O'10!

Justin