S7s: Blizzard of 2016

1) Big news of the week was the snowstorm that everyone was anticipating. They were calling for 8-16 inches in and around Asheville with more in higher elevations. I predicted 4 inches. From Thursday night to Saturday afternoon, we got around 12-13 inches at my house. It was 7 inches on Friday afternoon with the snow still falling. I had a lazy day and read and did some work. I did not venture out at all on Friday. On Saturday, I shoveled and walked around. Went to Sanctuary Brewing and had one of their coffee porters and saw my buddy Stewie. Today, church was cancelled and I slept in. Met Robert for a ride up to Jump Off Rock. The roads were slick, so we took mountain bikes. Very slippery coming down, but we made it safely. My toes took forever to recover from being numb.

2) Monday was Martin Luther King holiday. Tuesday was a teacher workday. Friday was a snow day. The first day of the new semester was Wednesday, so this has been a short week for teachers in Henderson County. Shorter for me because I was in Chapel Hill on Wednesday. I had to attend the Regional Wrestling Director's meeting. It was a long drive, but I got to see some of my favorite coaches like Butch Ross and David Perry. I also got to have coffee with some former North Henderson kiddos who are attending Chapel Hill. And since I wasn't going to make it back in time for practice (and then they sent the students home because of weather), I drove the extra 30 mins to Raleigh to see Suelee, David and the great nephew & niece.

3) Ran into this quote this week. Made me think about the world around me. I feel like that is what happens too often in our society.  Look at our politics. We are driven by fear. Man, what an amazing world we'd live in if we were motivated by love and hope and not driven by our fears. 

4) Speaking of great quotes, this is my favorite Martin Luther King, Jr one:

5) More migrants drown trying to reach Europe. 45 in once incident last week. If you follow my blog and my thoughts, you'll know that I have a heart for refugees. This is a fate that so many are willing to face. To me, it reveals the fate that they are trying to escape. 

6) Rivalry week for Knights Wrestling. We had matches against West Henderson and East Henderson. We had lots of highlights:

• Monday was a JV tournament at Enka. Every kid we took either finished first or second. Future is bright for Knights Wrestling.
• Tuesday, we hosted West Henderson and won in dominant fashion: 70-3.
• Thursday, we wrestled a match that was scheduled for Friday but was moved up in anticipation of the weather. We beat East Henderson 60-18. It was Senior Night and a good way to send off our graduating class.
• We also got a nice write up in the Citizen-Times this week, Record Season for Knights wrestlers

7) Looks like I get my wish, as Carolina is about 5 minutes from putting away the Cardinals and a 34 point lead. 

• Does Peyton get to pull an Elway and go out a Super Bowl winner?
• Cam is MVP, can he finally bring a title to Carolina?
• Both defenses are legit. Denver made Brady look mortal for most of the game. Carolina seems to be rattling Carson Palmer and Arizona. 
• I would like to see Manning go out on top. The Panthers are the team I pull for after the Dolphins. Mixed emotions. I guess I'll go with Carolina but I would not be upset if Denver won. 
• Denver might be my 3rd favorite team. And they have Demaryius Thomas!

Sunday 7s: Dec 13

1) "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation" - Henry David Thoreau, Walden

I must have not been paying good attention in high school when we read Walden. I assigned an excerpt for my American History students and got to re-read some of it. Awesome. Unbelievable that it was written in 1815. Change a few words and it could be relevant today. Technology and conveniences have not necessarily made our lives easier or better. We become trapped by them. Thoreau escaped to Walden pond. I escaped to the Great Divide. Need a break from the distractions, but it's the things that are supposed to make us better that are the distractions.

2) Our local sports writer, Dean Hensley, writes an interesting op-ed on High School sports:
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20151212/PREPS/151219941/1151?Title=For-everyone-s-sake-changes-need-to-be-made

I was talking with one of our basketball coaches this week. We had a quad match that didn't get done until after 10:00. It was a late night for us, but not normal. A typical basketball game always gets done that late. 2 JV games and then 2 varsity games makes for a late night for the athletes and the coaches. All our coaches are teachers too, so sometimes their students suffer from a tired, overworked, underslept teacher.

Dean's proposal to play JV games in aux gyms might help in many places, but not North Henderson. The geniuses that designed our school made a second gym with no bleachers and little extra room. Playing a game with fans lining the wall would not be safe or enjoyable.

But I totally agree, basketball takes too long. We've gone an hour away, wrestled and been back before the end of boys games before. I feel for the coaches and the student-athletes.

3) Car update: new starter installed. $153 for the part. Thanks to Danny Williams for helping and to John Williams (no relation) for letting me use his truck for two weeks.

4) The US Forest Service is inventorying land in Western North Carolina for redesignation. It can range from become National Recreation Areas to Wilderness Areas. There's a lot to sort out because it is a government agency, but lots of outdoor, conservation and various interest groups are lobbying and commenting. Those groups range from conservation groups to organizations like the Sierra Club, Backcountry Horsemen of WNC and International Mountain Biking Association.

The thing that concerns some in the biking community is the potential to expand Wilderness Areas. Wilderness Areas like Shining Rock are closed to mountain bikes and are maintained differently from other areas of National Forests. The problem is that some of the best areas for riding are in the inventory, including North Mills River (Spencer Branch, Fletcher Creek, Middle Prong Trails), South Mills River, which has several great biking and camping areas (campfires prohibited in Wilderness Areas also), Laurel Mountain and Daniel Ridge. That's basically over 60% of the potential biking trails in Pisgah.

The latest proposals seem to have left the Wilderness designation off all of the above. Let's see how this all plays out. Here are some links:
Citizen-Times article
Singletracks blog
US Forest Service

5) Speaking of rides, took advantage of highs in the 60s to get out and enjoy Pisgah. Did the Cove Creek loop and added part of Daniel Ridge. Great ride, great weather and great friends. Brian Land got to ride with us. Noah took his new bike out on it's first ride. Shawn, Mr Reliable, was a part of the crew. It was a good time: 13 miles, 1,600 feet of elevation gained. Oskar Blues post-ride for Old Chub and Chub Burger.

6) Wrestling team had a full week of competition this week. Our issue is that sickness has been hitting us hard. We had a few kids out on Tuesday and then a few more out yesterday. One actually left during the tournament, he felt so bad. But here's what we did:

• Tuesday, we went 2-1. We beat Mitchell and Erwin and lost to Eastside 33-31. Tough loss to a very good team. It was brutally close match that went back and forth. Erwin, we were actually down 28-6 before getting 6 pins in a row. Final score, 42-31.
• Yesterday was a good day that started rough. We drew Jefferson City, GA and they have won 15 state titles in a row. They beat us pretty good: 59-16. We only won 3 matches. But the group rallied and won the next four matches to take third. I was really proud of the way they overcame adversity
• Team is 10-3 for the season, with two losses by a combined 6 points and another to a juggernaut team. This week we have a quad a Boiling Springs on Tuesday and then  host Franklin, Brevard and Hendersonville on Wednesday.

7) I'm going to have to find new topics for number 7 since college football is wrapping up. Army-Navy was the closest game in years, but the Midshipmen still have the advantage over the cadets from West Point. Congratulations to Derek Henry on winning the Heisman, though I think the Heisman is the most overrated award in athletics. And it doesn't go to the best player in the country, it goes to the best player on one of the best teams in the country. Based on what I know, I like McCaffrey. Keenan Reynolds and Trevone Boykins would have been my picks, but Reynolds plays for a service academy and TCU lost down the stretch so they would never win.

Back on the Bike

Today, I got back on the bike and went for a little ride. The rule I've created is that it is fine for me to have multiple bikes as long as they get used. So I grabbed the road bike for a spin. Man, was it awkward.

A bike is a bike is a bike. Bikes are a lot like people. We have a basic anatomy, but within that are so many variations. Some of us are tall. Michael Phelps has disproportionally long arms. Our frames are different: Bone structure, density, muscular development.

Let's not forget that I was on Bella, my Surly Long Haul Trucker almost every day for nearly two months. You get used to things. So today, on my K2 road bike, it was like riding a brand new bike:

- Man, the K2 is light. Somewhere around 13 pounds of aluminum and carbon unlike Bella's 27 pounds or so.

- I had to relearn clipping in as the road bike has Look pedals and the touring bike has Crank Brothers.

- I like the bar end shifters on the Surly, but I had forgotten how convenient and easy integrated shifters are.

- Brakes: on the touring bike, because of weight, I had to really squeeze to come to a stop. On the light road bike, too much of a touch can throw me over the handlebars.

- Speaking of bars: riding position is different and took some getting used to.

- No granny gear on the road bike; it has a compact crank.

I only did 12 miles over Davis Mountain and back up and over Finley Cove. One of my favorite quick loops-- because I can leave from my house and it has some challenging climbs and fast descents.

The other difference I am noticing is the conditioning. I climbed the first part of Davis Mountain Road faster than I have ever before. Further up, is a short, steep hill that I always have to come out of the saddle to clear. Not today. Stayed seated and cruised up. Finley Cove usually slowly wears me down by the time I get to the top. I was tired, but not as beat as usual. And I was able to climb in a higher gear than I usually do.

Weather

On the iphone, you can set the weather application to give you current temperatures and forecasts for whichever cities you program. At 9:09 this morning, here were the current temperatures:

Asheville, NC - 12F
Hendersonville, NC - 12
Atlanta, GA - 21
Anchorage, AK - 12
Homer, AK - 24
Bend, OR - 32
London, United Kingdom - 36

We are as cold as Anchorage, ALASKA! Even more impressive is that the sun is up here. It is still dark and 5:09AM local time in Alaska.

The weather guys predict that our cold snap may last up to two weeks. There is a good chance highs won't be above freezing for the next week. Normal if you are from Fargo or Buffalo, but not for the deep south.

"Let it Snow"

In honor of the recent snowstorm, here's a rap video from some of the locals (who happen to be former students). Probably funnier and seemingly more artistic if you know the people and places featured in the video, but hilarity ensues nevertheless.



Here's the original:

Why I Like Where I Live

1) We were playing ultimate at Brevard College on Sunday. Right beside us were some students practicing music. Come on, where else are you gonna get hot frisbee combined with mellow violin? It's pretty special to run down a frisbee while being serenaded by smooth, classical sounds of a small orchestra.

2) I ran out and did a few errands during my planning period today. What should have taken 30 minutes took almost 90. In other places, delays are because there are too many people in your way. Today, delays were because there were people. And people are great.

-Went to Insurance Company to pay auto premium. Could have been in and out, but talked with the girl behind the counter for a while because she wanted to know how my classes were. We chatted like we were best friends.

- Off to the courthouse to pay car (and motorcycle) tax. Ran into a father of one the kids I wrestled with over 12 years ago. We spend 15 minutes catching each other up.

- Swing by bike shop to pick up mountain bike that was getting tuned up. Me and the mechanic talk it up. He doesn't know anyone with a Bob Trailer I can borrow. I am disappointed. But I am happy about a clean and tuned bike.

- Run by jewelry store to drop off my broken necklace. Lady remembers me from last fall and proceeds to lecture me on how I should not wear that special (it was my mother's) and expensive piece of jewelry to wrestling practice. I guess she could have encouraged me to keep doing it so I could bring the necklace in every 3 months, but she doesn't want me to break it anymore. It was funny. And sweet.

- Stop into Chik-Fil-A on the way back to the school for lunch. Randomly run into Steve McNamara, our local FCA coordinator and whom I was thinking about calling yesterday to bounce some ideas. Providential timing. Shake hands, hug and then he buys my lunch.

In other places, too many people get in your way and slow you down. Where I live, too many people get you a free lunch.

Cassada

My heart broke when I read this today. I cried and I don't know why. Jessie Cassada was 19 years old, serving his country in Afghanistan, when he died last week. Today, Lance Corporal Cassada is home.

Times-News Article
Times-News Photos

Clocked by the cops

On Saturday, I was riding my bike to watch Georgia Tech play Boston College. Just commuting to a restaurant a few miles from my house that had the game on. As I was was riding along, I passed a Police Department Patrol car parked on the side of 3rd Ave. When I passed, I heard, "Good job, 19!", out the window. I looked at my bike computer and I was going 19.4 mph. I wasn't hammering the pedals by any means, so without max effort, I was making pretty good time on a slight uphill.

So, while I wasn't speeding, I did feel fast. I mean, how many people get radared and called out by the police while on a bicycle?

---------------------------------

In other cycling news, it appears that Lance is returning to competitive cycling. Why can't athletes just stay retired? A few quick thoughts on this annoucement:

- Lance would not return if he could not compete to win. I promise, he's fit. He placed second in the Leadville 100 mountain bike race, a brutal off road race that starts and ends in Leadville, CO, the highest incorporated city in the United States (elev 10,430ft).

Lance being led by eventual Leadville 100 winnner Dave Wiens

- Perhaps he will tarnish his legacy by competing and not winning. On the other hand, if he competes and wins, he might solidify his legacy more. Though he has never been caught, Lance cannot escape accusations of doping. With the emphasis on weeding out dopers, Lance racing what would be seen as a "cleaner" Tour might add legitimacy to his legacy. What would be really impressive is if he joined a team with its own comprehensive testing program such as Team Slipstream/Garmin-Chipotle or Team Columbia.

- He says he wants to bring more awareness to cancer. I hope he's sincere.

- Maybe he wants to win Sheryl Crow back.
- No matter what Lance does, I still am pulling for Christian Vande Velde and Garmin-Chipotle in next year's Le Tour.

Home

"There's no place like home". You've heard it before. It's so cliche. That being said, I love my home. I think that Western North Carolina is an amazing place to be. If you have never had the chance to fly over the mountains of Western North Carolina, then you may not understand why I've heard visitors from out of state refer to this area as "God's Country".

I've lived in Hendersonville, NC off and on for a long time. I knew in college that I would want to return to teach in the mountains. And I still love it here. There have been a lot of changes, and some I have not been a huge fan of, but it remains a great place to call home.

So here is a list of some of the things I most love about my home. Add your favorites in the comments below:

1) 4 Seasons- though winter has been light on the snow the last few years, I still get to experience four distinct and renewing seasons.

2) Running into people I know- yes, the area is growing, but I still see someone I know almost everytime I go out in Hendersonville, Asheville or even Pisgah

3) Big Rock, Cove Creek, Reasonover Creek, Fletcher Creek, Sidehill... some of my favorite biking trails anywhere! Nothing is better than collecting scars with Matthew J or trying to keep up with Dylan.


4) Golfing with the boys at Connestee or High Vista. Seeing wildlife at Connestee is always great too. My negative 40 yd second shot on number 9 is infamous. Also, 2 for 1 at Red Fox!

5) Riding my bike to Saluda, stopping at the Purple Onion and climbing up the Greenville Watershed. Great ride, except for Heartbreak Hill at mile 27. Emily B knows which hill I am talking about.

6) Breakfast with Hart at the Dixie Diner. I get the omelet. This is how I imagine being an old man is: breakfast with my buddy, reading the paper and talking about nothing.

7) Rainbow Falls on the Horsepasture River. Summer days at Bust Your Butt Falls is unbeatable. Matter of fact, just about any swimming hole in Pisgah/Dupont/Nantahala is perfect in July and August.


8) Sunday Ultimate (sometimes substituted by kickball or wiffleball). I like to watch John M jump. I don't like to guard Brent.

9) Parties with themes or crafts (and always good friends). Always some good food and maybe Jessie F makes chili.


10) Grace Community Church and Watershed Youth. Crudwar, "flyers", cramming Middle Schoolers into a charter bus bathroom!



11) Dolly's Dairy Bar at the entrance to Pisgah Forest. Perfect post-ride indulgence!

12) Camping and biking at Turkey Pen along the serenity of the South Mills River. The abandoned tent always brings me back.

13) North Henderson Knights Wrestling and Track and Field (who's participants have kept me here all these years).

14) All these places are less than 2 hrs from my house: Tsali, Mt Mitchell, Deep Creek, Caesar Head, Biltmore, Grove Park, NOC, National Whitewater Center, Green River, Cold Mountain, Hot Springs, Boone, Chimney Rock.

15) Live music on Main Street or at the Orange Peel, Grey Eagle, Jack, Westville...

Now what are some of the things you love about Hendersonville, Asheville and western North Carolina?