Awesome CD!

I can't believe it took me nearly three years to finally buy this. As a certified "Hazelnut" or Sister Hazel fan to those of you who don't know, I have made it a habit to buy their new albums within the first week of release. Yup, I own them all. Some how though, I missed Drew Copeland's solo album, "No Regrets". Well, I can say this much...I regret that I didn't buy it sooner. I knew it existed and I even saw it for sale at the Sister Hazel concerts I've attended, but for some reason, I never bought it. Well, today I decided that enough was enough and bought it off of iTunes. All I can say is WOW! There are obvious Sister Hazel influences throughout the album (actually, I guess what becomes obvious are his influences on each Sister Hazel album) as well as those from another North Florida musical legend, Tom Petty, but the album is decidedly unique. For me, the first track, "A Little Like Heaven", brought back a stream of memories from my times in Gainesville. Track 6, "Over You" is a break-up song that struck a cord with me because of it similarities to my recent break-up. The final song on the album, "Once Again" has a decidedly country music sound to it with an upbeat rhythm and positive theme. If you are a fan of Sister Hazel or Gainesville music in general, Copeland's "No Regrets" is a can't miss purchase.

Single Speed Pics and a Few Details

As promised in my usual timely fashion, here are some pics of the single speed along with some details on the parts used.

Late 90's Trek Cro-Moly frame. Deore hubs on a basic wheel set. My always present Specialized saddle. I'm not sure about the fork right now. I don't know if it is "suspension-corrected" or not. So far it seems to ride well, so I won't make a final decision until I get some real trail time in.

The heart of the drivetrain is all Surly. Surly Cassette Spacer Kit, Surly 22T Rear Cog and Surly Singulator.

The other part is the Shimano XT crank and Race Face BB that I pulled from my XC bike. In their place went the sweet new XTR crankset. VERY SWEET. I'm running a 34T chainring with the outer ring acting as a chainguard. I don't really have a choice though since this crank is one of those with the integral spider. I'm also running yet another set of Crank Brothers pedals...the Mallets this time. Since I may use this bike for a variety of purposes, it's nice to have a clipless pedal that is also a solid platform. This will also come in handy should any friends need to borrow a bike.

The cockpit consists of Avid Speed Dial Levers, Profile Grips, a sweet set of FSA XC190 (as in 190g) riser bars and a short Rocky Mountain stem.

THOSE brakes. Don't get me wrong, I love Cane Creek stuff, but the Direct Curve brakes are just lacking a little power. I finally got them dialed in after I trued the wheels and they feel OK now. They just don't have the feel that I've gotten so used to with my XT V's.

And the single speed makes four!

Great news! My fourth bike is complete. I just took an old steel mountain bike frame that a customer gave me and turned it into a single speed. The frame is a mid-late 90's Trek Tru-Temper steel frame. As some of you may already know, I just love steel. It might be a touch heavier, but nothing rides like it. The component mix is also good. The wheels are a little on the cheap side and I'm having a tough time dialing in my Cane Creek Direct Curve brakes, but I'm very happy over all. What made tonight even better was that a few of my guys that were in the store (real bike guys, too!) rode it and told me how much they loved the bike. One of the guys even said it was nicer than one that we sell for $1700! It's going to be a fun spring. Oh...and this weekend, I'll be sure to post some photos and a full parts list.

New York City -- Thanksgiving

I visited New York City just after Thanksgiving. Although I spent a great deal of my first three years in NYC, I hadn't been back since. The sites, the pizza and the public transit were all just amazing. Did I mention the great pizza? Here are some pictures.

In front of the famous Rescue 1's House

A section of the fence around Ground Zero. Probably one of the most chilling and moving experiences in my entire life. Just to the left of this section was a man playing Amazing Grace on a flute over and over and over again. That was the only sound you could really hear. I think this sticker says it all.

The Brooklyn Bridge

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Never a good idea! Trust me! Cute? Try EVIL! She may look sweet, but this is only a ploy to bring you in closer so that she can attack. BEWARE!

The Flat Black Bike

There she is. My work in progress. Done except for buying the wheelset, installing the computer and replacing a brake cable. For those interested, here is the parts list:

-1987 Schwinn Road Frame made of Columbus Tru Temper Steel
-Old Anatomic Handlebars cut off and flipped over
-Salsa Grip Tape
-Profile Aero Bars
-Lizard Skins Bar Wrap
-Cane Creek 200TT Brake Levers
-Waterford Quill Stem
-Old 105 Caliper Brakeset
-Sun Race Downtube shifter (left side only)
-Black 105 Front Derailleur
-Ultegra Octalink Bottom Bracket
-FSA Gossamer Crank 53/39
-Old Cut Off Seatpost
-Specialized Avatar 155 Saddle
-Paul Components Melvin (The KEY to a "Dingle-speed"!)

My wheelset when built will have Paul High Flange Hubs, Velocity Deep-V Rims, Black 14/17 Double Butted Spokes and Gold Nipples.

I'll have more pictures up as soon as she's done. Stay tuned!