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Can't believe that I'm just now seeing this! Incredibly well done Peter - thank you.

Nice selections. I've had most of those (not the Penelope though). I really love that Four Roses Small Batch Select. Checks all the boxes for me.

Wow! Really nice shot there. Is that part of Suburban Ninja?

Any locals heading up to Bentonville for Outer Bike this year? I was thinking about maybe checking out the Outer Bike venue for a day or two and then heading east to ride Hobbs and Eureka Springs. Thinking there might be some nice fall foliage towards the end of the month.

DD, QN, Picnic, and Rim were all dry this afternoon.

Not sure how Google's algorithms work, but apparently after reading a news article about how 4 people have died due to an inherent flaw in the design of OneWheels, with the manufacturer agreeing to recall all of its self-balancing units, somehow, I'm a prospective buyer?

City Park in 2007. Had only been on MTB trails a couple of times prior, on a borrowed bike in upstate NY. Bought a $500 mail-order 26" Motobecane HT shortly after arriving in Cedar Park, and after checking the trail descriptions on the ARR website, decided that City Park would be my best bet for a first ride (not sure what I was thinking at the time). I quickly realized that there was a lot more to mountain biking than having a mountain bike, as this trail was nothing like the mellow trails I had ridden at Thatcher Park in NY. Luckily for me I was very nimble at the time, and somehow managed to land on my feet after multiple crashes. I eventually returned to City Park, but only after acquiring the skills needed to at least navigate the downhill sections. I still ride it these days, and still walk some of those climbs.

Topped off with the Oktoberfest - exceptional!

Post-ride Black Czech Style Lager and ribeye steak sandwich at 5th Element Brewing in Leander. Highly recommend.

Thanks for the update. If it was too wet this morning, then it is probably still too wet, as we got a good hour or so of steady drizzle mid-morning. And oh yeah I definitely remember us moving the "diving board" back on Truth-or-Dare. Took 3 of us as I recall. I'm still leery approaching that spot, always wondering if the step-down will be there or not. I'm loving the new berms towards the end of DD going E-to-W by the way. Big thanks to whoever put in that work!

Anybody putting eyes on the trails at Brushy? Really curious if they just sucked up this rain like a sponge. Might go explore in a bit, to see for myself. BTW, when I was riding DD the other day, I came across this. Somebody moved the rock that was right where I've always dropped off. It was kind of cool, like a second ledge with a few inches of space between. There was absolutely no reason to move it. I can understand if it somehow worked its way loose, but in 10 years of riding off of it, I've never felt it even budge.

Cars. Even riding the 1 mi from home to Brushy Creek, I avoid the bike lane on the road, instead opting for the sidewalks. Just don't trust drivers, especially the ones glued to their smartphones.

I want so badly to say "Glad I got out for a ride last night ahead of the rain", but unfortunately what we got this morning was probably not even enough to dampen down the dust on the trails.

I took an awkward fall off the bike and landed hard on my side. Right away I knew something was wrong because even breathing was painful. Xrays showed no rib breakage though. I never knew what exactly the injury was, but I recall having to be very still for a couple of weeks. Getting in and out of bed, in and out of the car, etc was very painful during the healing process. It was probably just a strain to the muscle or connective tissue surrounding my rib cage. You mentioned damaging cartilage though, which doesn't generally heal well on its own. So, I can understand why your situation is unique and potentially debilitating. Hope you are able to get things sorted out.

I'm surprised that you haven't gotten any responses, as usually there are plenty of opinions on medical care here. However, this is a very specific request that understandably folks may shy away from. Hopefully you're already getting the care you need, but if I had to recommend somebody local, it would probably be this guy. Honestly not sure if he bikes at all, but I've seen him for a couple of different issues that have impacted my biking. I've never been disappointed. Good luck with your ailment. I know from experience that rib injuries are a drag. Treatment options are extremely limited though, and you may find that just giving yourself the rest needed to recover will let that soft tissue repair on its own. Matthew D. Driscoll, MD- Orthopedics | Austin Regional Clinic

This is great feedback and much appreciated. I get plenty of sleep (8+ hrs per night), and don't feel tired during the day. According to my Smart Watch and the Sleep Study though, not enough of my sleep is the restorative Deep Sleep that is needed. My biggest concern is around the more serious side effects. My blood pressure has been on the rise for example, which could be attributed to the oxygen deprivation. Could also be attributed to my increased alcohol consumption. 😎 I like the idea of perhaps alternating between a mouth appliance and CPAP and will likely pursue that option. Could also try focusing on side sleeping, and in fact that used to be my go-to position. Not sure what's changed over the years, but I've definitely become a back sleeper.

My wife's been complaining for years that I'm constantly gasping for air during sleep, but I've ignored her pleas for me to take action. Finally got around to getting a sleep study, which confirmed moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Anybody studied this extensively? I feel somewhat like I'm falling into yet another trap of our US healthcare system, which is to over treat everything. The thought of sleeping with a hose and mask attached to my face is horrifying, but others I've talked to have said that their CPAP has been life changing for them. I've initiated the order for one, but frankly I'm really bummed about it.

Anybody get a measurable amount of rain yesterday?

Haha yeah it really just depends on the day maybe. I rode City Park this past Sat morning starting at around 8:45am. We rode the short loop thinking the heat was going to get the best of us, but after finishing I was wishing we had done the longer loop. Weekdays I've been riding in the evening, and despite the scorching temps, I'm actually enjoying my time on the trail. Could be partly due to me sitting out most of Jun and Jul, and now just yearning for time on the trails. Still, envious of the all the great pics folks are posting of rides up high in the mountains.

Throwback Thursday!

Here you go buddy! https://bikerumor.com/dangerholm-scott-lumen-eride-worlds-lightest-emtb/

Is it just me, or are early mornings starting to feel a lot more pleasant? Just stepped outside and felt some nice cool breezes that made me wish I didn't have work calls to get on. Rode out at Dana Peak Park this past Sat morning from around 8 - 10:30 and it really wasn't bad at all, even with all the climbing out there. You could definitely feel it warming up fast towards the end of the ride though.

It was just a matter of time! Epocalypse – Evil Bikes USA (evil-bikes.com)