DClog

FFA Convention Macon

For three days Mack and Dan, the FFA state convention keyboardist and guitarist, provide underscores, stingers, walk-ons, walk-offs, fanfares, segues, a few planned feature songs and some spontaneous "have the band play something while we fix the technical problem" situations. photos from Macon

short video panning around the Macon Coliseum Right-click and "Save As..."

April Signals

Nancy Stovall

Do you remember Nancy Stovall of GBUG (Gwinnett Bicycle Users Group)? She's the one that got all the "share the road" signs put up around these parts and hosted many rides including the Tour doo'Luth.

Looks like she's moving to the Pacific Northwest and will be taking the long way, ~7000 miles on a bicycle. The link below is to her blog with the ride route and hopefully they can update it as they ride for the next 4 months!

paddedshorts.blogspot.com

Good Friday Gaps

Steve Wiley climbing Neels Gap

Wendy Horton at the top of Wolf Pen Gap

I could hardly believe how many cyclist were riding 3-Gap this morning. I saw Ted Manley (RBM/Velo Voodoo) coming down Neels as we were going up, it's hard to miss that white handlebar moustache, but mostly it was recreational cyclist enjoying the fine weather and a weekday off from the routine. Wiley sent out the email announcing the ride, it fit nicely into my schedule and Wendy decided to join us for her maiden voyage in the North Georgia mountains.

8MB Windows Media Video file (Right Click and Save As...)
20060414-3-gap.wmv

Are You Serious?!

I don't know if you have heard, but Fulton County just voted by a narrow margin to drop instrumental music from all public elementary schools. This decision has, obviously, caused an immediate outrage among Atlanta musicians who know how important it is for our kids' musical as well as intellectual health to start early.

Statistics across the board have proven that students who study music have better focus and broader understanding of new materials, and generally do better in school. I'm positive every parent has seen the effect of studying music on their child. The earlier we can offer them that opportunity the better chances they have.

http://www.saveourkidsmusic.org/

MTB Race @ East Macon Park

photos: Trish Albert southeasterncycling.com

This was the first race in the GSC (Georgia State Championship) mountain bike series. The turnout was impressive, the venue excellent and the promoters had it together - imagine this: COMPLETE results with lap times and podium presentations almost instantaneously. (We're STILL waiting on results from Perry-Roubaix from last week!)

It was HOT in the upper 80's. Road racing recently has acclimated me to the cold early mornings, but this was mountain bike racing in the middle of a hot afternoon and it was a shock to the body. I didn't drink nearly enough for the conditions and seriously over-heated at the end of my event, but was lucky that someone in the parking lot noticed my condition and took care of me until I recovered.

There were about 15 riders in my class, the Sport 50+, and we did 3 laps or about 1.5 hours of racing on a pretty tricky course. The course featured a BMX track (huge fun!), lots of elevation changes and quite a bit of sand and loose stuff in the corners.

I went into the single track in second position and about halfway through the first lap I took over the lead. I think I caught and passed most of the Sport 40-49 class who had started several minutes before us. Eventually a couple of pro riders, like Andy Johnston and Tim Johnson, came by me like I was standing still, those guys are just amazingly smooth and fast!

In spite of dehydrating and slowing down considerably toward the end, I maintained the lead and finished all in one piece. There were lots of really great folks and the prizes were good too - I'll be back.