Our state is burning like my quads on a moderate incline.

This type of sweeping wildire is a natural occurrence and only becomes a problem because we the people are so densely packed in to this place that we can’t get out of our own way. Why can’t this fire just burn through the strip malls, the gated communities, the salt marsh condos, and leave the real Florida alone?

Hambone and I drove 50 miles round trip in order to ride 7 miles out at the Lines Tract trail in Gadsden county. I think that might elicit some demerits from Al Gore, but hey, I frickin’ rode my bike right?

And that’s what is important here.

Although the fires are 100 miles away, our lovely town was choking in a blanket of smoke and ash yesterday. The 10th Ave gang (now the 10th/Monticello BoyZ) played manic roving Bocci ball oblivious to the haze.

After 10 minutes of that I balked and retreated. Bob, “Splinter Cell” quipped, “You won’t do so well during the apocalypse if you can’t handle this”.

We’ll just wait and see who does well in the Apocalypse! I’ve been stockpiling cans of tuna for 20 years.

I have a discreet problem in which I would like to enlist your support. A beloved member of the BRC team was recently pinched by the man (spit!) for covert trail developments. If you are in the know you may know a thing or two about this and understand the debt we all owe this person for his dedication to trails, Tallahassee, and the spirit of community over commercialism. He is our own David Allen Coe and he needs our help. E-mail me to learn more at loveyourbike@gmail.com. $3,000 is a relevant figure.

If you ever ride east to the park, then pony up.

-Juancho

12 Responses to

  1. Tried to ride Overstreet and Phipps yesterday in the smoke, but never made it to Phipps. Shoulda smoked a pack of Marlboros instead. Same effect on the lungs, probably. Too bad about the Computer Tutors Trail.

    3 grand’s heavy freight. When Sasquatch led me into the closed sinkhole a couple of years ago, it was only $100 apiece. But we weren’t doing any “improving.”

  2. Reminds me of when I used to live in Utah. Smoke choked out the sky during an entire month of August, once. I kinda miss it, now that I live in a place without fire.

  3. If there’s a genuine trail building outlaw out there, let’s hear the details of his tragic tale so that we might all be properly outraged.

    What better place to hear an outlaw’s story than the story tent at the circus?

  4. I think what Juancho is saying is that the Fern was bootleg when first built. Later the city recognized how cool this route was and adopted it officially. The Cadillac Trail was handled much the same way. A little civil disobediance can go a long way, but it sounds like the powers that be finally said enough is enough.

    Juancho, I havn’t heard anything about this. I’m w/ Sasquatch. Like any good bard, you should spread the tale.

  5. Due to the sensitive nature of the dispute I am not at liberty to expound at will. Remember where the Fern trail used to start? Well it starts there again, and that is the problem.

  6. Actually, the original trailhead is OK. It was a bonus alternative entrance that took advantage of a sodded slope that proved problematic. No fines were charged but $3k is the amount the tenants were assesed to resod the alternative entrance. it would have been sweet surfing but it pushed the limit too far…
    good news is, once the reimbursement is made, there is an excellent chance the original trailhead could become “official”

  7. Ahhh, there is a difference between bootlegging on homeless camp/dumping ground turf, and doing so on commercial land. Now I understand.

  8. Yes, but you would be traveling east no?

    whatever. Go to Joe’s and put some loot in the box already. If we don’t support our outlaws, we will have nothing but panty-waisted by the book trail-builders. Boo pantywaists!