Best time of the year.

My first autumn in North Carolina, and wow it's beautiful. I'm not sure if it's just this year or like this every autumn, but the colors here have been just amazing. I've always thought the mountains in Colorado were the most beautiful, but this autumn.... the color in the North Carolina mountains has just blown the Rockies away.

I've been getting out and doing some riding this autumn, sometimes by myself and other times with a few guys from the Hickory Velo Club. Mostly shorter, less intense rides of 30-40 miles. I've only been riding a couple days a week, this is usually my down time from cycling.... but the weather has been so perfect lately, I just can't pass it up. Last month some cycling buddy's came into town for visits on two separate weekends, Robert Cutts and Will Botens. We had a great time, doing a variety of rides while they were here. I think they both left with pretty favorable opinions of the cycling here and I'm sure they'll both be back for some more riding next year.

I've also been getting out and doing some hikes with Torpedo. Now that the weather has cooled from the summer time heat, we're both enjoying some longer walks. Our favorite hike without a doubt is over at Bakers Mountain, a real nice park with area views of Catawba County from the top.

Well that's it for now, off to Japan this weekend and then back & forth to Amsterdam a few times later in the month. Happy trails.