Tuesday in Iron County

Four men plotted, four men planned, four men decided it would be a sin to stay indoors on an unseasonably warm (71 degrees Fahrenheit) January day such as it was Tuesday. It was at once decided that life in the city would be abandoned immediately - if not sooner - and a new life would be forged in Iron County. Late-nite black-ops style communications (morse code via text msg) within the team produced a group of 4 bad-ass dudes containing availability to gobble up some OT single track.

Arriving in the Mark Twain Forest at a leisurely 10:30am were Nadly Snurb, Orin Boyd, Pizza-Time Gonzales, and your Author Slo-Poke Rodriguez.  After suiting up, we were faced with a really big decision,  left or right?  

Wholly shit, you gotta git right to get left... you got that right! We were chosen to ride the North Trace. Soon we began to take in all the familiar sights this bad-ass trail has to offer:

In addition we found raijin' downhills, technical switchback climbs and seemingly dozens of crossings of the Trace Creek.

Our group left the DD/32 trailhead aboard some extremely sweet Kona hardtail 29ers, some made from steel and some from scandium. This included Pizza Time's brand new Kona Honzo.  You can tell which one is his...Canadian Pink Handlebars???

We rolled along, crushing 30+ miles of technical singletrack under bluebird skies.  Could it really have still been January?

Obviously, having to drive two hours from our city to the trailhead really stinks.  It is fun to try and  pass the time with poignant conversation; it is even more fun to keep an eye open to the wonders of Missouri.  Seen through the windshield today was this magnificent motor vehicle:

Lets have a closer look...neat slogan on ur ride there Jethro! 

Aww dang fella.  Come on in a wee bit closer and check out the sticker I puts on me battery!  

Also seen through today's windshield was this Jeep Liberty with a custom rear tire cover / home business advertisement:

Unfortunately, Denise, the owner of the Liberty, was kind of driving like an "ass," and a close[er]-up photo of her spare tire was unobtainable.   Don't worry, I can tell you about Miss Denise's company because I saw the spare tire advertisement up close and it is something I shall nevOr forget.  No shit, Old Gurl slings Miniature Donkeys.  Below is a photo of the finest Miniature Donkey available on her website:  

For your consideration, The Detonator:  

Ohhh mama, unfortunately this is all the time we have for today, which was a very good day. Thanks again for stopping by, hope to see all you guise out at the fourth annual Death by Hills ride as shown below.

-Nico Toscani