shudder sez hola

Hey guys and gals --

shud here -- finally got it together to show up over here, and I see there's a fair amount going on. Well done, Mikey. It's takes a lot of energy and chutzpah to put together a site like this, no doubt, and you've taken on the challenge with aplomb. Cheers!

Once upon a time, George was running the other site well, and it was good, but now he's become persona non grata, and the place has lost some of its shine (facebook has had a fair amount to do with that as well). That opened the door to new experiences, so here I am.

And right upon saying that, I am throwing myself out onto the injured reserve list, and for a good long while. I had two back surgeries on 12/17 -- an ALIF and a posterior fusion. Yes, they went in from both sides. And I will be off the bike for a year (a YEAR!). Cripes. No bueno, but nothing I can do about it. Upside is I'm going to set off all the alarms in the security lines from now on, and hopefully all of my back pain is now history. We shall see...

Nice to be here.

- shud

This is before they even finished! Lots more metal than shown here in there now.


And a few pics from yesteryear from places like G-Out...


...and Golden Eagle...

 

Welcome aboard Michael. Sorry to hear you're laid up but on the bright side only 11 months to go! See you out there soon.

 

Hey Shudder, I've met you maybe a couple of times, but you probably don't remember. But of course,everyone knows who you are cause you are a big contributer to a site like this. It is to bad about STR, you were a big part of what made it a great site to be a part of, with your beautiful pics that most of us use for avatars, and your great ride reports. Everything changes! Damn you have more metal than my wife! Your back changed, what I do think I know about you is you are a mountain biker, what we do is conquer mountains, so I know pretty much for a fact you will be back with us with a grin on your face! Welcome aboard! I will be looking for you, I would love to be there for your first ride. BTW, a friend of mine who knew Mikie before I did had told me that Mikie is a different breed! It is true.

 

Hey Michael, We meet one time at the infamous "Singletrackpalooza" That was many moons ago. Anyway, intense healing vibes going your way. I hope that your surgery is a complete success. I've had back problems on and off since the last time I did Mt Whitney a couple years ago. While I know what helps my back, I rarely invest as much time as I should on it. Please keep us posted on your recovery.

Mike

 

Hey McClure . . . . Michael McClure. Shaken not stirred!

You are THE 100th Member to register for imtbtrails! Having achieved this you get absolutely nothing for it . . . congratulations!!!!

Shuddzilla, I am absolutely honored that you have joined are band of boneheads! Even Alex of Bikerpelli calls us the Eeeediots of California. Huh :| .

I wish it was under better circumstances. My minute metallica in the upper right hand of the Forum Header is pot metal compared to your Heavy Metal Anthem! (We can rebuild him, make him faster, stronger, able to leap low pipe moto-stoppers on the SOT!!! )

I hope we do a great job here of entertaining you. Your nonstop silly banter on STR has always kept me completely entertained.

....and, I want to take pictures like shudder does. Well, all of us do. UPSed recently was giving me some fashizzle about how grainy my pics are on my ride reports. So...you haftah get better so we can go ride and you can turn me on to the shudder magic! It's purely selfish :roll:

Stay tuned in. Please throw some intellectual blah blah our way so we can smoke between the ears trying to figure out how to reply half intelligent.

Let's just throw it out there as a shameless plug right here and now. You want amazing Photography? You go here: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.mmcphoto.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.mmcphoto.com</a>

Welcome Brothah.
~Mikie

 

Hey, thanks for rolling out the welcome wagon, folks. I'm glad to be here -- Mikie seems to have set up a real nice place. Certainly good enough for the likes of you and me. So, here we are.

I can't imagine I will be able to offer much in the way of bike stuff for the next year or so, but Mikie has asked me to write an article for the site on trail photography, a thing I've spent a few idle hours pursuing over the past decade or so. As mentioned previously, I'm recuperating from surgery, and do have some free time as a result. His asking me to take on this task today has already opened the flood gates in my head, where ideas are now floating by me like so much flotsam and jetsam. I think I can grab onto a few and create something interesting for you all to read. We shall see.

I look forward to actually meeting you one day, Mikie. Your work here now is, and on STR has always been, appreciated. ddmansprty, I look forward to seeing you again one of these days -- perhaps a ride in the distant future. As for you other two...

Howdy, Ed...


...and, howdy Doug...


The camera never forgets.

- shud

 

I for one am very interested in any photo tips that you have. I am trying to learn a thing or two when I have time, which is very limited right now, so I will say in advance, THANKS!