It was goodbye to an old friend, if you can call a Tavern an old friend, last night.  Eighth and Rail is now a pleasant memory for those that called this one of their favorite watering holes. The building is officially under new ownership and that owner is looking for a tenant. Those that attended the final night, some in Black Tie, got something to take home at the end of the night.  You’ll probably see a few of us sporting our Eighth and Rail Goodnight Opelika Shirt.  On the back, forming a big number eight, names of bands and individuals that have played that stage over the years and the front with an old bi-wing airplane, looking a bit like a train.  Some final words from owner Richard Patton brought a tear to many eyes and the countdown to a new year with a final toast for all brought the evening to a close. Well, actually, many stayed to talk and dance a bit longer. Thanks Richard for a great night, good friends, having Miller Lite for a guy on a diet and for years of good times at The Rail! Goodnight Opelika!

So what’s new for 2012 here at the Opelika Daily News? First, some minor changes to this home page, nothing at radical as the Facebook Timeline, but some subtle changes to freshen the look at bit.  Opelika’s South Railroad Avenue, pictured in the header banner has certainly changed a lot in the past two years, so it’s time we do.  A couple of new features will become regulars and you’ve already seen several of those post. First, time to learn about the Rolex and Continental Race Series, as Opelika’s APR Racing will be in the full series of some of those races. Second, time to find that perfect App for your iPhone or iPad. Our mission is to educate you on both!  And finally, some things done in the past will return with a more regular posting.  So with 2012 officially here, let the posting begin! Happy new Year Everyone.

The past several months I have found myself looking and trying lots and lots of apps in search of those that would make my life simpler.  I think Homer Simpson said you have to delete something from your brain to add something else (or something like that) and I believe he’s correct.  I find my list of task each day, both personal and work related a bit overwhelming,  so I’ll forget to check this file today, or that.  Enter “Daily Routine” for the iPhone.  You set up those things that should be routine for you, were it not for your memory, and it reminds you throughout the day.  I have alarms set that sound like an egg timer.  Things like, updates to research databases each morning before I start, or reminder to send out information to the Mothership in Toronto each morning before 9AM.   This little reminder keeps me on track and if you find you are suffering “Task Overload” you might give it a try.  Okay, the reminder to grab a beer with friends on Tuesday at 5 might be a bit much, but it is part of my weekly routine. You can read more about it at Jaysen Marais’ Website, he’s the developer!

And if you really do better with paper, you can turn the routine into a pdf and email it to yourself for printing! So there…

I’ve found that lately I’m just getting overwhelmed with too much information.  I counted ten to fifteen newsletters I get on a daily basis via email, several magazines are delivered each week by the post office, a stack of vendor catalogs at the end of each month, not the mention various apps on the iPad2 or iPhone that seem to require my daily, if not hourly attention. My “To Do” list is out of control and things I should do seem to get missed on a more regular basis that those items getting completed. And then a new addiction has surface the past few months, my daily (if not more) desire to see the latest available Apps from the iTunes Store.  Searching for an app to increase my productivity has almost brought my productivity to a stop.  And between four blogs and a like number of Facebook pages, not to mention Twitter that should require regular attention, well you should get the point by now.  And then there are my regular articles (up to several months ago) in the OA News, which I seem to have ideas for, just no time to put them to paper.  Not to mention the TV, with hundreds of channels to choose from, I’ve settled for watching the complete season of Star Trek Voyager (on Netflix), which I seemed to miss the first time around. And the dogs could use a bath.

But all is not lost.  I’ve got several plans to bring my crazy life into compliance with a perfect order.  I’ll share those with you here in coming days and weeks.

I want to share more of the excitement of racing done by the teams of APR here in Opelika. There are several Links below to learn more and we’re not done yet as we explore the other cars racing in coming days.

APR Motorsport is proud to announce that it will become the first team to compete in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series with the Audi R8 LMS, when the team takes the green flag for January’s 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 28, 2012 – and, hopefully, is first to the checkered flag on January 29.

Passion for the Audi brand runs deep at APR. Stephen Hooks, President and CEO of APR, was an aspiring driver and Audi enthusiast who raced Audis in the Motorola Cup – the predecessor to GRAND-AM. After leaving his driving ambitions to build APR into the largest aftermarket and motorsport company for Audis worldwide, Hooks returned to competition as a principal in APR Motorsport. The team was the first to race Audi’s newest and hottest sedan, the B8 model generation Audi S4, in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Being the first team to field the R8 LMS in North America is a natural progression for APR Motorsport. Read more of this original article at Quattroworld.

From Speed TV: The Alabama-based operation, which fields VW GTIs and an Audi S4 in the production-based series, makes the logical step up to the Rolex GT category, where it will face some of its toughest competition yet in the expanding category. Read the entire article here!

And more about the car itself from Speed TV: In just a few short years, Audi’s R8 LMS has become the most successful GT3 car worldwide, having claimed over 100 victories in over a dozen championships around the globe since its debut in 2009. 

While the mid-engined sportscar has no doubt made a mark for itself in some of the world’s toughest endurance races, including the Nurburgring 24 Hours and its recent overall victory in the 24 Hours of Spa, the popular customer-based program had yet to impact one of Audi’s most important markets, until now.  Read the rest here! Here’s the link to the complete Rolex Series for 2012.

Eighth and Rail… This is the original review I posted in June 2002 after the Tavern opened in downtown Opelika! With the Tavern’s last day coming New Years Eve with a Black Tie event, I thought you might find my initial observations interesting.

It’s Open and it’s Way Cool! Opelika’s jump into the 21st Century begins with a jump back, to a look and feel of a San Francisco Hotel lobby of the late 1800’s. Taking the “Opelika Railroad Town” theme and located downtown at 807 South Railroad Ave and 8th Avenue, Richard Patton and his partner Cooper Ray have opened “Eighth & Rail”.

Early accounts called this a “Dessert Bar” which I found a bit confusing. But having spent some time there I believe I have the concept down now.

Here’s a place you can drop by after work for a cold beer (that would be my favorite right? – Beer is desert to me after all) Or have dinner somewhere and drop by for coffee (or tea) and a great desert taste treat. There’s an Hourderve menu coming soon! They have replaced the typical bar pretzels with homemade “Cheese Straws” and it’s a great touch. (It’s Cheese Straws without the Wedding, as someone said the other night!)

It’s a Tag Team match with the evening opening of Hayne’s Café, which is located at the back door of the “Rail”. They will open evenings after some legal stuff for the drink license. I’ll review them later!

So, here’s some of the stuff you didn’t know about the Rail. When sitting at the bar, you’re drinking that cold beer on what was the roof of an old 8th Street house being restored by the bar’s owner. And those really cool light fixtures, they were actually the ceilings in a recently torn down building, shaped and molded with the talent that has laid this new “Rail” in Opelika. And, do those chair’s look a bit familiar? Well, that theater curtain that was part of the refurbishing job, might hide the fact they came from Goodwill. Or check the ceiling! It looks a different color in the evening, from early afternoon. And No, it’s not the booze. The sound system is state of the art, computer controlled, and all that will perform there will just plug and play (that’s a Bill Gates term I think) These guys are brilliant! What a Great Place!

Some early snafus: Okay, the bar stools won’t arrive till July 2nd or so, so the chairs at the bar are a bit short (but that made me feel like a kid at the bar, and younger – right?). And not all the styles of glasses have arrived, so those “locals” in the know, have brought their own glasses. This is the stuff that great stories are made of. But the desert cooler, and beer coolers are there now. And yes, Kelly won’t have to make the run to Kroger for Ice. The Ice Machine is in!

Oh, sorry. Have I not mentioned Kelly? She’s the Bar Manager and nothing has made my eyes feel this good since I got that last pack of Acuvue’s. Daughter Jenny and I checked out the Rail for the first time Father’s Day Weekend. So that would be the first visit. Then I checked in Thursday Night, said hey to Kelly when I walked in, and she said “Hi Jerry”. There is so much gained when folks remember names. (You would think she’s a Real Estate person or something!)

Here’s a place where a couple of guys have decided to shape the atmosphere over the summer. Don’t expect a big Grand Opening before the fall. They will be trying different things over the next few months to find the right mix for the “Rail” before spring forward. I think this is the cool part. The Rail is going to be a little bit of all those that visit over the next few months.

And who’s going to the Rail? I’ve got several days under my belt, so here’s what I’ve seen. It’s Young & Old and Rich & Poor! I’ve seen folks I haven’t seen in 2 years. Here’s a place that is going to bring Opelika closer together. No matter where folks come from to the Rail, they find themselves there for the same reason.

For folks that live like I did in a previous life, let’s get that tree down and ready to recycle.  We would begin undoing Christmas decorations after lunch on Christmas Day!

Christmas Tree Recycling in Opelika! This Saturday, December 31 from 8am-12pm at the Opelika Chamber of Commerce. Keep Opelika Beautiful will have volunteers to unload your tree. Plus: Receive a free dogwood seedling in exchange for your tree!