we'll start the party again

Camera issues. Make yourself useful and imagine the following:

Self medicated. Complaints of sore and achey thises and thats require you follow a rigorous course of cheer/heckle, race. Following, lay about in a sun warmed hammock and hot tubs and ibuprofens and beers. Cap with MOONlit ride of your choice.

Everthing has been prepared as you ordered.





Ah. Nothing like scrambling to get to the races on time. Mad dash with #1 Son and #2 Son to make the (sign in) 9am start. Feels like old times. D_____ got off to a gamefaced start. Racing 14-unders at 11 will make you hard that way. LOL at 14year old ex-grommet C___ for (riding with a camelbak, foo?) charging hard off the front up that hill. Extra points for looking back at the pack whilst so doing. Extra extra points for being 30seconds back by the 1/2 way mark of the very selfsame 1st lap. Extra extra extra read all about how he crashed on his "bad shoulder" and DNF. Ouch. Go bag that sand somewheres else, son. Honorary member of that club, and fellow 14year old, S___ rode a smooth race for 2nd. D_____ took 6th. Just barely off the podium, and it was some hard work. Nicely done, Puerto Rico! 4 laps of a fast course.

My own foray into the top 20 of 35+ Bs was...incredibly well executed. 5 laps. Black Cat cross bike on the start line, on the course, everwhere. You should have been there. Not racing- cuz then I would have been out of the top 20 (bitches!)- but heckling and beer and riding gauntlets of boozy cowbells makes good better. You're not tired! I talked a little smack, called some racers chumps, and gave the top 19 the dirty finger as they paraded by on the road section. Blank looks. Passed some fools, skidded out and almost crashed, got passed back, bumped a little, shut down a pass attempt, broke some guy's spirit (so good, I heard him whimper as he recognized a 600 plate passing meant he was losing!), passed in a sprint on the road bit, got repassed...battled.

Forgot how fun that can hurt. Thanks.

J______ rode the Kids Race (a half a lap) and was stoked. He claims a victory. 6th or 8th. He opts for 6th and the win. Strawberries and medals 12 deep. Thanks, y'all. WE back at it on the 25th. Show up if you like losing...



My plan is fool-proof. But just in case...

I could tell about the silvery soft drinking of canned beers while stopped in the midst of a night time bike ride. The sky- clear, the heavy heavy governor of all type tides hung lightly overhead. The bench-well shadowed, the peaceful quiet of sleeping ghosts hangs a hush over the graveyard (which itself is so well positioned for meet-ups, cool- downs, and exercising your drinking muscles).

Through Cside and on to the Ord. Eucalyptus is "progressing"; it'll be all paved soon. Whatever. Makes for easy access to the fire tower full of bees. Yes, we checked. Yes, they are all hived up in that North wall. Something should be done. But by whom? You, prolly.

Night rides beneath the overhanging fog layer are well familiar to us by now. Singletracks, the New Stairs, the Caprock Bar. The these and the those. The light was nice while it lasted. Good riding with those who rode. Do it again next time.

Communications will now be suspended for an indefinite period. interbike beckons. Wish me luck. If you are in Vegas...find me, Drinks are on you!