"You should know your place" --AMD to BPG

That pic is Karla trying to come to grips with a hairy-legged cyclist. She's apparently in to the whole "shaving" thing.

Not sure what was going on in the 123 race at the Early Bird #2 in
beautiful Fremont today, but the moment of the day had to be the pack
streaming around Turn 1, where all us spectators were and some random
AMD guy looking back at the BPG guy ("Team Weed" per some spectator -
great moniker) on his wheel and saying (loudly and dismissively) "You
should know your place". What's that all about? Yes, sir, though. Very
humorous. We yelled at them to get in their place and know their place,
etc the next couple laps. Good times.

Joel Robertson predictably stomped on the pedals in the ever-so-lovely
Team Oakland kit (since his new team can't seem to get a kit of their
own), initiating some shit, driving some shit into a big gap, then
sprinting past Mister World Championship Armbands himself, Larry Nolan,
for 3rd I think (maybe 2nd?) in the winning break of the P123 race, with
lots of heavy hitters in attendance (a couple pros, a few ex-pros, a
couple stars-n-stripes rolling around). Nice work, Mr.Robertson!

The weather was great all day, and I mentored nearly all the races
(missed the early early 4s race, sorry guys). Had great fun and got a
lot of Insider Racing Know-How(tm) into the new guys' heads I think (I
hope). Each pack of racers seemed to have its own specific problem
(while getting correct the thing that plagued some other pack) which was
amusing except for the part where people can crash and get hurt.

Predictably, some people did crash and get hurt (firetruck made an
appearance today, that's no good), and some people are going to send
some expensive carbon equipment to the equipment graveyard sooner than
they would have hoped, but there was some great riding out there, too.
The majority even. That gives me hope for the rest of the season when
we're racing for real, which is why I do this mentoring schtick (it's
not the free bagels, for sure)

Honestly, after being sick all week from last Sunday's exertions, I was
overjoyed just to be clipped back onto my ride again and toodling
around. I did miss it so.

Also, there was a huge (in my opinion) women's pack today. I love seeing
that. Get out there and kick ass, gals!

Lots of TO folks out there too - Mel, Sean, new-Jeff (way to hang in
there this time!), new-Laura (nice riding, ma'am!), Brian, Ed(-not-Lai),
Carol, and TO-wannabees Alice and Karla. Everyone hung tough in their
fields and didn't cause any fuss. Can't beat that.

I'm on hiatus for the next few weeks. I'll be in lovely Cape Town, South
Africa for a week, then in Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls) and Botswana
(Linyanti Bush Camp, near Maun). I'll admit that I'm probably going to
miss riding while I'm there, but this is the trip of a lifetime, folks!
I won't miss it too badly.

See everyone in February...