Monday rambles

Basso cracks ...

So, maybe this is one of the big steps. A golden boy to stand up and decide he doesn't want to play the game by the cigar-stain fingered old men's rules anymore.

It's a shame he had to get caught to do it ... but, i'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

All of 'em ... kick their asses out.
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Value Act Capital

YellowBug took the Santa Rosa Crit in style. It's a good race to win ~ there's always a hefty prize purse and they really do make it a festive event up there in that weird transition area of California ... where the Bay ends and the true-north struggles to begin.

This is a team that's on the right path, in my opinion ~ smaller squad, focused resources, cohesive unit. They race like they have 10 riders ... which gets them in tactical trouble sometimes, but is hella good bike racing to watch. Got the YBTimes report on Cat's Hill ... how Sato went ape-shit on the climb and gobbled up all the QOM points (again). Then she went out and hammered the field into submission the next day in Santa Rosa, with never-ending attacks to set up the homerun by Patella - a much needed victory.

Good riding. This is the kind of weekend that starts momentum.

At Cat's Hill, Patella and Sato were off in a break for a good chunk of the race with PROMAN's LalaLloyd. That's a smart move by the PROMAN team - sending a tough girl like that up the road to keep the VAC riders under control. I think PROMAN played it right in believing Olds could win the race - but, you've got to know that when Karen (Kurreck) Brems throws on the kit for Cat's Hill ... she's there for the win.

Always.

And I was very glad to see that VAC was rewarded with CBrown making the podium, able to jump away from the field on the last lap Olds/Brems neutron bomb that blew apart the race. Brown couldn't make it to their wheel, but she stayed ahead of the pack for a very respectable 3rd.

But, we've got to give Brown the podium pointers ... back straight, outside arm raised only.

she'll get it - there'll be lots more podiums for her to perfect her pic' pose.
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CONVERT

oh shit ... it happened.

The only time i ever rode a single-speed was last year when Sabine wanted to pre-ride the Sea Otter course. I hadn't been on a mtb in a couple years and she just threw me out there like chum for the sharks.

i hated it.

But since then i've been riding more and more dirt, raced a few times, and have become a huge fan of riding the trails. I've also gotten a chance to look and drool over the clean lines and silent simplicities the one-speeds as they hoot and holler around the sCruz'ian delights.

So yesterday i grabbed her SS again and we went out Wylder way, through the poachers up top, and everywhere in between. I found it quite the omen that, in our dallies, we stumbled across two different groups ~ Hooptie and "his lady" Olds as we finished some Wylder climbs, and then Stellar and Krakulak deep in the uni-forest trails primevil.

Hooptie breaths one-speed and the other two are pretty much royalty of the deraill-ess.


and i listen to the signs.

so, next year ~ you'll see me layin' some down some grunts with TravisB in that SS S'Otter division.
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goodbye, socialist dream ...

Sarkozy will lead France for the next 5 years.


yay! now i'll be able to get a McShake and fries anywhere in the Alps.


woohoo!