rjones28 

rpenmanparker 

No longer bring the bike to Lake Tahoe. I just don't have the wind for climbing. No sense wasting my time.

jtaylor996

We do too. When they moved out here to Texas, they lived with us for like 6 months. BUT, that was in the big house we just sold that basically has a guest suite, so it was no big deal. Where we are now, you can't get more than 10' away from anyone else, and the walls are apparently paper thin.

That being said, one of the first upgrade is going to be a door knob that locks for the bedroom we're staying in. For, you know, marriage stuff.

WhyFi

Atta boy, LAJ!

I blame Revenge of the Sith.

Rowan

Of course, today dawns bright and sunny and NO wind! We seem to choose the toughest days to do the longest rides.

More heartening, though, is that the location where we will ride the 400 had winds gusting to a mighty 17km/h (just over 10mph) and a max temp of 15 deg C. Here's hoping the weather holds out there (central Victoria).

LAJ

Thank you @LesterOfPuppets! Show those cowboys in WY how to Strava!

Thank you @BillyD! As you know, that competitive thing is hard to kill. Dug deep on this one.

Thank you, @WhyFi! I'm in such a good mood, I think you should pick up a new woodworking tool.

Thank you, @rjones28! Same. I'm in such a good mood, I think Benson should have an extra treater.

Thank you, @Trsnrtr! You know all about these things. Technical, rough, crowded, and differing abilities.

patentcad

Nice.

But why no podium girls?

LAJ

Thank you, @Rowan!

I know exactly where you're coming from. I've said many times that distance is only for folks that get along with themselves, simply because your mind is everywhere. As I would be out there, I also wondered what you and @Machka thought of our state whilst on the incredibly mentally difficult Last Chance. Cracking off a quick 100 (Century, in real money) out there on the plains was bad, and I often wondered about 60 hours+ of the same thing.... Good heavens.

The smoking thing was also strange. I would be on a 400K or some-such, and would think.... Man. I have 150 in, and still have 100 to go.... I deserve a smoke after this thing. The idea would soon disappear, but why did it even enter in the first place! Not unusual, from what I understand.

LAJ

Thank you, @patentcad.

The podium girls in this part of the state fight wild fires. Our state is burning, so we're on our own.

patentcad

Don't be handing out Chapeus and Kudos to the idiot that got blown out the back door 3 miles from the end of the Saturday ride. That's even more pathetic than giving all the kids on the last place Little League team trophies just for participating.

patentcad

This underscores the core of the world's problems.

Twisted priorities.

Rowan

The Last Chance wasn't really as bad for me as some others might make out. Despite what people say, it's not dead flat, at all. There are plenty (hundreds) of rollers that we (Machka and me) couldn't just muscle out by standing in the same gear. Then there was the wind. And the darkness. And we won't ever forget the motel in that old mining town, Atwood. That was really scary, but interesting at the same time... property sales for $2 or something ridiculously cheap like that!!!

But we did get to see the real location of Last Chance. Slept in the doorway of a church, and saw this huge thunderhead storm over Boulder.

You know what? We've had thoughts of going back and doing it all over again.

One of the reasons I love randonneuring (and 24h TTs), even though I am not fast and particularly good at it, is that it gives me an excuse to travel to other parts of the world. It's how Machka and I met in the first place. Randonneuring is a small part of the whole scene for me. Hence we are going back to the mainland for the second time this year to ride an event... it's a chance to get away for a week and have some fun on and off the bikes.

On the smoking thing, it's not unusual for a car to pass us, and to smell the cigarette smoke from within, and for just a split second, that thought of Mmmmm, that smells Oh so goo... uh-oh, not you don't!!

datlas 

Ok. You suck.

Happy now?

patentcad

Happiness is overrated.

Rowan

You forgot to include Porky.

LAJ

Exactly, @Rowan. Crest a hill.... Oh look! More corn! Bout' the 300th time, the ice pick would come out, and my helmet would be stuck to my head.

patentcad

Nobody covers Heard It Through the Grapevine like Gladys Night did it in 1967. Funkier in the pocket groove than anybody else's version. THAT's the one you gotta base your local music hack cover on.

Pcad has it handled. Oh yes.

patentcad

LAJ

I must agree with that. How dare they leave us bike racers to fend for ourselves.

Rowan

Great illustration for the back of a jersey!

rjones28 

Have you found a softball league yet?

rjones28 

One of our distance-riding customers had to abandon an event out your way last week, because of the air quality. He ended up with an upper respiratory infection.

sbxx1985 

Road race tomorrow, LAJ? Good luck.

Heathpack 

Love it!!!

Where are you in the stage race? Must be pretty good right now!

patentcad

Where is the 'Like' button for these posts? WTF? Have we learned nothing from FB?