Just a quick in-between ...

Since returning from my trip to Winter Park in Colorado I have been busy, busy, busy. The days are never long enough, so the evenings are filled with things that need to be done, too. Apart from the obvious daily rides (which vary between 25 to 55 miles, depending on the day of the week, the wind, and the company) I've been busy tweaking customers' bikes, sending scores of e-mails that have to do with races past and future, and trying to divest myself of more of Judy's bike stuff via eBay. And then, there was the little dinner I had on Saturday for Alan & Martha and Tom & Trish—nothing fancy, but good stuff nevertheless (poppers, chimichurri chicken, and grilled potatoes and yellow squash).

Hot in the evening, hot again in the morning ...

Somehow our lives revolve around nothing but food and drink—the way it should be!

Bird's-eye view of the spread

On Monday I was responsible for organizing the food for our monthly bike club meeting. I had volunteered to do so since Martha and I had hatched the idea to hold the meeting at the Wicked Beaver. Martha has been using her position with the Cure Cancer Foundation (www.ccancer.org) to work on something that is very dear to me: a fundraiser in the form of a bike ride on October 22. We will call it the JAMjam, the Judy Austin Memorial jam (as in a group ride where everyone is working for the same goal).

Why is Judy F. so happy? Could it be the Wicked Beaver?

The turnout for the club meeting was very good, and the food (with 18 pounds of good sausage the focal point) met approval, especially since it was nicely accented by Wicked Beaver's free beer. I tell you, offer libations and grub, and the membership will respond positively (or positively respond?)!

Feeding the WTCA animals at the Wicked Beaver

Tomorrow I will fly to Seattle and continue on to Everett and Lake Stevens for the annual Lake Stevens 70.3 half-Ironman event. It's a beautiful venue, and it looks as if the weather will cooperate once again. Jenny, who is desperately trying to find a USAT clinic to become certified, will work another pro-bono race. The race organizer is different from the past three years as WTC bought the event from the original RD, Bill B.. I will miss him and his right hand Ashley B., but I am sure that Keats M., the new guy, will segue seamlessly.

I'll try to post an update from WA in the next few days, time permitting. Thanks for reading,

Jürgen