Brisbane 35+ 123 sat & sun

The Pre-mature Ejaculator set rode around in circles covering the front n back.

Sat- 35+ 45 starters and 15 finishers..... wacky n fast.
We went off and I marked everything at the front. Bang bang - half way thru in the ft straight (ft side wind) a Kelly guy who just had to have the spot in ft of me could not hold the wheel but stayed too long and created a big gap - Now, do you except this turn of events and become the Capo of the chase group? or close.....? You close with a big pull! Hell you got Fonseca sucking your wheel, he'll come around and help. Right? I get the group there and wave that weasel fuck thru (oh harsh? Read on as its more than qualified) so I wave him thru as if my pulling off after that hit must have been misunderstood and nothing, until I get jumped and put into TT mode for the rest of the race. People were throwing tomato's at me and the jeers, my God, the jeers - no flashing from the women - complete abandonment. I did have Jason n Rob on one corner cheering and Pete on the other smiling each time passed. That did help! They thru nothing and Rob did show his tits! Little team things help, and you guys know just what to do at the right time. Thanks.
So I stayed out and finally the Ref, who I kept thinking was going to pull me, started coming out each lap and cheering each time I came thru.
The field slowly made it's way around and when the chase caught up I was behind them and River Ride "Max" swerves lightly toward Fonseca and after Fonseca rides up behind Max and hits him - Frickin hits him! Pretty hard w/ the butt of his hand - This guy needs to go. So I finished the race and that's that.
Spent the rest of the day dieing from allergies - I love spring but man it reeks havoc n my lungs.

Sun 35+
Fast fun race - no problem with the hill. I pulled away on the hill and rode off the front for two laps early in the race. I find if I do this and ride an open course early I get a chance to see it empty at speed and open myself up - plus it looks good to the crowd to have our name out there. The rest of the race was pretty good n fun. For me I think our mistake was taking up the ft in the end. Pete came by me and we fell into what seems to be a good routine for the two of us. Pete picked up the pace and we both were getting into redline and Nolan jumped - I tried to follow but never made contact and was blown - this all went on too early. I really think we're "scrappers" in that situation - not filling the role of the aggressors. Not yet. Ca-mon guys, we have only 10 seconds of racing in us, we need to use it correctly - maybe in the last 9 seconds of the race? Handcock - thoughts?

The Caldwell connection.... I have no idea WTF he was doing. All I know is in the only part of the course where you don't have to pedal was fast - I showed 40mph - Caldwell hit me from my right while I was drinking -damn hard- it blew my ft wheel up n off to the side about a foot or so and I fell into his lap landing w/ my right forearm on his left thigh and then he fell into me - that saved the whole thing! My bike came right back under me and I was able to push him back away - thankfully I never changed my line or dropped my water bottle. I really like that bottle. I thanked him for not moving away and the race went on. Funny, had things been different and I had hit him, what would have been said.......

It was a great weekend. No allergies on Sun.

Tejas!......

So we all remember the former Norcal / Nevada racer known as Jed Bickel. Well for some reason he decided his chances out of state may be better.

Come and listen to a story about a man named Kirt

A poor VOS'ineer, barely kept from gettin hurt,

Then one day he was shootin at win,

And up through his legs came the thought of racer sin' crude.

Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.

Well the first thing you know ol' Kirt's a Webcore goon,

Old teammates said Kurt move away real soon

They said Austin Texas is the place you ought to be

So he loaded up the truck and took off without a pee.

Tejas... flats, that is. Head winds, Football Crits.

Its The Bickel Hillbillies!

And from all report he's winning crits by lapping the field and Stage races by margins!

Sooooooooooo, Set a spell, take yer shoes off, but don't come back now, Ya hear!

Good job buddy!

EPO

La besta - back again cuz its sooooo good!

Hey "What was your wattage when you got runover'?

So I talked to my Coach today "How ya doing'? "Well I got hit yesterday" "Really, have you looked at my files"? "WTF"! "You got hit"?

Almost seems to be in vogue these days.... And there are far too many drivers out there willing to award you that badge of honor. But do keep in mind, according to the SF Chronicle, 90% of the time it's the Cyclist's fault. In print, must be true... doubt it? Read the other posts on this blog....Tee he he....

Here's how it went down (for this badge owner). As I don't want to reveal his idenity, lets just callllllllllll him, Brrrrrooooo, Brubaker. Yep Brubaker. Coach Brubaker. Good guy. Pretty mellow, not out there to cause any problems - just ridin his bike..... "Yep "spit", one of them dar faggots all dressed up in dat faggot costume - that's why I got dat faggot bar on front of the Ford! Don't want em to scratch the hood as they go under, Da-hahahahah "cough cough, hack, spit" "yep - them's faggot's"

Well Coach Brubaker is no faggot - he does were that faggot costume... but so do the rest of us - even them faggot girls. Ok, OK. Coach Brubaker was out on a ride when he comes upon 2 pickups stoped in the road window to window talking to each other and blocking the road. No room right. No room left. So he goes up the middle slowly with one foot out pushing himself along up the side of the bed and right to the cab or um.... in this case, the cockpit! But not a cock in the pit, just a loony Bitch who goes ape-shit on him! The thought of him to take the only open passage as the two of them are talking of barrel aged fine vintage Meth! THE NERVE! And with that, the moment he gets past the ft of her pickup she guns it and runs him over! WTF?

He falls over and pulls his feet out of the way and over the bike she goes... and then comes the excuses - "my foot slipped off the brake, I didn't mean to hit you" ah, but she did - and just wait till she finds out the bike was worth more than her frickin pickup!

Coach Brubaker is doing ok - the funny part was when I asked how the hell did ya get home?

Well, she was nice enough to give him a ride - funny how friendships are made......

BBI Bridges out!.... Flash!

Well its now official, BBI has transcended to becoming, much like the Beatles, BIGGER THAN JESUS! He's broken contract with ServiceCourse and been picked up by some sub par ski blog- hope they treat you as well as we did - Pussy....

Contrary to the impression left by a "Memorial Bridge" sign -- complete with skull and crossbones --that recently appeared next to a trail at Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center in Truckee, Jonathan Laine is not dead (after seeing the posting, one acquaintance of his went home and Googled "Jonathan Laine death" and "Jonathan Laine obit" thinking she had missed media reports of a fatal accident in Truckee).
No, Laine, a 50-something ER doctor, is alive and well -- despite his best efforts, it seems, to hurt himself through various misadventures...his friends like to remind him (..after the bridge incident last year, he took a tumble on his mountain bike and broke his back... perhaps more on that at another time). The sign appears to be an attempt by his buddies not to memorialize Laine, but his epic ski.
The bridge in question stretches across a creek that meanders through the heart of Euer Valley, a favored trail system at TDXC (although the bridge is wide enough to accommodate a logging truck, it has no side railings). Laine had dropped into the Valley one evening last year, intending to glide off the stress of the day, when his tussle with the bridge began.
The snow was rutted along the edges of the ski track, he said, and half way across the bridge, his ski got caught in a rut and it pulled his leg over the edge of the bridge. He teetered there for a nanosecond before plunging over the edge, into the ice-covered creek.
Cutting his lip, Laine broke through the ice and dropped, skis, poles and all, into the water and was completely submerged in the creek -- which is 2 to 3 feet deep. He just missed becoming impaled on a piece of rusty pipe sticking up from the side of the bridge (you can see it in the photo -- it comes out from the side and shoots straight up). Laine said he came up for a breath, but had to dunk back under to reach down and unlatch his binding and take off his skis. Once released, he crawled his way up the side of the snowbank and stood -- dripping wet, with no help in sight.
Laine said he stripped down naked, and began wringing out his clothes, boots, gloves and hat, while shivering violently. He redressed, and started skiing up the trail that leads out of Euer Valley and back to his car. The physical effort helped warm him a bit, he said, but his hands were so frozen, that he could not move his fingers. It took some work to reach into his pocket, pull out his keys and open his car door.
So the good news is he survived -- but now must suffer the fallout from the Memorial sign. The teasing may be as sharp as the ice.

BBI Exposes ServiceCource!..... Clever! - ouch!

BBI, AKA JLaine has had enough-

Many thanks on the tips below. (SEE: http://servicecourse.blogspot.com/2008/03/with-little-help-for-my-friend-bbi.html )

Many will serve me well. You can be my role model from now on. A few questions though. Like on the suggestion, “Prepare thoroughly for any task so that you can be sure you are ready. 5 min. to race time - where are you?? “ Is this a dig at yourself? A reference to, “its 1 minute after the race started, which lap are you thinking of joining in on?”After your pithy list of “helpful hints” below, I now feel compelled to spill the beans on the whole situation, and the sham of a life you have been living. I will start at the top.

Sit down, prop your jaw up, as this information will cause it to drop open and hang there wider that a 4th street whore’s legs. First the identity of the kingpin here. Why, none other that the blond bombshell you are married to. Yup. KP is behind this whole charade. You with me? One under the bus, and more to come. She is so worried about your fragile psyche, and your explosive nature, that she has set up this “pseudo life” for you. SC, time to belly up to the bar, and realize that it’s not real. See, she has hired all of us to help you. Did you ever wonder why all your “friends” are losers? Why are your “pals” the kind of folks who are all, in their own way, piloting Kamikaze planes into the tarmac? Let me open your eyes to the real world. Let’s just run through the cast of characters that the kingpin has hired to sustain you in your pseudo life. (Really, could one man have so many losers hanging around if they weren’t paid to be there?) Lets start with Fat Tony, Thought I should copy you on this as well, as you only kind of qualify as a loser. After all, you did need to resort to using the web to get a date (loser), but on the plus side, you actually found the princess. So, you actually are the winner. (I will not point out that she actually is the loser, for marrying one, and will keep that thought to myself).

“Live and learn,” said the kingpin. “I’ll hire one step higher up on the loser scale for my man next time”Whoops. Her second hiring was perhaps her second misstep, after Fat Tony, and on this one she mis-stepped so hard as to break both ankles, destroy the mortise and nearly render herself a permanent cripple, and only her quick thinking in the following hires saved her from certain disaster. Who was this person who nearly derailed her loser-built scafolding to hold you up. HOT TALK!!!! “Wasss upppp?” She thought she had him on the payrole, and then he sends her a COD on a shipment he redirected to himself. He was let go right then and there. No more need be said here. Those that know him all heve their own HT stories.

So, smartly she gets her act together and goes with Sven. Bicycle racer extrodinore. Emphasize the “ex” part of that word. Relationship wizard, ebay selling furniture refinisher who doesn’t refinish furniture? Makes you look pretty good by comparison, huh? Now the Kingpin is hot, and getting cocky. Her strategy of surrounding you with “pals” out of the loser pool is working, and working well. So she goes to town and keeps hiring. Next up, and perhaps the actual star of the show? The GONDA!!!! Back from europe for another continental engagement. He’s your friend. He’s not. He’s your friend. He’s not. He’s on a ride with you. He’s not. He’s attacking. He’s not. He’s selling his house and moving away from you. He’s not. He loves the Gondarella shoe trophy. He ..., well, actually, he never loved or even liked the trophy. Never mind on that one. Whoops.

When TG starts to look a bit normal and routine, she empties the bank account and hires the only man in Truckee living the loser lifestyle 24/7/365. All loser, all the time. Not to brag too much, but, yup, this one is me - BBI: Relationship failing, bicycle crashing, non-Mercedes driving, back-breaking idiot of spectacular proportions not seen previously in these parts. Sponging for bicycle maintainance and furniture moving assistance. Wow, by comparision, I really make you look great. Again, hired, packaged and paid for by the kingpin. So there it is. All of us here for you, orchestrated by the kingpin. Sorry to crash your world. Whoops. My bad. I'm taking my house and moving!

BBI - DO NOT POST THIS ON THE BLOG. ASSHOLE.

Jesus!.........

Happy Easter My Son......

Bicyclists blamed twice as often as drivers

From Skinny Tony- Shown here blocking a handicaped parking stall - frickin bikers!

Bicyclists were twice as likely as drivers to be at fault in the nearly 2,000 collisions that killed or severely injured Bay Area bike riders in the past decade, an analysis by The Chronicle shows.
Bicycle and safety advocates say the deaths two weeks ago of two cyclists hit by a Santa Clara sheriff's deputy's cruiser should serve as a call to improve relations between cars and bikes on the roadways.
The advocates say large numbers of cyclists fail to follow the rules of the road, running stop signs and red lights, and drivers are becoming more aggressive.
"There is a juggernaut out there - the tension between the cyclists and the drivers is so high that it's become a war," said triathlon coach Marc Evans, who is starting a campaign to get the cycling community, drivers and motorcyclists to put more focus on avoiding deadly collisions on the roads.
The Chronicle's analysis of the 33,000 Bay Area collisions involving bicyclists since 1997 shows that, in the most serious accidents, the driving behaviors of bicyclists often were blamed for the crashes. Data collected by the California Highway Patrol show that bicyclists were deemed at fault in 1,165, or nearly 60 percent, of the 1,997 accidents that killed or severely injured cyclists; drivers were blamed only 520 times, or 26 percent. In most other cases, no one was listed as being at fault.
Suspicion of bias
Bicycling advocates said the statistics might in part reflect a bias among police officers, who they say often "blame the victims," especially because cyclists might not get to tell their side of the story as they are being carried off on stretchers.
"There is a prevalent perception among police officers that bikes don't belong on the road," said Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
Yet even the most staunch cycling advocates acknowledge that some cyclists give others a bad name by failing to obey traffic laws.
"When I see a rider run a red light, I cringe," Shahum said. "Not only is it totally unsafe, it makes me and all other cyclists look bad."
As for drivers, the data suggest their behavior is getting worse by the year.
Serious crashes
The number of serious Bay Area crashes in which cyclists were at fault has hovered at about 100 per year for the past decade, but the number in which motorists were blamed has steadily risen - from 38 in 1997 to 61 in 2006, the last full year for which data were available.
In addition, the number of accidents involving drivers hitting cyclists and then fleeing has spiked in recent years. Hit-and-run drivers killed four cyclists and severely injured 26 others in 2006 - significantly more than any other year in the past decade.
"There seems to be a natural tension between bicyclists and motorists," said Susan George, town manager of Woodside, who finds the streets in and around her hilly San Mateo County community swarming with cyclists, motorcycle riders, equestrians and drivers out for a good time on weekends and lunch hours.
Groups of dozens or even hundreds of bicyclists sometimes take over the roads, blowing through stoplights and disobeying signs, she said. At the same time, some motorists retaliate aggressively, tailgating the bicyclists, honking at them and trying to force them off the road.
"The majority of cyclists obey the rules, and the motorists, too, but then you get these outlaws," George said. "It's an ongoing battle, and in recent years the tensions have gotten worse."
Berkeley police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said that in the past two years, her department has noticed an increase in all types of road-rage incidents.
"We get about six calls a month of road-rage cases, of people getting into screaming matches or drivers getting out of their cars and throwing their arms up," she said. "It's not just motorists and cyclists. It can be motorists and pedestrians or motorists and motorists."
Yelling at motorists
Kusmiss said the cases involving bikers can be exacerbated by the fact that in Berkeley, "some cyclists are very political about their cycling: They yell at the motorists to 'Just stop driving.' "
According to the data, when drivers were at fault in an accident, the most common type of violation cited was not giving cyclists the right of way. For bike riders, unsafe speed was the most dangerous violation, followed by riding on the wrong side of the road.
Male cyclists were almost five times more likely to be killed or severely injured than women. Fatalities and severe injury accidents affected all age groups, but riders in their 30s and 40s faired worse than others. Most common fatalities were 48-year-old males.
No one has suggested that cyclists Kristy Gough, 30, of San Leandro and Matt Peterson, 29, of San Francisco who were killed in the March 9 accident on Stevens Canyon Road in Cupertino, were at fault.
Evans, the triathlon coach who regularly trains riders in the hills of San Mateo County and was Gough's coach, said it is often the serious athletic bikers who take the most risks. He said he sees whole clubs of riders zipping through stop signs and failing to slow down.
"You get these guys who think they are Lance Armstrong or something, then they turn around and get themselves killed," Evans said.
Armstrong raised awareness about his fight against cancer with his yellow arm bracelet, and Evans hopes to start a similar bracelet campaign to promote safety among bicyclists, drivers and pedestrians.
Black-and-red armband
Evans has made the prototype of a black-and-red armband that he hopes he and others can distribute to cyclists and motorists in exchange for their promise that they will obey all traffic safety rules. George said she hopes Woodside can be a sponsor for the program.
"On the bracelets, the black is to signify our mourning for those who have been killed, and the red is to signify that you will obey all the traffic laws," said Evans, who said he believes some of the tensions on the roadway arise out of motorists' confusion about not knowing what bicyclists will do at an intersection.
"This is a huge, huge problem, and it is very out of control," he said. "What I want to do is influence cyclists, drivers and motorcyclists to obey the rules of the road."

With a Little Help for my Friend - BBI

BBI has felt a bit down lately... none of us know why. Yes, little things have popped up now, (but I thought that was a good thing BBI- No? God only knows how long we would have to listen to how much cooler the Viagra NASCAR is than all others?).... Could it be having a known sprinter beating you up hills be dragging you down? Just Tues. I made sure you passed me at the end of the hill intervals to kinda give you a boost? So out of the kindness of my heart of hearts I did some research and come up with this:

BBI, do you need a confidence boost? Here are a few tips...
Look for a model (someone who has self confidence) and learn from them. What is it they do that makes them confident, how do they act? Try your friend Gregg

Focus on your achievements rather than your failures. If you do find yourself thinking about how you failed then look at what you managed to do right and how you could correct what you did next time. Hmm, Gregg again?

Learn how to feel good about yourself - He could help you with this-

Act as if you were self confident! You will feel more confident. The GONDA! has this licked.

Focus on who you are and what you like about yourself. Why do your friends like you? ....or do they?

Prepare thoroughly for any task so that you can be sure you are ready. 5min. to race time - where are you??

Work on any skills you need to do what you want, you can never be overtrained or over skilled for any challenge in life.

Work on your relaxation skills - Start here!

Always smile and stand up straight

Set reachable goals for yourself and break difficult tasks into smaller steps - like divorce

Reward yourself when you succeed no matter how small the achievement - Like finishing all your doughnut - Look! All gone : )

Finally, I advise you not to be too competitive or compare yourself with others. Be yourself and accept that life is not a race against others but your self confidence depends on you and your personal needs. See Gonda on this one-

BBI, help us, help you-

Cyclists, Get Off The Road - He has a point....

WTF?! Nothing is more important than catching a CROOK!

From The GONDA!:

This is Belgian cyclist Kevin van Impe. His wife gave birth prematurely this year, and their son died hours after he was born. Last week van Impe was at a crematorium, making arrangements for his son's funeral, when a drug tester representing cycling's governing body showed up. Van Impe asked whether the tester would be kind enough to give him some space during his grieving process, but the tester would have none of it, telling him it was provide a urine sample immediately or be banned from the sport for two years:
"He wouldn't even come back later in the day. It was either do it right on the spot or it would be taken as if I had refused," van Impe said.Van Impe's fellow cyclists have protested, delaying the start of races over the weekend and reading a statement saying, "We'll say yes a thousand times to a determined and responsible fight against doping, but today and even in an even stronger manner in the future, we say no a thousand times against the violation of our rights, the rights of every human being."Much has been said about how the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports has gotten out of hand. More should be said about the way the war on performance-enhancing drugs in sports has gotten out of hand.

Master 123 35+ Land Park Crit 2008

Mark my words - this will never happen again! I came from too far back for 2nd

Bicycle Awareness Test

Submitted by Fat Tony - Great!!!!!

Personal Packaging.....

BBI is close to being a free agent and needs your help! He's concerned with his look, and wants your opinion. He thinks his "Aviators" are the stuff girls are looking for - Ponch from CHiP's worked these! - I tell him "no, the Captain Kirks are what they want" - ether way, we're all just happy his ED (result of the broken back) has now left the building and he is starting to show interest again - look out girlz! Help him out - which ones?

Ride the Bitchcruiser Bike, But Wear Protection

BBI strikes again - this time by not showing for Zimora Road Race, but staying home playing with his......, um, errrr, bike?

He sent this in to us-

Once in a while we come across an invention that's so ludicrously chauvinist, even our testosterone-fueled rants sputter to speechlessness.

BBI - Great to see you found a cure for your ED!

And What Did You Expect? CSsee ya!

OK, you're at the controls of your big cooperate empire. Mmmmmmm..... We'll call you the ASO - cool huh?
Now, your job is to protect the empire. Grow it. Market it etc... it's your Baby. Ya, let's call it Baby.....
After awhile you grow a bit bored with Baby, so you start driving it around in the front seat of the car w/o turning off the airbag - but that's because you're now on drugs which also caused you to shave all your hair off.... Super cool.....
In an effort to get people to notice you even more, while in France you hold Baby over the side of your over-priced hotel balcony while the crowd gasp. Clever marketing 101. ; ) Good job! Your on top of the world! and all those below you can only hope you know what you're doing. You do - again, you're the King! You're on every party list.
Then one day in the mail comes the Mother of all parties invite - its an orgy party! So you go - hey! what kinda party would it be if you didn't? In attendance are UCI, WADA, LCL, AIGCP, USOC, CONI, IOC, RFEC, CSD & Carrot Top (Doper)- "everyone fucked each other - it was great!" What you never realized, was in doing so, you were fucking a bunch of people who counted on you, as well as people you didn't even know. ...

Now you can't find Baby, and it burns when you pee...........

Results keep coming....

California-based Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) has announced its intention to end its sponsorship of Bjarne Riis' ProTour team, Team CSC, once its contract expires at the end of 2008. The company cited "a shift in priorities" in its business' growth strategy as its reason for ending the eight year partnership with the squad.
"Our involvement in the sport of cycling has been a positive and productive experience," said Henrik Bo Pedersen, the CSC executive responsible for overseeing the sponsorship. "We will continue to support the team and exercise our sponsorship rights during the 2008 race season. At the same time, we are committed to helping the team secure a new title sponsor.

Yep, you're the King..... keep it up.

And just where are you supposed to ride?

The scene from Sunday - Yes this was an accident. Ever hear the line they use when some one screws up? Ya know, the one - Driving is a privilege not a right? Certain responsibilities are assumed every time you start the car... like not to fall asleep. I've had plenty of times when I've been over tired and done things to keep awake followed by pulling over for a nap. Or in this case a doughnut.

As sad as it is, it will be interesting to see if he is charged. Not many are - cops or other. Skinny Tony - not to be confused with Fat Tony, told me of a law many states have stating that an automobile must not drive any closer than 3 feet to a bicycle - far too practical. I'm trying to find out more about the law and will post any findings.

In light of the current tragedy, one would think things would be better out there but it seems to be worse - yesterday, The GONDA! and I were riding in Reno when some Jackass comes up behind us on his horn and as we ride in single file on the knife edge of the road passes within 3 inches. I caught up 2 miles later and was told "fuckin single file" oh, and "get a ladder and climb it so I can kiss his ass" - Today, my wife gets harassed by some kids within inches while yelling to get the fuck off the road - funny, saw a cop who was more than willing to help a blond hottie in Lycra - hope he gave em some real shit - and Skinny Tony in the bay today gets a bunch of shit from some guy. It really seems to be getting worse out there - never better.

Deputy in crash that killed cyclists faced drunk-driving case in 2001

The Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy who struck and killed two competitive bicyclists Sunday was charged in 2001 in Los Angeles with drunken driving and engaging in an exhibition of speed, court records show.
The two drunken-driving charges against James Council - one count for allegedly being intoxicated and one for having a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of 0.08 percent - were dismissed by the Los Angeles city attorney's office in a plea deal during the arraignment process, the prosecutor who handled the case said today.
Council, now 27, pleaded guilty only to engaging in a speed exhibition, a misdemeanor. Commissioner Gary Bindman sentenced him to 24 months of probation and fined him $713, including court costs, said Deputy City Attorney Larry Shelley. Shelley said he did not recall the specifics of the case.
According to Shelley and court records, Council's violation occurred Sept. 15, 2001, when he was 20. He was charged Oct. 1 of that year and pleaded guilty 28 days later.
His license was not suspended, and the Department of Motor Vehicles said Council had no other blemishes on his driving record in the past 10 years.
Council was hired as a Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy 18 months ago. On Sunday, he was 4 1/2 hours into a scheduled 12 1/2-hour shift when his cruiser crossed over the center line on Stevens Canyon Boulevard in Cupertino at 10:25 a.m., striking three competitive bicyclists head-on and killing two of them.
Two men who came upon the accident scene a short time after the crash said Council had said he must have fallen asleep at the wheel and didn't know what had happened.
Council is on paid leave from the Sheriff's Department while the California Highway Patrol investigates the crash. He did not return a telephone call seeking comment, and his attorney did not immediately return a message left at her office today. The CHP said Council has not yet agreed to be interviewed.
Sgt. Don Morrissey, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Department, said he could not comment on the drunken driving case because it was a personnel matter, but added, "I'm sure we were aware of it."
Morrissey said the agency does exhaustive background checks before hiring deputies, and that driving records are "one of the main reasons for disqualifying people" from consideration.
"It's a case-to-case basis," Morrissey said. "We like to look at the backgrounds from 360 degrees. We look at all angles and all perspectives.
"Let's say an applicant has four tickets from age 16 to age 19," he added. "Is that going to exclude him if he's 25 and is applying for a job? We look for patterns of undesirable behavior."
Morrissey said he could not legally comment on whether the department had tested Council's sobriety after the crash because it was a personnel matter. However, Morrissey said, "In incidents like this, we take blood (for drug and alcohol testing). That's our policy. And we're to the letter of our policy right now."
Morrissey said Council is "devastated."
"He's a good guy, a good young man. He has a real strong moral and ethical foundation," Morrissey said. "He's physically fit. He was diligent when I dealt with him in the academy. He was dedicated and he made good decisions.
"The fact of the matter," Morrissey said, "is it was an accident, a terrible accident, and two lives are gone. We can't correct that now. We have deep remorse. I don't know what else to say to the families except that we're deeply saddened by this."
The crash Sunday killed bicyclists Kristy Gough, 30, of San Leandro and Matt Peterson, 29, of San Francisco. The third cyclist who was struck, 20-year-old Christopher Knapp of Germany, was hospitalized at Stanford University Medical Center, where a spokesman said today he was doing well.

Merco winner 2 weeks ago-

Merco winner 2 weeks ago-
Women - Cat 3/4 Cat 3 1126-1500, Cat 4 1626-2000 Rank Points
1 Kristy Gough - Third Pillar

A man who helped victims of Sunday's crash that killed two bicyclists says the Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputy who struck the pair and their friend said he had fallen asleep at the wheel.
Bryce Renshaw said he was on his way to nearby trails for a ride when he came upon the crash that killed Matt Peterson, 30, of San Francisco, and Kristy Gough, 31, of Oakland.
"I saw the officer pacing back and forth on the roadway. He said, 'I must have fallen asleep,' " said Renshaw, a chiropractor.
California Highway Patrol investigators have found no evidence that the deputy fell asleep during a routine patrol, officer Todd Thibodeau said.
"We are asking people to avoid speculation and we are avoiding speculating," Thibodeau said. "We are sticking with what we know until the investigation is complete."
Investigators could wrap up their inquiry in as little as 30 days, he said.
Officials have said that the deputy crossed a double-yellow line into oncoming traffic where he struck the group.
Because CHP officers believe there was also no evidence that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, Thibodeau said the department did not require a blood sample from the deputy. However, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Sgt. Don Morrissey said it is routine for his department to test blood samples from any employee involved in a major incident.
Morrissey identified the deputy as James Council, 27. He has been with the department for about a year and a half. The deputy, Morrissey said, started his shift at 6 a.m. It was not an overtime shift, Morrissey added. A man who answered the phone at Council's home said the deputy was not taking calls.
It was around 10:30 a.m. Sunday when Council's patrol car crossed the center line on Stevens Canyon Road in Cupertino and drove into the riders.
It is unclear how fast the patrol car was going, how far it crossed the center line and where exactly on the opposite side of the road Council struck the group, Thibodeau said.
"There are a lot of details we are still trying to figure out. 'Why' is going to be a big question," he said.
The crash on a beautiful Sunday morning left the Bay Area cycling community and the sheriff's department shaken. Coming around a bend near a straightaway, Council crossed the center line and struck the group, Morrissey said. He called for help and immediately began CPR on one of the fallen cyclists, Morrissey said.
Daniel Brasse was 10 to 20 seconds behind his riding partners on Stevens Canyon Road. They had "gapped" him, he said, surging ahead on a slight descent.
Because Brasse said he hadn't been sleeping well since his daughter, Sophia, was born three weeks ago, the other three riders were fresher than him.
" 'I thank Sophia for you being here today,' " the 41-year-old Australian said his wife told him after the crash.
There was no sound to warn of what he'd find when he caught up to his friends. Instead, there were just screams of pain.
Brasse, a project manager with Genentech, said his First Aid training kicked in. He began trying to help Gough.
"She stopped breathing so many times," said Brasse, "Each time I told her, 'baby, keep breathing. You're strong.' "
Brasse was too focused on Gough to notice what else was going on. But Renshaw, who came up on the crash scene later, said that Council appeared to be in shock.
Kevin Valerio, who was riding with the group but pedaling behind Brasse, said Council seemed very disoriented at the crash scene. Another deputy on the scene was walking Council to her car, he said.
She also discourged Council from talking with the quickly gathering group.
"She said don't talk to those people, put her arm around him and took him to the car," Renshaw said.
Council's patrol car came to rest at the far side of the road, Valerio said, making it seem as though he completely crossed the oncoming traffic lane before smashing into the group.
Peterson died at the scene of the crash. He was on a cycling team sponsored by Roaring Mouse Cycles, a San Francisco bicycle shop. The shop's Web site posted word of his death on Sunday night.
Gough died several hours later after she was airlifted to Stanford University Hospital, Thibodeau said. Before and after she died, dozens of cyclists gathered at the hospital.
Friends on Sunday described Gough as a professional triathlete who recently took up cycling but immediately started winning Northern California races. The most recent was the Merco Credit Union Foothills Road Race in Merced County on March 2. Her team's captain called her "an Olympic hopeful" being scouted for the Summer Games in Beijing.
A 20-year-old man, identified by friends as Christopher Knapp of Germany, was seriously injured and was listed in stable condition Sunday night at Stanford University Hospital. A fourth rider was not hurt, Thibodeau said.
Reached by phone in his room at the hospital, Knapp declined to comment.
Morrissey described Council as "very emotional" about the crash. Afterward, he was sent home with an officer-in-crisis team, a group of peers who help a deputy deal with the traumatic after affects of such incidents, Morrissey said. The department offered counseling to the deputy.
Council started patrol after excelling at training, where he took lessons on handling a patrol car.
Morrissey called Council a "good young man with a strong moral and ethical background." Neighbors said Council's father, Toby Council, also worked with the Sheriff's department.
Sunday's accident rattled the whole sheriff's department, Morrissey said. Council is on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
While fatal crashes are rare for the department, deputies often drive as many as 200 miles in a single shift, Morrissey said.
The last fatal crash involving a sheriff's patrol car happened in 1994, when a deputy trying to keep a suspect from running struck and killed the man near the intersection of West San Carlos Street and Bascom Avenue. The deputy was cleared of wrongdoing.
Just up the road from Sunday's crash, cyclist Jeffrey Steinwedel, 46, died in 1996 when a quarry driver struck him as he took a winter ride. The driver, Jon Nisby, was sentenced to a year in jail.
The CHP is asking anyone who witnessed Sunday's crash to call (408) 467-5354, extension 337.

Today - Two More by Car, Cop Car..... sad

Two bicyclists were killed when a Santa Clara County sheriff's patrol car going around a blind curve crossed the double-yellow line on Stevens Canyon Road in Cupertino and struck them shortly before 10:30 a.m. today, authorities said.
A third cyclist was seriously injured and is being treated at Stanford Medical Center. A fourth cyclist in the group was unhurt.
The identities of the dead and injured cyclists and the deputy involved were not immediately released. CHP officer Todd Thibodeau said a 29-year-old San Francisco man died at the scene and a 30-year-old Oakland woman died as she was being flown to Stanford Medical Center. A 20-year-old man was injured, he said.
The deputy has been with the force for about a year and half, Sgt. Don Morrissey said. He was driving north on Stevens Canyon Road near Montebello Road when he crossed the center line on the narrow road and hit the three cyclists, who were riding south.
The deputy called for help and got out his car to perform CPR on the fallen cyclists, Morrissey said. The deputy will be placed on routine administrative leave pending an investigation by the CHP.
"He's taking it very hard," Morrissey said. "The whole department is saddened."
Thousands of cyclists cruise the winding road leading to Stevens Creek Reservoir, cyclist Steve Paterson, 49, of Cupertino said, as he was turned away from a road block near Ricardo Road set up because of the crash.
"There are so many rides up here," he said.
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"Club rides, sponsored rides, groups of friends."
It's unclear if the four cyclists involved in the crash were riding as part of larger group, but Morrissey said they may have been doing a training ride.
Other cyclists noted that riders in large groups will sometimes ride two-abreast. The practice is not illegal but can be extremely dangerous on narrow, winding roads with a large amount of traffic. It was unclear if the cyclists involved in this crash were doing so.
"I've seen bicyclists who ride crazy and I've seen cars that go too fast," Paterson said.
The opportunities for hill climbing and downhill coasting, as well as a roadway cleared of much debris make the area tempting for cyclists. Today's beautiful weather brought out scores of riders.
"It's spring and everyone is ready to get out and go for a ride," said Mike Riepe, of San Jose, hitting the road after hauling his mountain bike up a trail.
But blind turns like the one near the crash site make him nervous, Riepe said.
In 1996, cyclists Jeffrey Steinwedel, 46, died on Stevens Canyon Road just up the road from today's crash, when a quarry driver struck him as he took a winter ride. The driver, Jon Nisby, was sentenced to a year in jail.
The last time a Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy was involved in a fatal car crash was in 1994. A deputy trying to keep a suspect from running struck and killed the man near the intersection of West San Carlos and Bascom Avenue.
While a Santa Clara County District Attorney's office probe of the incident found the deputy had been driving improperly, it cleared him of violating any laws.
Deputies can drive as much as 200 miles a shift, Morrissey said.
The CHP is asking anyone who witnessed the crash to call (408) 467-5354, ext. 337.

Attention!

The English Tri team meats the Tri Queen!

When will the madness end?

Oh - that's BBI 4th from the end-

World CupMcCall Idaho

Truckee Oldsters Kick Some Serious World Cup Ass!!!!!

2008 Masters World CupMcCall Idaho

Rick Reynolds 3rd 30 km skating
2nd 10 km skating
3rd relay 30 km

Debbie Hakansson2nd relay 15 km (fastest split time on the US team and 2nd fastest in the race)
7th skating 10 km
4th skating 15 km

Susan Reynolds10th skating 15 km
8th skating 10 km

Way to go, Truckee locals. Congrats!!!!!









Jlaine

Dork

The Mutt and the African American

Race: Merco Master 35+ 123
Field - a lot, 120?
SSN team: Greg Betonte, Rob Cady, Chris Buzzoto, Jason Brown, Brian Choi

9:30 AM - We arrived near each other by the new fancy SSN car and begin to warm up.
9:45 AM - get number and start the routine.
10:00 AM - start warming up
10:45 AM - get off trainer and start rolling around inner part of course
10:50 AM - get back to my car for last minute water change, kiss wife
10:55 AM - Greg is still warming up on trainer without jearsey on, listening to something good.
10:56 AM - I tell Greg, "race is starting"
10:57 AM - Greg says, "what? race doesn't start until 11:30, hey Jason, what time does race start?"
10:58 AM - I don't know what to say, I just go to start line and everyone is lined up listening to last minute instruction. Rob Cady is lined up at the front.
11:00 AM - Gentlemen, start on the whistle, "go".

2 laps later, I am the last person in the pack. Then Greg & Jason magically show up next to me. I don't know and don't want to know... We are all in the race now. Rob, Jason, Greg get near the front and begin to race. I begin a little experiment to sit in the back of the pack for good part of the race and reserve for final 1/3 of race and also save for up comming cat 2 race i registered. I thought with course being so fast and such a big field, nobody would get away. NOT. while I was watching from the back and listening to the announcer, group of 10 guys roll off the front and race over.

And now.. The Rest of the Story....

As Jlaine would say: Weeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll......
Two races this weekend. One starts at 11:00 - here, say it, Elllllevennnnnnn... Ok, and one starts at 11:40.... Ellllllleveeeeeennnnnnnn Forty. Ok got it. Good. Now were gonna bring in 3 other guys and blindfold them, spin them around, and while they are spinning we're gonna tell them what time the race starts. Ya with me? Good! Now to make it that much more fun - One guy is Chinese, one guy is African American, one guy is as White as they come, and the loud mouth guy is an Italian mutt mix......
Now, our cameras were hidden so we could see what really happened.....

The Chinese guy knows something's wrong. He mentions it calmly.... gets little reaction, and does not press the matter.

The Italian mutt mix ignores the Chinese guy as he was wondering why the Chinese guy was warming up at 10am - nearly 2 hrs before the race? What does he know that the rest of us don't?

The African American guy is sitting in the car listening to House music unaware of the danger their all in....

The super white guy has covered his own ass, and is out at the start line thinking, "if this really works, I just gained 3 more places and the guns just about to go off". Plus, he was the one who said the race starts at 11:30? "My plan is working perfectly......whoooo hee ha ha ha... WA HA HA HA HA!

The Italian mutt mix gets the word from the disappearing Chinese guy that their starting the race -

Franticly the Italian mutt mix is pounding on the door as the African American is in his grove yelling "the race is starting!" "THE RACE IS STARTING!"
There is no way the African American is ever gonna open the car door to some frothing white guy pounding on the window yelling...
finally,,,,,,,,,, he gives in.
"The race is starting!" "THE RACE IS STARTING!" WTF!? In a calm, deep, R-rated movie voice he says "I'll never make it - let me help you - at least we can save one!" "Get your shit on John Wayne n lets go!" "I need water" The Mutt gives him his water bottle, locks the door, and hides the keys (yes Roy, hides the keys - speed suit, no pockets - it-tll be fine) Just then the African American announces that the mix in the Mutt's bottle will not do...... ARGH! New mix and their on their way.

At the course: Mutt climbs under a truck trailer covered w/ grease to roll up to the back of the line, and just for good measure looks left before emerging out - and there it is, in all it's great let-down glory, the frickin pack rounding the last corner of the first lap coming right at him! Muther F&%&*R! -

Mutt: Hey can we just jump in?
African American: Follow me!

They ride around the back of the buildings lining the course and right into the back of the field on the second lap - the Mutt w/ an SRM reading of 3min on the trainer and the African American with none!

And so goes the lost chapter of how the Mutt and the African American arrived at the side of the Chinese back-marker two laps into the race-
Go team.....