This Bud's For You, 21 May

As it did last Wednesday, this weeks Bud's Ride crown goes to Patrick Caro.

What seemed to be most noteworthy as talk swirled through the bunch on the slow ride back to town, was not so much that Mr. Caro won two consecutive weeks, but that he did it this time while pulling a small Fiat behind him. He also, apparently, soloed up the Via Verde climb one-legged, switching from left then right so that both would still get their work for the evening. This last part was mostly speculation since by then Pat was so far ahead that no one could really see for sure what he was doing. Besides, that Fiat was blocking the view. Anyway, what I do know for sure is that Caro, and the two opportunist escapists who were pulled along in his wake, were nearly across the finish line before the bunch came into view around the distant bend in the road. Sounds like the stuff of legend, and certainly does not need any further embellishment by me which, anyway, would just make it sound unreal.

In the photo above, ignore the two on the far left, they are NAP (not a part). Meanwhile Caro is motoring at the front too strong to even prompt a sprint attempt from either of the other two. As you can see he had the wherewithal to ditch the Fiat for the finish; of course the two riders being pulled along probably weighed more than it anyway. Squint really hard and you might be able to make out the bunch in the distance through gaps in the trees.