This Bud's for You, 18 June

There i was, busy watching the grass grow at my feet, and the gal - what age did i have to reach for babes and chicks to become gals and women anyway? - who stopped at the curb in front of me. I remember hearing a buddy, who was a good ten years older than me at the time (and still is by the way), use the word gal and thought "well, that was kind of hokey". Now there i go using it. Anyway as the grass reached to tops of my Vittorias, i tried to hone in on various conversations going on around me. I would glance away occasionally for a view up the road where an intermittent stream of riders would pass by. But none proved to be Bud's Riders - you can usually tell the difference by the speed at which they move. You know the finishing straight along Puddingstone, you can see a half mile down the road. No one is going to sneak up on you. But that is exactly what happened this evening. 

The grass was closing in on my ankles when i looked up in time to see the trio shown above making their final charge at the line. I lifted the camera up for a quick shot but, of course, it was not turned on, so all I could manage was an air photo and an imitation of a shutter sound which came very close to sounding like "damn." I did get the three podium spots as they came back around - Kayle LeoGrande, third, the Incycle / Predator rider whose name I don't know, and winning the Bud's crown yet again, Patrick Caro.