This Bud's For You, 30 July

When the Bud's Ride finishes it is still hot enough for most people to wish it wasn't. Riders sprint across the line, or soft pedal across, depending on their mood, then make a u-turn at the end of the street and take a cool-down lap before another turn takes everyone homeward. Tonight most of them were held up right after the u-turn, a crowd gathering around a lone pickup truck which had become an impromptu mobile watering hole. The couple at the truck handed out bottles of cold water from an ice chest, and i must say it was with welcome relief that the refreshment was quaffed and guzzled more quickly than mouths could handle. Propriety, though not manners, were abandoned, as streams ran out from the corners of mouths, down chins. Thank you's and other appreciative comments were sputtered between gulps. I can't say for certain who these supporters were, parents of a racer perhaps, but the gesture was very cool indeed.

true curb-side seating

the sprint to the line - the lead group shattered behind

this Bud's for you: a bike-length + win for the Predator Cycling rider

as i was packing up to leave the "main" bunch hove into view at the far end of the straight. the sprint out of that group looked like this