Throwing down the Gauntlet (with a french Pronunciation

So as many of you read I was actively challenging us all to attack and stir up some stuff on Tuesdays. I think I mentioned something about a throwing down of sorts. Then as Blur Baker pointed out I quickly threw up the gauntlet. Well I/We at the Mabus household are done yakking our brains out and are back to the good. So after not really riding much for 2 weeks I was a little concerned about the stones I have thrown heading into this morning. Here is the blow by blow as I saw it. Opening lap started a bit late. Freds polka band is taking some time off for the summer to explore independent projects so he was present. Christian the shoe cover was in, as was Flyer Shirer, Blur Baker, Clarko, Matt, Garry Africa, Thomas the train, and the Entire Junior Squad from any given race. Other Notable Mentions are Russ-tic, Greg the bike breaker, Ritchey New Bike and all the other usual cast of fools setting out to sail together. So the opening smooth side consisted of Russ-tic launching a "I'm not waiting on you" rolling start off the front. We had a rather relaxed smooth side and headed into the boathouse section rather gingerly. Through the barriers the tone was a little nervous as we all knew the hard stuff could still come. Well I moved up the inside of the climb from about 20th in an attempt to patrol the front and get ready for some hard stuff. about then I noticed the Count carving a Apollo OhNo line in the top corner so I decided to launch a move to Fred. I was running the tri spokes so lets wind them up and see how they roll right!! Well I got to Fred hit the front and took a hard pull when it looked as if Flyer Shirer was yanking the chain back to us. I was a little cooked so I sat up a bit and we rolled down the hill. At this time I had a chance to inform Ritchey that his hollow pin sram chain was crap!! (they really are). So we ran the back side with no real events to speak of then Yum Rader went ripping by us and took about three AARP members with him. I noticed as well that a bikes plus guy decided to throw out his anchor from the front and have a complete meltdown. About this point we started chasing a bit to shut down the gap only to run into the tour of dallas on the bridge and path. Also Vito the Belly was staring us down something fierce as he should. That belly could knock over any one of our skinny arses. So into the Hills. Yum hit the front and started to wind it up but then decided to unwind a bit. By this point I was building up a head of steam and decided to put that MTB practicing to work, give it a hard set of corners and stay on it on westshore. Well turning right at the top was a tough task as the dirt on the road mixed with stop signs, and other larger more metal objects than me, encouraged me to slow it down some. The second lap saw a settling in of sorts and we continued the grind around to the hills one more time. Well in earnest the kiddos decided to put in a dig, and head up loving like a couple of junior high girls running to a New Kids On the Block Concert. The effort was impressive however taxing. I hit my rev limiter and settled in for a chase. On westshore Rader was exploding something fierce but the other junior was on the gas still fighting. Well we obviously got a bit of a gap which was closed down quickly but we also thinned out the bunch some too. So on to the smooth side prepping for a sprint. Fred was grinding, then we came to the driving school class and basically we got shut down (the instructor was probably all over that jerk brake on the passenger side). Now for some irony. The kid driving the car was being caught and passed by younger kids on bikes........ Hmmmmmmm......

Honorable mention. Vito, you win that belly battle, so buy a bike and fight the war. Christian, we still want to know what type of shoes you wear. Fred, for finding the sunblock and doing a lot of work as usual. Thomas the Train, (See Fred but without the sunblock) The junior squadra. Keep showing up, It worked out pretty well for some other guy who grew up around here. Finally to Me for throwing up, and throwing down the gauntlet. But you have to say that with a french accent as that does a better job of having a lot of hype with very little action and very little ability to do anything about it, Just like the French!!

On a special note, I need some pics, as I only put the picture of myself on my MTB there to add some Pizzaze to this blog. If you have encriminating pics of anyone forward them to Rick_Mabus@hotmail.com.