this is from the first Kern i ever did. I think it may already have been linda's fourth or fifth. this is from the randsburg stage. a very weird old cool ghost town in the middle of nowhere at the top of a long straight road up into the hills. we stayed in the cottage hotel. i recall that stage was miserably difficult with debbie allen pulling the two of us in the field through the wind until she'd had enough of us and rode off. then the other woman took off and i was alone in the mojave. just me and my drool thinking i will never do this race again. then linda appeared and we rode together. i was so freaking happy it was over. i remember seeing the finish line beneath my wheel and praising the almighty that it was done. seems it's always like that.

i received this photo in my inbox from linda.


now tell me, is this normal behavior?








now she wants me to push it down with this

i've been having crazy dreams lately. i'm in russia. i'm sitting on a hill in russia thinking, wow, russia, i want to wander the streets and go to deli's. i told this to linda in the morning. how i was so excited to wander the streets of russia and find deli's. she said russia wasn't like that. russia was falling apart, she said. no deli's. but this was my dream and there would be deli's. last night i had this dream that i was in this wonderful building, a rambling old rickety place. i was looking out the window to rolling green hills covered in mist. i like those kind of hills. and i thought, this is where i want to be. i could live here. it's small, but i like it. and then i noticed there were Bellas in the place. they were chatting and sitting at the table in this cozy room. someone came in with an armful of food supplies and put them in the refrigerator. i liked that too -- food in the refrigerator. it was comfort food. macaroni and cheese. pop-tarts. i wandered down the hallway thinking this is the place i want to be. it had a harry potter feel to it. tall ceilings of carved dark wood. dimly lit with candles. in another room there was a fireplace. it was a bit messy with crumbling bricks but the fire glowed and was warm. i could sit in this room all day, i thought. and then i noticed in the corner all by himself was a man reading. i didn't know who he was, but i didn't mind him there because he was obviously enjoying the place too. i went back to the kitchen with the views of the hills. i think i told someone how much i liked the place. and they said it's for Bellas only. it's a bella place.

i think this is the most fun i've had at madera ever. we got to do it all.
a little port tasting on friday.

chit-chatting on a pale blue blanket under almond trees on saturday.

a major, major clown sighting at dinner.

after-dinner port and chocolate (er, sorry about that lead) on a hotel comforter probably last cleaned in 1973.

searching for pigs on sunday and finding none.

getting locked out and looking for ex-cons to break in.

calling lilly's cell phone and getting the message that Laura is not available and hearing lilly say "that is because I am sitting right here."

finding infinite lilly logic in that.

i even got to do my bucking bronco interpretive dance upon the bike.

thank you Linda and Soni for instantly turning around to check on me and Pam Davis who I took out when my front wheel hit a pothole. Pam was very gracious and rode off (with one very firm butt cheek exposed) with linda and Soni but their races were over.

so sorry ladies.

other bellas raced on and did very, very well!