It's a holiday weekend and we're off to the central valley for some quality bike racing. First stop is the Pine Flat road race. It was pouring rain on the way out, but this morning it's a fine day for racing. It's going to be a long course with quite a bit of climbing, but fortunately Gabe's junior field is pretty small. And the four of them are off up the steep short hill at the start.

Charlotte and I head up the road a little bit to wait for Gabe to head back after going out along the lake. It's worrying time as he heads out across a number of cattle guards. It's great to see he's riding strong at the front when he finally comes around the bend.

That's my cue to start my ride out along the lake out towards Balch Camp. I figure I've got about two hours of riding to make it back in time for Gabe's finish. This has to be the most beautiful ride I may have ever done!

We anxiously awaited Gabe at the finish on the summit of Maxson Road. He suffered mightily on the Wildcat climb, but managed to hang in there and make it to the finish in third place. Now it's just a quick ride down the hill with his old man to go get his winnings, a t-shirt not many people get to wear.