I got my eye on you

EDIT: Important TSE news and Garth bashing at the bottom of post.

I did spend some time looking at all the Sea Otter coverage this weekend.  By all of it, I mean ALL of it.

Only two things caught my eye.

I was shocked to see that Catherine Pendrel is NOT Awesome.

Seriously, a strip of athletic tape?  I think that a Back Forty would be a better set-up, but then again, I'm just a former World Champ and she is a current World Champ.  It is nice to see that she's keeping everything MAXXIS, with logos apparent as much as possible, right down to her spare tube.

This stood out, but only because it bothered me.

It does appear that this man has a forearm for a head.    Even if I'm just optically delusioned, this at least seems like some evidence that Brian Lopes has recruited a second member for The Shirtless Club for Men: West Coast Chapter, which has been lagging far behind the East Coast at recent membership drives.

On to a completely different topic...

I see this bike parked outside Trader Joe's when I'm locking up in front of the store.

That's a sweet, and as far as I can tell, OEM spec'ed Fat Chance.  Nothing on it looks out of place.

Check out those HUGE Magura looks-like-they-should-be-hydraulic-but-they-just-pull-cable levers, sweet thumb shifters, and petrified foam grips.

Under the chainstay U-brake and a PRESS FIT bottom bracket with a pre-load collar.  What an awesome idea.  Someone should do a modern version of that because I'm sure there was absolutely no reason to stop doing them the first time around.  User unserviceable FTW!!

I wished I woulda kept a bike from that era, but I could never afford a bike that nice back when bikes like this were considered nice bikes.  Slick wicked commuter, I love you.

Speaking of wicked, Thom actually temporarily un-retired from blogging just to write about his time thus far in Western NC.  Thom admired my affinity for the Special Dinner...

just as much as Dough did back in December.

I always find Mexican restaurant menus very confusing, so I've been looking for anything that says "Special Dinner" or "Chef's Dinner."  It will usually include almost one of everything, and the only thing better than a plate of Mexican food is two plates of Mexican food.

And lastly, I just got word that John Merriam will not make it to this year's Trans-Sylvania Epic.  By "just got word," I mean I just got the email minutes ago.

Last year, John was giving Garth "I ruin everyfuckingthing for everyfuckingbody" Prosser a run for his money in the old guys class when he broke his derailleur hanger on the second to last day.  I was looking forward to watching him crush the saggy balled Rastafarian rider in 2012, but John was injured out at the Sea Otter.  He managed to crack two vertebrae, but it looks like he'll be fine after some surgical gluing and medical wizardry.  The good news is that his doctor was also a cyclist, and he stopped the emergency room staff from cutting John's SIDI's off his feet.  Imagine waking up from anesthesia to find out that someone destroyed your $400 shoes while you were sleeping?

I know.

You can glue bones back together, but trying stitching Lorica.

Now we have to put up with John's brother Chris flying solo.  Chris was always trying to get into fights with Jeremiah Bisquick, and if John wasn't holding him back, I'm pretty sure someone's hair was gonna get messed up.

We'll miss you, John.  Get well.