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The Year that Whitey Almost Won
A little evil sandwich makes for a good pre-BRAI dinner
The movements of Martinis in all parts of country had all but ceased. Littleton, Seattle, Victor, Dubuque, Skokie: not one swirley item sitting in the living room next to packed bags of sealed freezer bags. The smell of freshly lubed chains and clothes that wouldn't be fresh after an hour of wear never found a way to nasal passages to be enjoyed. Could this be the year that TeaMartini missed the most important engagement on the biking social calendar (without a perfectly valid excuse of being in a foreign country)?

All eyes pointed to the mothership.

Somewhere in the Roger's Park section of Chicago there was a stirring. Laurie was packing for RAGBRAI. She's been doing this damn ride for fourteen years and was not going to let her commitment to the roads, and multiple beer stops, of Iowa go unfulfilled. All she needed was partner to complete the task. The only other team member with the time off and same drive for the ride was heading into the hospital

Where there is beer there is Angry
the Tuesday before the 'BRAI. "Ah shit, I'll call Rick anyway," Laurie thought. Her idea paid off, as Rick was in the same mindset: "TeaMartini über alles." So after leg surgery on Wednesday, Rick got himself released from the hospital on Saturday afternoon and waited for the arrival of mothership and the support Bug. [To spare all users from it's quasi-grotesqueness, you can click here if you want to see what was under Rick's bandage.]

It was about 8:00 in the evening when the duo made it to Glenwood and the open and inviting house of Bill and Mary Jane Agan. Teachers helping teachers. Hamburgers, corn on the cob, potato salad and beer, the only way to start off the week. After dinner it was time for the journey into town. Would any of the good teams be there? It only took a couple of minutes to run into Brad of Mystery Machine. Guess that answers that query? The first of the TeaMartini Tunes - The Sophomore Effort CDs to be given out. A quick

Only one of these guys will actually be on a bike tomorrow
jaunt around the square (isn't that the jailhouse that Rick knows a little too well) and there's Team H.A.R.D. If anyone 'deserves a CD its these saviors. Around the next corner is Team Evil's Bear is spotted. It appears that the good teams are indeed here, are drinking beer and all are getting used to it. Rick noted that Johnny Law wasn't issuing out citations for open container like he was eleven years ago. Team Angry was the next group encountered, but there numbers were a bit low. The beer garden must be the culprit. The Martinis decided that this was to be there next destination after a short stopover in the side street bar. For in those places is where you can find the drunk ranting Doug.

What kind of intoxicating oasis is the beer garden? The Mecca of fun-seekers and hammerers alike. Where you can stand shoulder to shoulder with others who all want the same thing as you: another cold one, tail wind and non-Africa hot days. Sometimes you can only count on one, and depending on your state of mind it might be the only one you need. True to form Team Angry is huddled en masse and no one has an empty hand. The delightfully tipsy faces of Jim, George, Steve, Traci, et. al. created a glow that the city of Glenwood hasn't seen in some time. Being lit will do that. Another bright image than caught Rick's eye: a bright yellow shirt with a trademarked Fox cartoon character on it. Then there was another. Could it be that Team B.A.R.T. is back? Sure enough there was Todd, Jim and Dawn. With a few notable exceptions (to be taken care of later), Laurie and Rick were finding all of their old comrades. The night could not have gone better. It might have gone on longer, but Rick just couldn't ignore the gaping wound in his leg. Sure he may have had a beer or two, as he didn't find any warning labels on the prescription bottles, but the conservation of strength for the real fun tomorrow became a priority. So after bidding adieu to there friends, they headed off for the night, stopping only once to be RAGouged at the Kwik Shop. Someone that night bought some gas and that clerk could have given Laurie a break.
Just lookie at what we got Damian. You missed out on ears of utter deliciousness!