Good morning and happy Friday!  This Friday is happier than usual because it's a three day weekend for most folks.    I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and that you get to spend quality time with your favorite friends, family members, pets, hobbies, virtues and/or vices - we all deserve it after the incredible spring we've been having! 

Summer Training Rides

 Saturday Morning, 07:05 am update - just talked to John.  Looks like there's a break in the rain, so he's heading to the ride start! Wheels up at 08:00 am!

In San Antonio, we are going to continue our training program through the summer.  For now, John "The Punisher" Tenison has rides scheduled throughout the month of June - click here for details.     We have some new routes planned that start and end at Boerne Lake, which should be fun.  As always, send an e-mail to john.tenison@valero.com if you have any suggestions on routes.  

One thing we will be doing during the summer is folding our intermediate and advanced riders into one group, and suspending our new rider program until the Fall.  This is to give the ladies who have been working with the new riders - Zora Bilicich, Slyvia Rodriguez, and Andrea Shull - a break.   I can't thank these women enough for what they did for us this year.  The New Rider program is one of the hardest Board positions to fill, and they did an incredible job. 

This weekend, John has a ride scheduled for an 08:00 am start from Roger Soler's in Helotes.   We'll be working on the map this afternoon, and will post later in the day.  There will be two distances - 40 and 65 - and we'll take advantage of the smooth new pavement on 471.  Since the weather gurus are predicting scattered thunderstorms all weekend, there's a good chance the ride may be rained out.  Check the web site at 07:00 am tomorrow to see if the ride is on.  If we do get rained out, we'll reschedule for Monday at 08:00 am, with the same start and route.  Once again, check the web site for updates.

MS 150 Bike to the Beach Early Bird Registration

Mark your calendars for the Valero MS 150 Bike to the Beach, which will be held on October 20-21.  The good news is that if you register before June 15, the fee is only $25; after that, it goes up to $40.  To register on-line, click here.   Make sure you register with team Velo Valero and Captain Peter Ray.  Based on what we've done already this year, I'm convinced this will be a monster year for us on the Bike to the Beach.   We already have 23 riders signed up - including CEO Bill Klesse - and it's only May!

See ya' on the Road!

- El "I needed a three day weekend" Hefe