Santa Cruz County Cycling Team's Big Night Out and Photo Op!

I am a member of Team Santa Cruz, the racing component of the Santa Cruz County Cycling Club. I have not been active in club meetings or volunteering for a while (I blame traveling and moving six times within the past year). So it was nice to reconnect with friends and meet new teammates tonight at Olitas restaurant at the Santa Cruz Wharf. Photos first, then tacos and beer. Below are a few photos I snapped while we were setting up for the Grand Photo Shoot by Steve (his camera had a wide angle lens!) The next big club/team event is the annual road ride called the Santa Cruz Mountains Challenge. - Karen

Karen, Rita (wearing her 24-hour team relay 1st place medal) and Winona also race together as the Go Go Go Girls!

Mike Evans, center smirks at the camera.

I attempted to get everyone into a disco pose! It worked - sort of.

To see all 13 photos I took visit this Picasa album.

Tour d' Afrique bicycling video by filmmaker and friend Brian Vernor

"Four months on a bicycle between Cairo, Egypt and Cape Town South Africa is not your typical African safari. En route with the Tour d' Afrique, the world's longest bicycle race and expedition, the Zenga Bros. (CAN) and Brian Vernor (USA) make light of this physically daunting trip by sharing a universal love of the bicycle with Africa's roadside mechanics, sporting racers, and innumerable curious strangers." — Brian Vernor's website

I met Brian Vernor years ago here in his native Santa Cruz, California, through cyclocross bicycle racing. Since then, I have watched his filmmaking career take off! His world travels and passion for biking and filming inspired his latest project which came from his riding Tour d' Afrique, which traveled from Cairo to Capetown!

Check it out - this sneak peak video clocks in at just under 3 minutes and is inspirational with lively music and unique view of Africa by two wheels. Brian emailed:
"Friends and Family, I've been anxiously awaiting the day I could send you my
new film (trailer) called "Where Are You Go."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NpubbAzKSY

Photo Credit: Brian Vernor

I recently saw Brian's mom, Santa Cruz County Cycling Club member and dedicated volunteer Lilly Ann Popken, last weekend, when I was riding the 65-mile road bike course at Strawberry Fields Forever ride - with my cousins, Stephanie and Vincent, who live in Africa - Windhoek, Namibia. More on that ride soon!

From Brian's Website

Where Are You Go World Premier: Bicycle Film Festival 2009. NYC. June 17-21.

Traveling more than 70 miles per day, 50 racers and expedition riders experienced the boundless Nubian desert of Sudan, the great majesty of Victoria Falls, and finally the cold rush of the Atlantic Ocean. Where Are You Go captures the 7,000 mile expedition as a constant adventure full of playfulness and mysterious beauty, and is a testament to the endurance of human curiosity.