In the past few months I have been mostly occupied with work, in the preparation of making the X-56 first flight happen.  The X-56 is a 500lb, twin jet-powered UAV that we will use for flutter control research up at NASA Dryden Research Center at Edwards AFB, CA.  Like all new airplanes we have spent a lot of time getting to this point and are now poised for flight. Look for it in the news.

I did take some time off to watch the Tour of California stage three come by my house and wind its way through the hills from Palmdale to Santa Clarita.  Stages four and five were equally exciting and close to home.  The stage five finish was in from of my cousin's home in Avila Beach and also passed by Danny's work, having passed through my home town of Santa Maria along the way.  I must say that I felt a great deal of pride that "my" roads were chosen.  I ride along those roads so often, know the terrain and the wind, that it was like being there the whole three days.

Last weekend was the Cayucos Central Coast 600k brevet, which I rode in 36 hrs and 10 minutes.  All the way up the coast to Carmel, then up Carmel Valley and across the windy Salinas River Valley to San Juan Bautista, before returning along the sparse but beautiful Hwy 25 to Paso Robles before climbing back over to the coast.  Ann went with me and spent the weekend wine tasting in Cambria and at the Paso Robles Wine Festival, also visiting with Bill, Judy, and Danny.  So we all had a good time.

So next month is the Gold Rush Randonnee, 1200k, from Davis to t he Oregon border and back.  I am signed-up and ready.  I'm really looking forward to it.