What’s been happening in the cycling world over the Xmas break? George Hincapie was named by The State newspaper as South Carolina’s 2005 Pro Athlete of the Year. The biggest revelation of all to me was that Greenville is in South Carolina, because I’m sure that I’ve been transplanting it to North Carolina when I’ve mentioned it. Oops - mea culpa... And none of you has said anything! Usually when I goof up, I get a flood of corrective emails.... Hey, you guys gotta keep me honest!

In reading The State’s newspaper article, they talk about George and Melanie’s 4,500 square foot, Mediterranean-style home near Paris Mountain. George and Melanie, along with baby Julia, have just moved into their new home. George is on the unpack-a-box-a-day plan - Right on - here’s a guy after my own heart. I’m not one of those people who have to have everything unpacked and in place immediately, either.

George also said that he plans on riding for four more years before he retires to his dream home. And speaking of retirement, Lance - my Numero Uno Guy - was named Sports Personality of the Year in a poll published in the Spanish daily newspaper El Pais. Their readers voted for Lance over Spain’s own first-ever Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso, and Italian motorcycle rider Valentino Rossi.

Our good buddy in Belgium, Ann, has sent me the translation on the second part of the Nieuwsblad interview with Lance. I’ve gotta run out and do a couple of things, but I’ll put it up on the LAFC site in the next hour. Again, thanks to my best connection/correspondent in Belgium for burning the midnight oil to do the translation for all of us to read. It’s just so great to read the whole thing, not a brief, summarized version on some website...

The photo is one that I took in the desert north of Las Vegas - Valley of Fire State Park. It is so unique, right out in the middle of the desert, to see these fiery red and orange outcroppings. It made me think of the Ancient Gods throwing giant hunks of mud at each other. There are also awesome, incredible drawings that the Native People created so long ago, on some of the immense rocks.

These particular giant rock outcroppings stand alone in the middle of the grey-brown desert - splendid in their "differentness". In the larger sized image, you can see two people on the rocks, tiny as little ants.

So I added a caption to the photo, "What Is Different About Me Is An Important Part of Who I Am". Too many people, both adults and children, are in such pain about being different, with no realization of how special their uniqueness really is.

I may use this image on a poster at my cafepress shopping site. If you think folks might be interested in such a poster, let me know.... I could see it hanging in classrooms with this message... What do you think?