Happy Holidays to everyone. Hope you all got where you were headed this Xmas. I had a DNF for my flight to Denver, so I’m doin’ the Home Alone thing. So I went over the hill (happens to the best of us) to Santa Cruz and shot some surfing images at Steamer Lane. May go back over there today to shoot some more if it’s not raining.... You can follow the Link below to check some of them out on my other photography site at www.sammaryelewis.smugmug.com or you might get a chuckle reading my latest post on my Diary of a Kidney Donor www.kidneydonordiary.blogspot.com

My cycling club, the Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club, is very proud of two of our Junior riders: Ben Barsi-Rhyne and Daniel Tisdell. They have been selected to be on the new Elite Junior Development Team by the AMD-Discovery Channel Cycling Team. Huge congrats to Ben and Daniel, two of the hardest-working juniors that I’ve seen...

Here’s the press release - you’ll also see a couple of names you know on the Master’s Team:

The AMD-Discovery Channel Cycling Team is pleased to announce the addition of nineteen riders to its 2007 Team roster. Twenty years ago, Thomas Weisel and Steve Johnson united to create a dominant masters team with a focus on winning races at the National and World level. This commitment to excellence has been continued since the inception of the team and is exemplified in the performance of the team on the bike as well as in the team’s active participation in the continued growth of the sport. Thom is Chairman of the USA Cycling Development Foundation Board and Steve is the CEO of USA Cycling. The team of today is focused on helping the sport of cycling move into the future as well as to win races.

To that end we are leaping at the opportunity to build an Elite Junior cycling team. Already having proven their talent on the bike, in the classroom and in their community, we anticipate that these ten young men will blossom even more so in the coming years given their willingness to work as a team, and from the mentoring and experiences that the Masters bring to the Junior team.

FabienDior Heinz (2006 Golden Nugget Stage Race winner from Alta Alpina), Ben Barsi-Rhyne (2006 Tour de L’abitibi stage winner from Los Gatos), and Micah Herman (2006 Nevada City Classic from Alta Alpina) will be racing in their 17-18 year age races as well as their category events. Daniel Tisdell (2006 USA National time trial champion from Los Gatos), Joel Shaffer (2006 CA State road race champion from Alto Velo), Davis Bentley (from Spine), and Charlie Avis (2006 CA State road race champion from Alto Velo) comprise the 15-16 year age group. And, we have Marcus Smith (2006 CA State road race champion from Int’l Christian), and Chris and James LaBerge (from Lombardi’s) in the 13-14 year old age group.

We are also thrilled to be adding nine Masters to our team. These riders that can win on their own, can help teammates win and love to give back to the sport. We are pleased to bring the AMD-Discovery Channel team back to the top as a vigorous and active racing team.

Joining the 2006 roster of nineteen riders are Rob Anderson (World Mountain Bike Champion from Fralock), Jeff Angerman (from Team Spine), Dave Bailey (from Pedali Alpini), Steve Cassani (from Equipe Le Matin), Marco Hellman (from Fralock), Billy Innes (from Lombardi’s), Dean LaBerge (from Lombardi’s), Kevin Metcalfe (from Pacific Coast, formerly with the team 1995-2002) and Craig Roemer (from Clover).

2007 AMD-Discovery Channel Junior Cycling Team
Charlie Avis (16) Woodside, CA
Ben Barsi-Rhyne (18) Los Gatos, CA
Davis Bentley (15) Mill Valley, CA
Micah Herman (18) Carson City, NV
Chris LaBerge (13) Napa, CA
James LaBerge (14) Napa, CA
Joel Shaffer (15) Los Altos Hills, CA
Marcus Smith (13) Pleasanton, CA
Daniel Tisdell (15) San Jose, CA
FabienDior Heinz (18) Reno, NV

2007 AMD-Discovery Channel Masters Cycling Team
Peter Allen (49) Fair Oaks, CA
Rob Anderson (51) Mill Valley, CA
Jeff Angermann (38) Reno, NV
Dave Bailey (36) Truckee, CA
Kent Bostick (54) Knoxville, TN
Ken Carpenter (42) Orinda, CA
Dylan Casey (36) Palo Alto, CA
Steve Cassani (41) Portola Valley, CA
Vic Copeland (65) Rancho Sante Fe, CA
John Creed (71) Dana Point, CA
Tom Doughty (55) Aurora, IL
Marco Hellman (46) Kentfield, CA
Glen Hinshaw (45) Phoenix, AZ
Billy Innes (35) Menlo Park, CA
Steve Johnson (57) Larkspur, CO
Dean LaBerge (37) Napa, CA
Jerry Malone (52) Mill Valley, CA
Mike McCarthy (39) Mill Valley, CA
Scott McKinley (39) Mill Valley, CA
Rich Meeker (45) Corona Del Mar, CA
Kevin Metcalfe (46) Pleasant Hill, CA
Andre Mogannam (54) Benicia, CA
Harvey Nitz (51) Rocklin, CA
Larry Nolan (49) Fremont, CA
Craig Roemer (42) St. Helena, CA
Wayne Stetina (54) Mission Viejo, CA
Thom Weisel (66) Ross, CA
Wyatt Weisel (36) Menlo Park, CA