Here is a link to a story about the Yancey family in Lewis County that may be of interest.

Yancey Family Wind Power

I think it is the weakest of three stories so far from the Shifting Ground series; but it is the only one so far of local interest. The other two stories are about farm animal nuisance issues and the ability of government to dissolve "perpetual" conservation easements.

I spent part of the week doing field work in grasslands at San Simeon and Andrew Molera State Parks on the central coast.

Triteleia ixioides:

Eryngium armatum:

Western king snake (I also saw a racer, but it was much too fast for me to get a picture of it):

Newly acquired addition to San Simeon State Park from the Hearst Ranch:

The female and juvenile elephant seals were still at Point Piedras Blancas:

Saturday other than removing a car from the basement, Kate went kayaking on the river. The rest of us walked on the bike path. Sunday we went to church and saw great-grandma. I collected another 5 bonus points. So far the season standings are.
Chris-0
Noah-15
Philip-0
Joel-0
Paul-0
I think I might have this one locked up. Paul has a long shot chance to come back with the wedding and all.

So Danica shows up in the TV booth at Long beach, and that closed the book on Champ Car. The broadcasters officially stopped covering the race. I'm sure the IRL is already planning some big advertising blitz based on Lord of the Rings race winner. Too bad about Justin Wilson breaking, I was hoping he would get the points for the IRL season. Also disappointed that Paul Tracy didn't have a big race. Hopefully he will have a ride for Indy and beyond.
The Track in Mexico Autodromo three amigos is a good track layout, always has good races "just want to say hi to family at home". Both the Rolex race and Busch races were good.
Lord of the Rings was poop. cars are poop compared to the champ car. The Panoz cars are so much more exciting to watch, the Dallara looks old.
Glad to see Highcroft win. Acura needs some wins to justify the effort. Looks like they will compete well with the RS Spyder this year. Nice to see good competition. The ALMS announcers took a rather mean shot at Risi's pit crew, ouch! Blue, blonde, black, green haired guy might get be upset. Looks like a good chance for 30+ cars at Miller with some new cars and old repaired ones.
The black Integra has risen from the basement. It drove out under its' own power saturday afternoon. Still needs some last touches before it goes for an alignment, and a battery.
EVO has BBS wheels with worn Advans right now. It is amazing how rough and loud the cars is with those tires. The Falkens are much smoother.
Some of the following photos are from St. Pete. the rest Long Beach. Olivier is a wizard?

According to IndyCar.com Danica Patrick is the "first female to win a major auto racing event."

The NHRA was clearly ready for this day and was quick to try and introduce the facts of the matter.

Don't forget 4 time WRC group b(the crazy fast cars) rally winner Michèle Mouton either. Also winner of the Pikes Peak hillclimb.

Liz Halliday had six LMP2 wins including the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta.

Simona de Silvestro also won the Atlantic race in Long Beach today. They have no TV deal yet, but you can watch the race at www.champcaratlantic.com . She is driving for Newman Wachs this year with Jonathan Summerton after spending last year at Walker Racing. Atlantics has a very deep field again this year. Katherine Legge won at Long Beach in 2005 on her way to two additional Atlantics victories.

Technically Milka Duno won in Grand Am too.

Nelson Phillipe rigs up a special fire suit for the last real open wheel race in the US. Nice patches.


Lucky for NHL, the Champ Car officials and Tony Cotman are in charge of this race.

Okay, it's not the last real open wheel race. Atlantics, Star Mazda, Formula BMW, other SCCA sanctioned club racing, dirt modifieds and sprint cars still exist.

Apex is gone. I finished my capstone presentation last week and have a Project Management and Internal Combustion Engines finals left this week.

I got the Jacobson out today, it is doing very well.

Boston Marathon is on Monday, but I won't be there. The first year I went it was really hot. Now, I think it's always hot for the marathon. Cyndy says that this is wrong.

The name Apex came from This or That with Eric Gagnon.

THE LOONS ARE BACK!!
The reservoir is still about 70% ice covered but it won't last long because it was 70 degrees today.

Dad

The working link to the Cherry Blossom Parade replay is here:
http://cfc.wjla.com/external.cfm?p=cherryblossom08

The Gym Dandies are in the first part about 2/3 from the start after the Underdog Balloon. Unfortunately Jonathan isn't in the video.

Chris

Black Point Inn: Top 150 Hotels in North America

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/Community/story.cfm?storyID=51752

Jonathan's parade kicks off at 10am today:

"FMI: http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=390 ).

Live streaming at http://www.news8.net/ is available for anyone staying home to watch the parade on their computer. We are in the frst third of the parade- I believe we are the 21st group to come through the viewing stand. "

Chris

Lime Rock unveiled the final layout of the track. The article is on the website with references to the numbers on the final layout.

The new bridge to the infield has already been completed.

The Nature Conservancy has a web cam on an eagle nest on Santa Cruz Island. The baby eagles are not nearly as cool as the baby peregrine falcons last year, but they will due for now. Link here.

I used google analytics to track the blob for the past month. According to google 6% of our traffic came from search engines. Here are a few of the search terms people used that unfortunately for them, sent them come here.

• Claire Bourdais (most popular)
• bombardier snowcoach
• exploratorium is moving
• kenny siewick racing
• peterson white light
• spitzer threatened me
• bio diesel radical sr10
• chicken car tommy kendall pics
• chris cheever san antonio german club
• cyndy forsythe
• falken rt-625
• emma bourdais
• jim buhrmaster rumors
• le creuset
• oriol servia dali helmet
• sebring race pictures naked
• tulip festival silverston or
• spitzer shirts

If anyone other than mother wants to go to graduation I have three tickets. Friday May 2 early.
This guy is talking: Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Chris Cox

Kevin Johnson (retired point guard for Cleveland Cavs and Pheonix Suns and a Berkeley alum and Sac native) is running for mayor of Sacramento. He has the endorsement of the police mafia, so he has a chance of winning.

The A's won their second game in a row tonight in the ninth inning against Toronto to bring their average above 0.500--hopefully not for the only time this season. Maybe Marco Scutaro is still secretly on the A's payroll, as demonstrated by his ninth inning "fielder's choice" play giving the A's the go-ahead runs. The rumor is that Fremont can't afford to build a stadium for the A's (due to the subprime thingy) and that Oakland will have the A's through 2012.

Bleacher seats at the Coliseum are now $13 ($15 for premium games) up from $10 last season, while Plaza Reserved tickets went down to $9 ($10 for premium games), from $10 last season, for regular games. $1 hot dog Wednesdays are back this season after an absence last season.

Oliver told me to put it on the blob.

Toady in the hard hat I found: 2 empty yogurt cups, 3 un-eaten cookies and 1 peach pit. In his bedroom closet was: 1 half eaten peach and 1 empty yogurt cup.

Noah

Paul found Oliver's toy hard hat in the play room closet. Apparently he was practicing saving food for the winter. Contents are: easter cookie, cherry tomatoe, pickle, hersey's kiss wrappers, and chocolate chip cookie. The tomatoe was still good. Pickle was at least a week old. Today I found an empty yogurt cup in his bedroom closet.

Oliver prefers the more traditional tricycle. He aspires to be a race car driver or baseball player, not a circus clown.