Firepower and horsepower [s]

Had some redneck fun for Bret's quarter century. Then we took him over to the Miramar kart track for some shake 'n' bake action. Apparently the Forza paid off, because Ty topped the newbies with a 35.071 best lap. The birthday boy showed he can drive sub-3 ton vehicles finishing with a 35.485 lap, in spite of - as I am told - plowing the barrier inside the back straight. Ryan clocked a 36.262 and Kevin recovered from a lap 10 collapse, rounding the course in 36.733. Courtney finished with a very respectable 37.844 and Cheryl showed us that it doesn't matter how fast you go (48.341) so long as you look good doing it (10.0).

I have several inspirations at the moment, one of them is to enter two teams in the enduro challenge. I imagine the enduros consist primarily of circuit veterans, thus entering two teams would create a furious battle for the loser bracket. Two hundred glorious laps...

Without further ado, here is my tried-and-true (emphasis on the 'tried') instructional entitled:

How to pass on the 4/5 chicane of Miramar Speed Circuit:

A. Keep close and wait for him to make a mistake.

B. He'll feel the pressure and run wide.

C. Stay on your line. If he slows to let you through you'll come out of turn 5 on to the back straight with a huge advantage (not pictured). If he tries to close the door give him a nudge, all his traction will be on the front tires that are turning and braking.

D. Continue to steer towards his anterior until you have passed him, now get back on your line.

E. Give the track personnel an innocent look and continue knowing that the dude now in the wall just handed you your slowest lap. It may be some consolation that it's also his slowest lap.

And we put hydros on Ty's truck. Not really.

Feathers in the cap/black eyes [i]

Why you are stoked:

• The real estate market is looking better and better.
  
• Week two is almost locked up for the d'Chris's d'Oakland d'Boomstick, so long as tomorrow Clinton Portis > Santana Moss + 12.
  
• There will be no Charger flags tomorrow. This is especially satisfying after listening to five minutes of the 105.3 pregame broadcast between Sam's house and my own.
• There was a great Pedrosa-Rossi battle at Portugal.
• KotOR II is finished. Semi-satsifying. Metroid next?
• The older brother picked up a quad. And I've been meaning to take a trip north...
  

Why you are bummed:

• Seabass's 54-yard field goal attempt deflected off the top of the uprights ultimately resulting in a heartbreaking loss at Mile High.
• Motorsport lost a legend.
  

September already [s]

So in the past month:

• The long-anticipated Big Bear trip went down. Food, drinks, volleyball, watercraft, Wii, wiffle, and twisty roads. The estate was, by one account, 'at least five times gimungous more than I thought it would be.'
• Softball is back on, last Wednesday's dramatic comeback was highly enjoyable. But really I just do it for the sliding.
  
• There were weddings. The most recent was this weekend and featured treetops at the zoo and bottle service at the Ivy.
• After this weekend there is very little doubt that I will absolutely destroy everyone at fantasy. Hurricane Kitna!
• The water has cooled off a bit, but San Diego caught a small swell recently.