Vacation, Day 10, 10/30/2009, Part 2

Yep, he's in there. Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself. When I look at this photo at its very largest size, I can see his helmet and his right arm, even in the shadows. Now I realize, thoroughly realize, that not everyone is a Junior fan. But I am. And, just like with my beloved Portland Trail Blazers, I am not a fair weather fan. I am a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan--have been and shall remain so.

I took these photos during Spring Cup practice on Friday afternoon. The cars are leaving pit road and heading back out onto the Talladega Superspeedway. I don't know for sure how fast they're going, but they're not sitting still--that I know for sure. They're accelerating, probably between 30-50 mph.


Mark Martin, another one of my favorites. That man turned 51 years old last January!


Here's Greg Biffle. H was born in Vancouver, Washington, right there on the other side of the Columbia River from Portland!


Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon.

Our Daytona 500 Spread and a Pleasant Window

Thanks to everyone for sharing in our joy that Mama and Duncan are home.

Here's our race-day food, which Lamont called a "white trash party in the Northwest Hills," with humor and respect, not putting us down one bit. We all got a laugh out of his observation. Left to right, front row, there's salsa and cashews; second row, BBQ-sauced beef cocktail sausages wrapped in wheat bread (Kay put mustard and pickle relish on hers); third row, sliced cheddar cheese, sliced cacio de roma (sheep's cheese), sliced granny smith and golden delicious apples; fourth row, white zinfandel, Mission tortilla chips and a great big bowl of fresh fruit. We enjoyed ourselves.


About the race itself, our guys didn't win, but the two guys we didn't want to win didn't win, either. Confused? Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of our guys (mine and Kay's), came in 9th; Jeff Gordon (Kay's guy and he's OK with me, too, now that he's a daddy) came in 39th. But, most important is that fact that neither Tony Stewart nor Kyle Busch won. Yea, Ryan Newman!

By the way, I was a bit uptight with 35 laps to go and poured myself a second glass of wine. Relaxed me right nice--I only hollered a little bit.

Afterwards, Kay and I went for a walk, visiting the two thrift stores within six blocks. I got this neat photo of a lovely window in a nearby house that has been converted into apartments.