The post-ride sponsors party was a big hit for all in attendance. The first object of interest was...the keg! Trying to estimate the size/beer consumption abilities of the crowd, I opted for a 1/6 keg of Sam Adams. One person said it looked like an armament shell, sitting in a tub of ice. "Oooh, it’s so cute!" my bandmate Chris joked. It’d been a while since I’d been around a keg, and I’d forgotten how guys hover around it like lions at a watering hole. But it did its job, with only a wee dram sloshing in the bottom at night's end.

Guests were each given a yellow "Livestrong" band when they arrived.

The food was great, a remark echoed by many. The spinach lasagna went quickly. The room had the aroma of Indian spices though. I got the feeling many of the guests had never tried Indian food before, but after an explanation of what each food was many went back for seconds. In honor of the ride, the cake was decorated with yellow roses.

Music was major part of the night. I’d spent two months honing the mix on the iPod. I borrowed a Bose sound system designed specifically for the iPod, and the quality of the sound was a big hit. Having been a dj in my past, the iPod is a great way to make mixes...much less time consuming than making tapes. It started with the Grateful Dead and Patsy Cline...and six hours later ended with John Coltraine, along the way were visits by Shakira, Johnny Cash, the Temptations, Herbie Hancock with John Mayer, Cian (a traditional Irish band), Radiohead, Sheryl Crow, the Ramones, Roy Orbison, Coldplay, Stevie Wonder, and a zillion other artists spanning five decades in multiple languages..

StrangeWax, in this incarnation of lead singer/guitarist Chris Strong, bassist Ben Pettit, and myself playing lead guitar played a fun acoustic set of songs from our "Chameleon" CD, as well as covers of U2, REM, Foo Fighters, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, and concluding with a song that seems appropriate for the Ride for the Roses - John Lennon’s "Watching the Wheels."

Thanks to all who came to the party!

ABW