Man, am I tired … and I didn’t even race this weekend!

The double weekend started on Saturday at Rocky Mountain Raceway, and Marek Shon (of Cyclesmith) designed an incredibly difficult course including sections of the motocross course. Steep run up (dubbed The Pride Killer) leading into a hairpin descent under a bridge into a section of whoops (dubbed Biff Hill), before heading out into a long gravel section in the parking lot.

As is typical of the courses at RMR, riders either loved it, or hated it … but I think most loved it; especially since it wasn’t the typical roadie course that RMR has been known for in the past.

Sunday was a long Tour de Wheeler Farm … cold and damp, but not raining, for the first two races; perfect riding conditions, although as is typical of Wheeler races, there were many flat tires. Big props to Mama T for finishing on the same lap as the winner for the first time since she started racing CX last year. She’s getting stronger and faster, and I predict that she’ll be dicing it up with the leaders next season.

The rain started coming down hard after the juniors race, and the passenger window of the Trooper slipped the track, and dropped DEEP inside the door.

The longer laps helped with officiating … I think we only missed one rider yesterday (since corrected), and I don’t think we missed anyone today. I felt good about the results I turned in. The only confusion now may come because some numbers are being recycled after racers are upgrading. Apparently, we had a rider finish in 20th place yesterday … while he was in Denver. Whoops!

Tore down the course; raked out the worst of the ruts on the sweeper downhill leading towards the pits, and headed to Hoppers for late lunch and a beer.

Now home, stiff, sore, and tired … time to head off to bed to get started on this next week.

You just have to love Utah and its wonderfully idiotic (original language snipped, because I’ve got the word “porn” in several blog entries to help drive traffic) concept of holiday celebrations.

Today is July 24, which has some meaning to the Mormons, although I’ve no clue exactly what. Problem is that most people in the state act like it’s Christmas in July without the gifts.

According to Wikipedia:

Pioneer Day (also archaically called the Day of Deliverance) is an official Utah state holiday celebrated on July 24 in the U.S. state of Utah, with some celebrations in regions of surrounding states originally settled by Mormon pioneers. It commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon Pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, where the Latter-day Saints settled after being forced from Nauvoo, Illinois and other locations in the eastern United States. Parades, fireworks, rodeos, and other festivities help commemorate the event.

In addition to being an official holiday in Utah, Pioneer Day is considered a special occasion by many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Pioneer Day, some Latter-day Saints walk portions of the Mormon Trail or reenact entering the Salt Lake Valley by handcart. Even Latter-day Saints outside of the U.S. occasionally sing Mormon folk music around July 24 in remembrance of the pioneer era.

Ah … so basically the State of Utah codified a religious holiday, in the name of “history”. Once more proof that there is little (if any) separation of church and state in Utah.

The worst parts? The DABC liquor stores are closed and they shoot off more fireworks than on the 4th of July. So aggravating! Good thing I stocked up on Stella Artois earlier this week.

InBev to buy Anheuser-Busch for $52B - CNN.com

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (AP) — Belgian brewer InBev has announced it will buy its U.S. rival Anheuser-Busch for $52 billion to create the world’s largest brewer.

The deal would create the world’s largest brewer and put the U.S. beer-maker in the hands of Belgian-based InBev.

The acquisition means control over America’s largest brewer, the No. 2 worldwide, moves overseas. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Anheuser-Busch has more than 48 percent of American market share with brands that include Bud Light.

InBev confirmed the details of the purchase of Anheuser-Busch early Monday. It first bid for Anheuser-Busch on June 11.

InBev is the world’s second largest beer maker, with brands that include Stella Artois and Becks.

The deal must be approved by shareholders and European and US antitrust regulators. The merger will produce the fourth-largest consumer product company worldwide.

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. did not return messages seeking comment Sunday evening.

The Wall Street Journal said the deal was for $70 a share, a $5 increase over the offer Anheuser-Busch rejected in June.

What did I tell you back in May and in June regarding the proposed InBev acquisition of Anheuser-Busch? I knew that one way or another this deal would happen.

As it turns out, the Busch family’s posturing when they rejected the original offer, and more so through the commercials that have been airing on TV the past few weeks have been more about getting InBev to sweeten the offer … and it worked.

So here’s hoping that everything goes smoothly from here on out, and that some of those fantastic international (especially Belgian) brands that InBev controls get some better distribution in the United States once the deal is completed.

Update (more stories on the InBev / Anheuser-Busch deal):

• Anheuser-Busch accepts $52 billion InBev offer - MarketWatch
• Anheuser to Be Sold for $52 Billion - NYTimes.com

I definitely overindulged in pretty much everything except riding this weekend; especially meat and heat.

From Nancy’s 4th of July BBQ on, well … the 4th, to The Reverend’s “America, Fuck Yeah” BBQ on Saturday night. Brats, burgers, chicken and beef skewers. Jennie’s lemon tart cookie things. Beer. Vodka. Couch-time watching the Tour.

Not the absinthe, though … that was some serious nastiness, so after a few sips, I ditched my glass, and returned to my nice, refreshing Grey Goose and tonic.

Going back to work tomorrow morning is going to feel like a vacation. It will definitely be a de-tox day.

Anheuser Girds for Fight With InBev - WSJ.com

U.S. Brewer Is Expected to Reject Belgian Company’s Offer, Promise Its Own Plan to Boost Shareholder Value

Anheuser-Busch Cos. is prepared to reject InBev NV’s unsolicited $46.35 billion acquisition offer as early as this week, setting the stage for a hostile takeover battle for America’s largest brewer, according to people familiar with the matter.

Anheuser is expected to argue that InBev’s offer undervalues the maker of Budweiser beer and soon present its own strategic plan. That plan, which is likely to include the sale of noncore assets such as Anheuser’s theme parks, is designed to boost the company’s share price, these people said.

Ultimately, the move isn’t likely to deter InBev, which has put together a carefully crafted battle plan, according to people familiar with the matter. InBev, of Leuven, Belgium, is prepared to take its offer directly to Anheuser shareholders via a tender offer that Anheuser has few defenses to stop, these people said. InBev has yet to decide whether to pursue such a course, however. Many investors have expressed support for the bid, which represents a roughly 30% premium to where Anheuser shares traded before the offer.

Anheuser declined to comment.

Personally, I think this is a good deal for Anheuser-Busch’s shareholders … if I owned shares of NYSE:BUD, I would definitely be voting to approve a merger; not to reject it.

As for the proposed tender offer … participate for the short-term 30% premium? Or continue to hold the shares long-term through the merger?

In the short- and medium-term after the merger is completed, share prices tend to fall more than rise due to the costs of integration, not only of products and systems, but of people … and the fact is that many mergers do end up failing.

So if I were a shareholder, I would vote for the merger, take the tender offer, wait for the share price to fall, and then start buying back in as (and if) the businesses come together. InBev has been incredibly successful internationally; it would be a good thing for the American beer drinker for them to come in and help turn around Anheuser-Busch.

Now go read the Disclosure Policy.

… on which candidate to vote for come November, let these two vid clips point the way.

Barack Obama rides a bicycle (albeit with a saddle that’s WAY too low).

John McCain will veto beer.

If that’s not a clear sign, I don’t know what is.

InBev Mulls Bid for Rival Anheuser - WSJ.com

Anheuser-Busch Cos. [NYSE:BUD] faces a potential assault from beer giant InBev NV and activist investors that threatens to place the 150-year-old American icon in foreign hands.

Leuven, Belgium-based InBev is weighing an unsolicited takeover of the Budweiser maker, people familiar with the brewer’s planning said on Friday. Anheuser-Busch shares jumped 7.66%, to $56.61 on the news, giving the company a market value of $40.4 billion. Trading volume totaled 11 times the daily average.

InBev has yet to make a final decision on whether to pursue an unsolicited offer, an approach that would be fraught with complications, the people said. But now may be the time to strike given how the depreciating dollar makes U.S. corporate assets cheaper for foreign buyers. Behind SABMiller Co., InBev and Anheuser are the world’s second- and third-largest brewers as measured by volume. Together they would control 300 brands on six continents, brewing 10 billion gallons of beer each year. Both companies declined to comment on deal speculation Friday.

InBev’s designs on Anheuser come as beer makers face pressure to trim costs because of increasing expenses for commodities such as barley, aluminum and glass, making it more important to gain economies of scale. Plans by SABMiller to combine its U.S. operations with Coors Brewing Co., a unit of Molson Coors Brewing Co., have also increased pressure for other brewers to consolidate. Heineken NV and Carlsberg A/S recently clinched a deal to acquire Scottish & Newcastle PLC, the biggest brewer in the United Kingdom.

InBev, which makes Stella Artois and Beck’s, is eager to gain a foothold in the U.S., where it has a tiny presence. The U.S. is the biggest beer market in terms of profits, though sales growth is tepid. The companies have relatively little geographic overlap. InBev has a strong footprint in emerging markets, including Brazil, but is exposed to some slower-growth markets, like Western Europe. By combining, InBev and Anheuser would gain a stronger position in China, where they have both been expanding in recent years. China is the world’s largest beer market by volume.

During my youthful years in Belgium in the early 1980s, Stella Artois was the primary beverage of weekend consumption … other InBev brands of Belgian brews include Jupiler (eh), Hoegaarden, and Leffe (mmmmm….). And what self-respecting cyclist doesn’t like Belgian beer?

InBev also controls a host of other incredible world-wide brands, like Spaten, Skol, Staropramen, Bass, and Murphy’s.

If this takeover attempt means that more good European beers can find their way into the US in general (and Utah in specific), then I say “Bring it, baby!”