NOTE TO SELF: Learn thy Camera!!

UGHHHHH!! I'm such a dork! The Tour de CA bike race goes right past our house. Mondays are therapy days but thought we'd be home in plenty of time and knew we were ok based on the folks camped out to get pics once we were on our way home. I told the kids I'd run in get my camera and we'd go somewhere to watch. I can't begin to imagine the money that goes into one of these things cause they close the road (we're on CA coastal Hwy 1 and this race was from Sausolito to Santa Rosa) and there were no fewer than 50 CHP's, 2 Paramedic/ambulances, and about 50 media motorcycles. Sooo we hear the cheering and I'm all ready - NOT that big a deal - not like we had friends racing but I love any opportunity to take cool photos. The first rider comes around and he's by himeself (what?.. yep.. we're at about the 60th mile and somehow this muscle man (they're all soooo built - am I allowed to say that here ).....pulled ahead of the pack by 11 minutes.. I shoot a ton of photos. I have the Canon Rebel and wanted to play with my action setting. Soo i get a ton of photos of Mr. built guy (have no clue who he is... yep I'm pathetic, probably should at least know the name of the guy I'm photographing.. I'll find out in papers tomorrow!).. AND then I get the message "CF card full".. UGH.. why does this always happen at the most important of moments? Soooo since I have 10 minutes between leader and pack (announced on loud speaker of CHP as he passed volunteer at intersection check point we were at), I delete a ton of photos.. I probably should have run home for another camera! In meantime I somehow hit timer sooo when the pack came around (the pics I wanted).. my timer paused for 10 seconds and I got great shots of the support crew following the riders! UGH, UGH, AND DOUBLE UGH!!.... Share just to say, be prepared.. If it's an event you need great shots of.. bring back up cards, read your manual, delete before you go! AGAIN, no big deal for me picture wise but once I was committed to getting some good pics I was sooo ticked it didnt work. I will say my action setting worked quite well (I think)..So one nice accomplishment!