197: beards and eye brows

This is my teammate Zach pretty much killing himself in support of me last weekend. The kid bleeds this sport and pulls through in pretty much every aspect of the game. I am proud to have him as a teammate and a friend. And yes, I did tell him that his beard was awful, and not going to help him with the ladies, unless of course he was going Amish. Damn Amish, they got another one.

So I live in a college town which is pretty cool.

Saturday Night driving home from Granogue I was going through said college town during the end of a long day of homecoming festivities in town. I see two couples dressed up pretty well, I'm guessing coming from some type of formal or something. I also see a bunch of hooligans standing on a deck waving dollar bills and jeering at them.

Now the 2 couples are looking pretty wobbly. I'm guessing pretty much 3 sheets to the wind. Suddenly one of the formally dressed ladies reaches up and grabs a fist full of money from the hooligans standing on the deck cheering at them, and promptly pulls down the front of her already low cut shirt down showing the fellas on the deck, and a tired old guy driving home after helping clean up a cross course her boobies.

Sweet I got flashed.

"BOOBIES!!" I shouted as I suspect most 38 year old men, with the heart of a 14 year old would have done. I laughed to myself as I drove away.

sometimes living in a college town is okay.

Tom, Lauri and all the DCCoD community really did a great job helping to make sure the Granogue race went off as successfully as it did. 500 some riders, probably the toughest men's elite field thus far this year. Lots of Buddy, Elizabeth, and Breyla-la shaking their money makers, and raising money for HERA. Lots of fun. It was a lot of work for everyone in the community, but something I am very proud of; it is a statement to the character of the people involved in our sport locally . Thanks to FSVS, the Secret Henry's Team, C3-Sollay, everyone in the community who pitched in to make this event happen. It was pretty rad.

I do have one question for my Cat 4 race friends. What the hell did you guys do to the course? Seriously I never saw so much tape down on the ground. Slick Rick said the entire upper loop by the greenhouse was destroyed, and he had to re-tape it all. Anyone know what went on 0ver there?

Granogue was outstanding, my race went well, I smelled a 5th place finish but Jenx and Ian worked me over a bit, and I ended up losing a sprint to Ian for 6th. Still, I was really happy with my ride, there wasn't really much more I could do. What's up with my new mask of pain? My eye brows are out of control. How lame.

Sunday, I didn't race my strengths, after sliding out twice on the opening lap, I was tentative in the corners. The machine, the engine she was pretty good, the driver, not so much. In the end I won a two up sprint from Matt of Dynaflow. Coming up the straight I kept saying to myself, "I'm not losing 2 sprints in 2 days, I'm not losing 2 sprints in 2 days." Not my greatest ride, but got through it with a 12th place finish.

Monkey had a very solid ride at Granogue pulling down an 8th place, Sunday at Wiss she had a killer start and then flatted on the first lap, she pretty much hates her pit bike, so we did 2 changes and put a new wheel on her A bike. (this was a point of contention, but I leave it alone because I don't want to sleep on the couch.)

I was proud of monkey as she battled back to 17th in a field of over 40. Not the ride she wanted, but a good effort. Some days there are moral victories.

Special props to Rich who had a break though effort today, I knew he had it in him. Killer ride.

And so after racing 5 cross races in 10 days, I partook of a few Victory Hop Devil ales after the race. Some might so, a few too many. Jay P wouldn't let me walk by without topping off my bottle.

I have a history with Hop Devil, it always makes me feel kinda trippy, so if I told you that your face was melting or said something trippy and cool, or gave you an "I love you man!" sorry it was the Hop Devil speaking. Buddy would be so proud of me.

respect

fatmarc

ps as always thanks to Dennis and Anthony for their great photos, and letting me use them.