151: retrospective

For the final few years that I focused on mountain bike racing, I had really become focused on team endurance races. We had a great core of people, a plan, and we trusted each other. We were a bunch of mediocre experts, who alone amounted to not much more than role players. But together as a team, we were able to do some special things, we were able to win some races, and I know personally I dug deeper for my teammates during those events than I ever could racing on my own. It was a very special time, and part of my racing life that I really cherish.

Often supported by Tom, and managed by Fitzy; Lauri, Buddy, Peaches and I would end up doing 6-7 team endurance events a year, in addition to some solo enduro stuff, as well our normal cross country. Bob, Paul, Keith, James, Dan, Rick, Breyla, Wes, Monkey, Andrew, Ethan, Robert, Les, even some 11 year old kid would often round out our line ups. Most folks never focused on the team stuff, we did. We had a system, we had a plan, and we always knew that we could count on each other. That was pretty awesome.

Coming into 2009, we all found ourselves in different places. 2007/2008 saw us all grow into other area of the sport, of our lives. 2008 was the first year that we as a group didn't compete in a team endurance race together. Buddy has focused on the Michaux enduro series the past few seasons. Lauri is racing while balancing being supermom to Jeff and Meghan. Fitzy moved to Colorado and is working on building a life there. I have been obsessively focused on my cross racing. Peaches has been getting busy starting a family. Peaches has a wonderful wife Amy, two amazing boys, with third on the way.

Registration for Baker's dozen opened up, Buddy, Peaches and I decided to get the band back together and race together for another one of these great team races... Our team name : Reunion Tour.

With Baker's Dozen looming, the name of our team has kinda morphed into something else: Farewell tour.

I realized we won't ever be able to re-capture what we had during that run. Life just doesn't work that way. But I also realize that we have some history, and maybe just maybe we be able to use some of that guile, experience and savvy to find one last solid result.

As we toe the line next week, based on my own google-stalking, if things go well I'm hoping we'll be one of 5 teams that will battling for the win in our class. Peaches, Buddy and I haven't talked about our strategy, the course, or who is bringing what. We don't have too, we have a system and just like it was yesterday will apply it.

Maybe during our little run we didn't realize that what we were doing was kinda awesome. But I want to let all those guys: Peaches, Buddy, Lauri, Fitzy, and Tom and everyone that was a part of it know that I do. I do recognize how awesome it was. And with that, I am greatly looking forward to this weekend, to have fun, and for maybe one last time experience that magic that we were able to conjure up.

Maybe, just maybe we'll be able to find a little bit of that old magic once again...

If not, it's going to be a fun race, and thanks to all my friends who helped make this run so special and really fun.

see you at the baker's this weekend...

best to you.

respect.

fatmarc