045: Pilgramage to Gloucester

Charging up the New Jersey Turnpike for the weekends event at the New England World Championships, I pick up my phone and dial my brother Craig, who lives in Greenfield, MA.

"Hey, buddy, It's Fatmarc, what do you have going on this weekend?" Craig carefully answered, "nothing , why?" I followed up, " I know it's kinda late notice, but I'm speeding up the highway towards my destiny in a little town called Gloucester, sure love to see you, your lovely wife and the kids." Craig, being the bad ass that he is, "hey man, I gotta go."

Confused I asked, "Dude, what's up?" Craig continued, " the wolf has been called in my man, I gotta throw the wife and the kids in the car and get my ass over to Gloucester to hang with Fatmarc and Aunt Monkey!"

and it was on.

Craig and family rendezvous with our small posse from the Mid-Atlantic containing: Buzz, L-Web, Papa Tom, Jeffy, Clutch Bergey, Gunnar, KMill, Forrest, Bad Andy, Bad Kat, Monkey Jan and Myself. We were fortunate enough to have a buddy's "summer cottage" about 5 miles from the venue at our disposal. It was amazing.

Jan showed up, drank a few martini's and headed home after a long day heckling Saturday with a nasty cold/illnesess. Bummer, he would have loved Sunday.
Friday, when we arrived, we immediately bumped into JD, who gave us the low down on the event. A little walked tour of the race course and a warm welcome. I was in awe of the venue, and frankly can't use any other term than reverence as Tom, Jeffy and I did some laps around the course. Valhalla I am coming home.

Diane got this shot of me warming up from the big fucking rock.
Yup that that big fucking rock:

Saturday morning, we woke to the sound of raindrops bouncing on the roof of the "summer cottage". Monkey and I were sharing a room with Bad Kat and Bad Andy. Andy, woke up and said, "it's gonna be another epic Gloucester..."


My race went well. I have no New England points, and as 1st timer really deserved to start in the back. Frankly, I think I was in another zip code from the front row. The skies pissed down, and the wind blew as the official sent us on our way. I got a good start from row 8, and I was stoked.

The course was a wreck, muddy as all hell. Line choices were tough. Friends, let me tell you a little secret, I am a mudder, I am a bike driver. The entire race, I focused on trying to pick my lines, be consistent, and continue moving up. Just keep racing the bike.

Heading into the last lap I had two guys within reach. A dude from ECV who looked like he was on the ropes, and dude in grey. Into the last technical section I attacked past grey dude remembering from the pre-ride that Papa Tom had said,"where ever you come in through this section is where you are going to end up." Sadly, Tom didn't tell my two compatriots.

Up the hill I got a little gap, and totally blew my dismount, allowing both guys to get a little gap on me. That was all she wrote. I was covered in mud, and rode to a 28th place finish. Starting where I started, and how I worked through the crowd. I couldn't have been happier. I had a great ride.

Saturday night was a great time at the "summer cottage" lots of story sharing. Lots of kids bombing around and the most amazing vegetarian lasagna that Bad Kat made. I will admit I think the broccoli Lasagna may have made me extra flatulent. My apologizes to my roommates Kat/Andy/Monkey (who's kinda used to it).

I have to admit I was totally mentally wrecked. I lost my car keys this day, and my brand new team helmet seemed to disappear. The keys I have no theory on, but I remember setting my helmet in the back of the element. Sadly there were 3 Honda elements parked next to each other that day, and because I lost my keys, I didn't lock the rear hatch. I think by mistake one of my fellow element drivers, opened the hatch, popped my helmet on their head and took off riding, unaware until later that they had mistakenly taken my brand new team helmet, (BTW I am 1-2 on new team helmets lasting longer than 2 weeks with me, sorry Auer)

As it got late, Bad Andy went up stairs to our room. I heard a weird commotion and Andy as Kat were settling down for the evening. I popped in to check and make sure everything was cool. BA says, "uh, there's a baby in that bed over there, and he's snoring really loudly, it surprised me when I came in..." It was totally laugh out loud funny. Beth, my sister in law collected my nephew Carter, and headed down stairs as we all settled in for a good night's sleep.

Sunday the course dried out significantly. The new loop was super swoopy and fun, lots of 180 degree turns, which I kinda dig. As the course dried out and became tacky, it was clear that this was going to be a fast race. As we staged I couldn't believe it, but it felt like I was even further back than the day before.

The Gun went off and I had a bad start. All year I felt like I could move up off the gun, despite my best starting position being a 4th row this year. Today, I didn't move at all. I had planned to jump on Chris Samuel's wheel but got denied quickly. That first lap hurt a lot, and was way faster than I thought I could hold, I wasn't going backwards but I sure as hell wasn't making any ground forwards. The first thought of doubt crept into my head, "maybe I gave too much yesterday?"

I blocked that out of my head, "fighters fight" I repeated to myself and set out to do my best. After the first lap, people started coming back to me a bit, I was moving up. I was driving well, and I found a rhythm.

With two to go I found myself in a group with 2 dudes I didn't know and a dude that slapped me around pretty good last year at Blunt Park. The one fellow from Cape Cod Racing and I had similar lines, and were eventually able get out on our own. Diane would later tell me that she was worried that he sat on me so much. The Last section of the last lap was coming up quickly.

Coming into the barrier chicane, he rode all the way to the barriers, I dismounted shouldered the bike and ran to his wheel. We came off the 90 degree corner and hit the barriers, as he picked up his bike. I sprinted past him through the barriers and up the little hill. He remounted first, and accelerated past me, I got on cleanly and jumped onto his wheel. In my most Adam Myerson voice I heard it in my head, "he's mine" we hit the pavement, I dove inside and threw down my best fatmarc sprint, taking would you believe it 28th place again.

Saturday and Sunday were two different races, style wise. To score the same result in both races made me pretty damn happy. It was also cool that Saturday I kinda blew my technique at the end and it cost me a spot, where Sunday it totally bailed me out. That's cross.
I came into this weekend with no expectations. I knew how far back I'd be starting, and how deep and talented the riders would be in the race. I had written in my goals for the week "finish with a 3_ next to your name." Both days were exercises in racing my best cross, not really worried about a result, or earning points, but being out there and battling guys for any ground I could. I kept reminding myself to race out of every corner, and keep pushing forward. 28th isn't sunshine and roses, but making the pilgrimage to Gloucester was amazing, and frankly I am convinced the trip brought out my best cross this weekend, and frankly made me a better racer.

So yeah, 28th in the 1/2/3 master's isn't the best result I ever got, but damn it's something I am definitely going to build on.

thanks for reading.

items of interest :

1 set of keys lost
1 brand new helmet gone
1 other set of keys locked in the car
1 camera ruined in a puddle of Diane's pocket
1 guy yelling "fatmarc, you ain't in the south anymore buddy!"
100 strange dogs that Diane pet this weekend
Working pit and hanging with LVG and Ellitston was cool too.
Thanks to Monkey for working her ass of for me all weekend
WONDERFUL to SEE COMBSY!! Thanks for all your help and cheering!
Clutch Bergey saves the day like 100x this weekend. Great Guy so glad to be associated with him.

a really great weekend, thanks to everyone that made it happen.

respect
fatmarc
"I'll give you candy, give you diamonds, give you pills,
Give you anything you want, hundred dollar bills"