Super Awesome Snotcycle Report...

Had a fun day Saturday at the snot cycle race, even if the race wasn't so hot. Good to see some friends and hang out. The camaraderie of pushing cars out of the snow was fun too.

My race was very short and involved a lot of running.  I might have been the first Cat 1 rider finished racing. Not winning, just the first one done.
Off the start we were all actually riding a short bit. Travis and I were side by side with the leaders just in front of us. This guy starts trying to push his way through the middle of us, all argey bargey. "come on guys, lets get going, we're going too slow" He elbowed his was in between us, started to move up a bit... he hits a patch of ice, verred off the course into a snow bank, and almost took out a spectator.  I started laughing out loud. I think I heard a collective laughing from the Cat 1 field.
This was pretty much the highlight of the race for me, sad as it was. After running for 10 minutes, I pulled the plug on my race. I hoped to get a good ride, not a 14 mile trail run that would likely cripple me for the next two weeks. Oh, well it is january...

You know, I'm a big fan of the races on the farm. I've done every baker's dozen race they have had.
This was my first snot cycle. I knew it was going to be a crap shoot.
I've promoted a few races in my life, even a couple of mud races over the years,  so I know how much work it is, and how much harder in bad conditions.
I have to admit I was really disappointed that with two days since the snow, they couldn't come up with an alternative loop. Folks would have been stoked to have shorter loops that you know they could actually ride. I know how much I was looking forward to it...

On the upside the promoters are talking about having a training race is a few weeks. No prizes, No entry fee, open to folks who were registered for the original snotcycle. A do over. sweet.  A chance to get down there and really race.. Good call Gentlemen.

Sunday I was up early to watch the cross races this morning. good show by all the US riders... very entertaining as Monkey and  huddled around the TV at 5:00 in am, cheering for Katie. Good show Katie for sure...


respect
fatmarc

Exciting January Update- with Humorous Links...

How does one nominate a product or invention for a Nobel prize?

Because certainly this item is a deserving candidate.
Wake and Bacon, is what I always say…

I am registered for the Snot Cycle this weekend. I don’t have any form, because it is January, but I am looking forward to the race.

I have to admit, I like to race more than I like to ride. I know that sounds backwards, but it’s also true. Even when I’m totally lacking form, I still like to battle it out…I like to push myself.  So I am looking forward to this weekend, bad form be damned…

With the craptastic weather we are getting today, I just hope the trails are fun to ride. I love the farm, and with skipping the baker’s dozen this year, I wanted to get down there at least once to race.

I mean it’s January so we’ll see how much race there really is… But it should be fun. It’ll be good to see some friends again for sure…

On the subject of craptastic weather, I have to admit I’m enjoying getting my weather from a new source.



Did a little race prep for the bike:

Sweet New Grips:

I’ve been told they are team issue, but I haven’t seen anyone else on the team rock them yet. The others
Must we be waiting to be closer to the heart of the season to set theirs up.

I also changed out my front tire.

Off with the skinny fast tire rubber, on with the knobbier wider Igniter. I gotta say the Igniter is one of my favorite all around tires, It’s nice step up in girth from my usual python. Only the most exciting news to
report here.

I just completely unintentially used the words : my, rubber, python, and girth in the last sentence.

Just saying.

January rules.

respect
Fatmarc Vanderbacon

Tom Selleck's Moustache and Team Camp - "group ride"

Saturday's:

Who can pull off a mustache besides Tom Selleck ?

I think I made Jake mad when he said, "my dad has a pretty good moustache."

To which I replied, "is your dad Tom Selleck?"

Jake coyly responded, "no."
with a shit eating grin I retorted, "sorry buddy. your dad's cool, but not Tom Selleck cool..."

After that Jake pretty much smacked me around the rest of the day.
Yeah, I'm sure I deserved it.
Jake had a  Damn Jack Frost crazy frozen beard too.

Trails at Fairhill were still tough going. Powdery and 2-4 inches deep in  the deepest areas... Our strategy was to ride up fire roads down single track. That was fun but hard. Alan the Cleaner, Kid Chris, Jake and CZ came out to keep me company.

By the numbers the ride wasn't that all that impressive, judging by how awful my legs felt after the ride and the length of my Saturday nap this might have my best ride in a really long time- I was destroyed...

Sunday:

C3 Athletes Serving Athletes team ride at Loch Raven. Auer is a very demanding director. He expects the best from his team, an expects everyone to work hard, work for the team, and be prepared to deliver their best efforts. He was walking around this morning pinching everyone, giving everyone a good glance over, and making sure that those extra holiday pounds are melting off. When he pinched me he smiled and said, "don't worry it's still January..."
 
The trails at Lock Raven are amazing. They also have much less snow and have been ridden in much more the my local trail system. Under normal conditions the trails at Loch Raven are flowy, technical and fun. The log overs are something that are a distant memory in these parts. But Today, after seemingly weeks of deep snow, and less than good conditions, today Lock Raven felt like Valhalla for me. It was amazing that for a change it didn't feel like my bike was a snow plow..

I was so happy I was singing in my head happy Beatles and John Lennon's songs. I was so stoked. Lilibridge turned to me at one  point and asks, "you trying out for American Idol soon?" So apparently my singing wasn't all in my head... truly the trails were blissful...

Just when the team was getting all Kumbaya Motherfucker, team captain Bad Andy went to the front and kicked it up a notch. Like I said, the demands on members of the C3 Athletes Serving Athletes team are very high, and BA was reminding everyone to tend to their business. The aforementioned Joe Lilibridge was working on his ninja skills, Chris Price was sharpening up his elbows and thankfully we all ended up back at the cars as a group. I hung on for dear life and just making it back to the car before totally blowing up... Hugs and high fives were shared and we all look forward to seeing each other again soon....  It was really a great ride...

went back to last year's team tiffosi glasses, which I love.

Shawn and Harlow, who dreamed up this training camp or "group ride" as they called it.

respect.
fatmarc vanderbacon

Please support Delaware Special Olympics

Please help out friends over at Delaware Special Olympics. You can click here if you'd like to donate.
This year  Delaware Special Olymics is rallying to send 4 athletes to Greece for the world games. If you can help out, it would be greatly appreciated.

New Shoes:


New Washer:


New Haircut:



looking forward to riding my bikeout side again. I'm just kinda  over the trainer right now.

with new winter shoes, a new washer, and a new dew, riding outside would bring zen to my world.

here hoping for zen.

thanks for your support.

respect
fatmarc

not so sure about these glasses

You know, I'm not too sure that these team glasses are working for me:


Nikki planted a seed in my mind early in the week: "how about a 4 park ride on the weekend?" Buddy, the master of the 4 and now 6 park rides, agreed to lead. then old man winter kicked in and dropped another 4 inches on us.

Pretty much killed any chance of that ride going down.


A smart man would have just slept in a little longer and headed out on the road, rack up some good base miles and called it a day. No one has ever accused me of being a smart man.

especially these guys..

Perhaps better than being a smart man, is being a man with good people around you. Saturday Breyla-la, Auer, Ted Logic and Dennisbike joined me for a fireroad tour of Fairhill. It was tough going as the only place you could cleanly ride was tracks where the trucks had gone. It took a lot of focus and a lot of energy. I can't say it was a lot of fun, but it was good.

Sunday, Jake, Buddy and I were looking for adventure. We knew that a 4 park trail ride would be no good, but we figured we'd roll the dice and see what we end up with. Again, it was a tough ride, one that resulted in a proper afternoon nap. And sort of by accident, a four park ride was still accomplished...
 

Jake, who I've been riding with a lot recently...

It is much easier to tick off the miles, with smiles with friends. Looking forward to improving conditions and perhaps a chance to get some fun trail rides soon...




still not so sure about these team glasses.

What do you think...
I don't think I'm in love with them.

respect.
fatmarc

I gotta say this kills me...

respect.
Vanderbacon not Kevin Bacon.

prom pictures

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fatmarc

Two things said to me this week...

2011 has been pretty good to me.

First this guy:

 Says to me on the Amnesty Ride; " What are you the hardest guy ever? no gloves in January, white booties?"

Then this guy :

 Says to me " I saw your crank last night. It totally looks awesome."

So two of the guys I respect more than anyone in the riding world totally dig my hardness and my crank. Awesome. Huh?

Then this: Anne Rock, who I am stoked to have as a teammate and more stoked to have as a friend, sent Monkey and I these amazing gifts:

 Monkey socks for Monkey and well of course Bacon socks for me.  Thanks Anne! You Rocke!

Then there's always this, never fails to get a smile...




So far so good 2011.

respect
fatmarc

New Year's Blogtastic Adventures

So Monkey told me that she was gonna go upstairs and put something on that showed off her hooters...


Saturday err Friday,  Monkey led K-Mill, Scotty, Scott, Jake, Tom and I around the Frozen Tundra of Fairhill.  Out early while the trails are still frozen and fun!




hey now...





Monkey leads the way:





more fireroady:


Hey, anyone want to let my dog in the house? anyone?



Sunday, err Saturday  Monkey and I met 50 other riders for the Annual Amnesty Ride...
Hell, I didn't even know everyone.. It was a great time...
 
 Jim Morrison made the ride, who knew he was on FSVS?

 Buddy straight from the Bango Tango Show :

 Breyla-la and Auer too...

 Some sexy fat devil too:

Great to see Chappy out on the bike again:

  Tom and Conair :




And here's what riding with 50 people looks kinda like:

I see Monkey's butt !

Is that K-man in the crowd?

some may say that photo blogging is just lazy blogging.

some might.

Happy New Year

respect

fatmarc