Charm City Cross the weekend...

Charm City was an awesome weekend of racing.

The combination of the team putting on a great event, great tight racing, my brother coming into town and working exhaustedly to pull it all off makes this one of my favorite weekends ever.

you know what those F's stand for...

While my contributions to the race to the race are small in scope, I am really proud of my team, and the event was amazing. Great job to everyone. I am proud to be amongst your ranks. Auer and Nystrom have a great vision, and the course is always one of my favorites. This year had a little mud for the first time ever. As is normal, it was a great driver's course. Which usually suits my strength.  This weekend was no different.  Totally good stuff.

As for racing both of my days were good. I was pleased with my rides, and recognize that a year ago it wouldn't have been conceivable for me to have the rides I had this weekend... But.. But both days I crashed with less than 2 laps to go and let chasers, and my groups slip by me. 4-5 guys both days.... That'll stick in the crawl a little. Still, very fun, great racing, and I feel like my cross is good right now. I just gotta stop laying it down at crunch time. How do you figure that out? Any ideas?

Skinny Craig Vanderbacon...

My brother and the kids came into town late Friday,  Craig raced the cat4 race, and had top 10 finishes from near the back both days. Good on him...(He's not even a cat 1 mtber or a cat 3 roadie... I care remember). My niece and nephew were ripping it up in the kids race too... so rad... I love that we are racing together...

Skinny Craig...

Saturday after I threw myself on the ground, Fergie, who is frankly one of my racing heroes, rode up behind me and gave me a little push, as I had knocked the wind out of myself and struggled to get going... He kept me moving and got going again... Total class act...

61 and 62 are young vanderbacons

Sunday, after laying it down my teammate Chris Nystrom rode up to me, and paced me into the finish. He was talking to me, and keeping my head together as I struggled a bit. Not the first time Sven and I have rode across the line together, and I venture a guess, it won't be the last. Love being teammates with that guy... Again total Class....

In the I almost fell over laughing category, someone yelled, " There's no shakin' the bacon!"  as I came through with with 2 to go. The comment  kinda broke my mask of pain for a second. Totally awesome.

Monkey is still a bit beat up. She gutted it out for a solid ride Sunday, and is happily on the mend... good on her...

Rode a couple of laps with Benny The Jewlar on Sunday. It was good, we were working together really well trading pulls. It was nice. The annoucer called us, "the delaware duo!"

Perhaps after all of this, the highlight of the weekend was when we put the sandpit back in for the 2/3/4 race.
They may have not been riding it as part of their pre-ride as it was taken out for the UCI elite races.

The leader (still with pack), turned the corner and says with a smile on his face, "sand, oh fuck..." Nystrom, Seibold, Tom,  JHIII, Auer, Monkey and I were laughing... It was awesome...

we were doing some serious caring.

respect
fatmarc

thanks to JoeMallis.com; Evie and Dennisbike.com for photos