Hurricane Sandy

meant too much of this:

Thankfully we got off pretty much unscathed. Hope everyone made out as well, and best wished for those who didn't...

respect
faticus

no moral victories

Dear Faithful Reader,

HPCX
Monk rode well in a very deep field. strong ride, battled hard. Was proud of her. Despite landing on the dick spot points wise, it was a very solid ride for her. She was pleased. I think she'll take a break next weekend to recharge a bit for the final push. Good on her.

okay that's pretty damn funny.

For me, I wrapped up the worst three weeks of my season. Three weeks of good legs and results below the effort. Frustrating. Cross results score plummeting.   Apparently no good deed goes unpunished. I'm  pretty much done with that. Time to make a withdrawal from the Karma bank. #sillybikeracingmeanseverything.

that's all I have to say about that.

thanks for reading.

respect
vanderbacon

Friday Morning Picture and me trying to win a contest

Fartecus in action

Plus it would be rad to win a Shimano group.  So please click here.

Been a while since I whored out the blog. I was due.

have a great weekend

respect
fatmarc

DCCX- Nachos make everything better...

Dear Reader,

You know, I should have known I was in trouble when messing around with my niece  I picked her up, and slammed her face into the tailgate of Craig's car. I should known I was bound to have some bad luck this  day...

My race was the  single speed race with over 55 riders, and what was by far the most stacked single speed field I have raced with. I was excited and feeling good. I got a good start, and kept the leaders in sight. Sean was trying to pound the field into submission off the gun. I was content to sit in on the tail-end of  the front group. Midway through the second lap things were starting to break into groups, I felt freaking rock star. I stood made it to the group in front of me, and half a lap later found myself closing in on a big group of 45+ers, and clear of my two single speed compatriots.  Then it happened : heading towards the GI track section, down one of the rollers, I bottomed out my rear wheel, and it went flat. I got to the pit, half lap away, and the tire was off the rim... Greg Wittwer helped me pit, and I was off chasing. Too many had gotten by, and while I still put in a super solid ride, I can't help feeling I left something on the table today....
BL.AH... Congrats to Auer for a hard fought Victory on this day...

As bad as my luck was, Diane's was worse.
Historically, Diane has had good rides at DCCX. Never good starting position, but good rides. This year, she was in the 3rd row (her best starting spot ever), and off quickly. Sadly, one of her compatriots was a little aggressive, bumped into her, and then into another, and then the two hit the deck. Monkey, locked it up and skidded to a start just avoiding getting taking down. As the entire field sped by, Monk put her nose to the grind stone and took off.  Sadly, on the cobbles,  she flatted a tubular. She limped into the pit, and without the best PMA. She took the pit bike and headed back out on course, where she picked up few spots, but was clearly disappointed. I was bummed for her...

Luckily, Craig brought in a great day for the Vanderbacons. Craig visting from the motherland was in the 35+ 3 race.  Craig got a good start rode into a nice group of 5. Slowly the group whittled down to two dudes on the final lap. The two of them came into the final stretch together, where Craig lost a close sprint.... It was a super solid ride, and it was really fun to watch...

Congrats to DCCX for another super fun event,  Monk and my bad races aside.

I will admit that the ride home was a little quiet. Followed by a heavy sigh. Then maybe some f-bombs. Then maybe a few minutes of silence, followed by "rat bastards..." followed by more silence...

When we hit Baltimore, we decided to get some nachos, and close out the day on a positive. Even better, we remembered that the great thing about cross is that next week, we get to do it again, and have better rides...

I am totally stoked with the unveiling of C3's annual  Halloween kit, of course inspired by La Vie Claire

Shea Rocking the halloween kit

or as Diane has called it, "the come on get happy suit" inspired by the Partridge Family

Great seeing so many teammates and friends today.

thanks for reading my bitching...

respect
vanderbacon

Picture Pages

Seneca Creek Cyclocross

Robert G put on this first year event as Seneca Creek State Park in Gaitherburgh, Maryland as part of the SportifCup series. The race was really fun. Course was twisty and put a premium on bike handling, and with 4 dismounts a lap, was thankfully no grass crit! I've only done a few Sportif Races, but a common theme is that they are low key, well organized events. They aren't as grand in scale as the MAC, NECX, or Super 8, but the three races I have been to all offer a nice race, in a low key environment. Pretty much exactly what we were looking for this weekend.

After Holy Week, let me tell you, a  low key local race was very welcomed.

I raced single speed this week, because it's fun, and while I love my Blues, the old Fort still has a little magic in it when I ride it. It's also nice to mix up the competition a bit.  I started a little stronger than I should have, a last second decision on the lines.  Last second changes to strategy never seem to work out for me. I tried to pressure Sean from crosshairs a bit, not sure I succeeded in that, but we I tried. Through the sandpits, I was passed by two riders (chad and chris), and I tucked in behind them, as Sean opened up a small gap. Yup, drafting in a single speed race. Then I flatted.

yup, flatted at the end of the first lap, ran 1/3 of the lap to the pit, got a wheel, and started chase from DFL.
As I ran around the course got a lot of support from folks watching. That was pretty cool. I hit the pit, and just went as hard as I could to get a work out, and pull back as many spots as I could. Playing with house money if you will. I finished exhausted, and pleased. It was a good day for me.

Diane lined up with 15 other cat 3 women. She didn't have a rock star start, but battled into a nice group. She would trade positions through out sections of the course with a couple of riders, battling for 6-8 place. On the final lap, she put in a nice attack and shed one of her compatriots through the sandpit. The Bikelane woman latched on to Monk's wheel and did a great job sitting in on her. In the final stretch, BikeLane jumped her in the sprint. Diane finished a really strong ride. It was a nice day, and best of all, it was great to be home in the early evening and sleeping in our own beds Saturday night...

Been studying a ton, getting ready for my ECON Final on Tuesday night...

thanks for reading.

respect
fatmarc

thanks to Jen and Nick Sears for the pictures.

Rubber Meets the Road...

Okay, Okay, Okay, I admit perhaps during my recent pilgrimage to NECX I may not have given the time and attention to my studies that I should have. My final for ECON 642 is next week, and while I'm not where I need to be yet, I will be by next Tuesday.  I'll thank Layla for the early wake up call and extra study time this morning. I'm not saying I have a spread sheet that shows exactly what score I need to pull down the A, but I'm not denying it's existence either.

Bob Reuther and the West Chester Cross guys are putting on a race in a couple of weeks. I wish it was on Saturday of that week, but heck it's going to be put on by a great group of guys, and a great event. Bob asked that I spread the love a bit .  More information can be found here.

remember marginal cost equals marginal revenue....

respect
fatmarc

Holy Week Part II- Providence

Saturday's race was very hot. It didn't go as well as planned, and well I did my best, I knew I had left something on the table. Chills on Lap three had me blow a pretty strong start. After a quick feed I started to crawl my way back a bit, but it was really a little too little, a little too late.

Craig, Beth, Diane, Taylor, Fartercus and I had a wonderful dinner at probably one of my favorite places to eat in the world the Cuban Revolution. I hadn't been here since Nationals in 2006, but remembered it and was more than excited when we all ended up there. Food was ridiculously good. We'll be back sooner than 6 years, trust me on that...

Craig and I were having a beer or two, and talking about the race he leans into me and says, I think I can hop the barriers. I'm kinda talking shit, so I say yeah, they are doable but is the reward worth it?

Yeah, that was fucking rad. More rad was when we came into the barriers on the first lap and he did this in traffic, picking up ten spots. Craig would have his best verge/necx result this weekend  This is his second year of cross racing...

Monk raced hard Saturday, had her usual danger scout reaction to the fly over "why couldn't they just put carpet on both sides?" and busted out a solid race. After running the Gauntlet, (Nittany, Charm, Gloucester, and Providence) she decided after doing 3 laps Sunday that she was pretty cooked, and with lots of racing to go, didn't race. Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor. It's a longer, but still intense season a head.

Sunday, my race went really well. Strong start, battled in groups, sat on wheels, attacked when it was smart, I rode cleanly. I rode the race I wanted to ride. Fast forward to the last lap. I'm dangling off of the Chabot group just slightly. On the road stretch, about 1/2 through the lap, I make contact. There is a group of 3 chasing, but not likely to catch our group. Up the steep hill with two stairs, which I have been riding the entire weekend, we come up on a junior who let the first 3 guys in our group go through cleanly, but clearly didn't see me as he plays Terry Tate with me and takes me out. I was shocked  I may have  used some unkind words here in frustration. My apologies, junior racer.

I get up and get untangled, and now, I'm caught by the group chasing us. I start out kinda upset, then get angry, as the first guy in the group attacks through the pit passing me. I stand and respond. We weave through the last technical section, I sit on his wheel, and use some of that "New England Shit" when the guy behind me tries to move up in the group. I move my hands to the drops. This is been maybe my best race all year, and clearly my best race in New England ever. We hit the road, and the leader in front of me jumps, I respond and come around on the right, I get clear of him, but notice a wheel coming up on my right, I dig deep once more, and pour it all on. I see the line, I throw the bike. I win the group.

I am fucking stoked. Later, I find out that the result, was my best New Engand (Verge/NEPX) result ever. A freakin' birthday miracle I tell you. A birthday miracle.

A couple of other quick ones:

Kitten T-shirt Standard issue here on C3

warming up with Nick, Craig and Auer. Craig is leading Auer second wheel and I'm third, we come through a fast wide corner, and Auer goes to the front sits up and smiles back at Craig and I. He says with a chesire cat grin , "nobody wants to be the jam on a Vettori sandwich!" Awesome..

Speaking of Nick, Nick and Jen both came up to race this weekend. Both did very well. I think it was the biggest field of women Jen has raced with... She had fun. Jen's pretty rad.  This was Nick's first weekend of cross racing, and he did really well on his mtb w/ cross tires. Not really a surprise, as Nick is an amazing bike racer. More impressive was after he broke his chain and knew to run to the pit, some dude along the way offered him up his cross bike: A Moots Ti cross bike, with full red components  Now, we saw Nick, then we didn't, then next thing we know he's there on a Moots Ti Cross bike. 

Kids race was rad. That is all. (ryan sorry I missed your picture, I was getting ready to take it when your chain popped off)

carter

or Fartecus if you like, through the barriers

Taylor w/ Haile in tow!

As always great to see so many teammates and friends. Benny da Jewlar had a super solid weekend of racing, as did Auer Power... Really fun stuff.

love this shot, Chabot w/ Benny closing

Monk and I made a point to get out early Friday so we could enjoy the good weather and city a bit. Providence is really an amazing place, and we had a wonderful time. Our hotel was really rad, as you can see checking in when we had my honda fit stacked with race gear, a Ferrari, a Porsche and a Maserati. Baller Althetes, that's how we all roll...

We were happy to have Norm, Allison and Eric from MTBNJ join us at our compound. Totally great people, and fun to race with...

 Finally, with what Diane and I called the Gauntlet (Nittany, Charm, Gloucester, Providence) behind us, it was time for the Holy Week Playoff beard to come to end."the Playoff beard" if you will has served me well.
Beard season, will come again next year for sure....

no way I was selling that mustache...

thanks for reading...

respect
fatmarc

Holy Week - Part I

Craig chasing Gewilli...

Prologue:
If you are crosser- if this is the season you think about all year. If you love cross. You owe it to get yourself to Gloucester. I've been to nationals, I've been out west, I have lots of favorite races. Gloucester is the best. Everything that everyone says about Gloucester is true, and more. I have been to lot of great races, and we have some awesome ones here in the Mid Atlantic  And I'll admit, there's times when I'm in New England and I think: we are on par. But Gloucester, the venue, the crowds. It's amazing. There's an extra gear there that no one else has. I think it's crowd sourced from the racers and fans.. but man, it's awesome.  If you go, hope that you  are lucky, really lucky you get some weather conditions. These are the courses and conditions are what make cross great. I won't lie I love racing in this stuff...

monk with one to go...

Chapter 1: A Place to Lay Our Heads
About a month ago, Kelly and Diane were wrangling around where to stay for Gloucester. Kelly found a place and emailed us. "two doubles- here's the information" A double room for Diane and I is way more than enough, and with Craig and Beth and the kids coming down accommodations would be perfect.

Other than a tsunami coming across the George Washington Bridge the drive was a pretty easy one. When we get to the Sea Lion Motel, I give Kelly a call and ask if both rooms were in his name. He said, "there's only one room, two double beds!" I start to hyperventilate a little and then tell Kelly, "I thought we had two rooms!" Clearly, Chris, Kelly, Diane, Me, Craig, Beth, Fartecus and Taylor are all not fitting into one room. Diane and I laughed, we took 2 doubles to mean two rooms two double beds... A swing and a miss...  A couple of quick phone calls and Jeffy and Brian Bahnson were happy to provide us with a little floor space to crash in... No stress, Lots of laughs, and a change of plan... This is going to be a good weekend...

Chapter 2: Race Day 1

Monk got off to a good start battled in huge groups and raced hard all day. With one to go she had finally worked to the front of a  big group. As they headed into the off camber slip in slide, I commented to myself,    "diane just worked another late lap magic run" as she was one of the stronger riders technically in the group, but could be out gunned in the power sections. Then she yard saled it. Full on Pete Rose slide. Diane one side, bike the other. Group gone. Diane finished up strongly, but was a little disappointed with her last lap. BUT she had fun and the racing was rad.

fartecus and I.

I was stoked to have Craig line up right behind me, and we chatted about our strategy for the start, starting in row 8-9 respectively. The gun went off and it was on. I got a rock star start and moved up pretty well. Ended up in a group with Benny da Jewlar... We battled forward, battled back. Some very physical racing, it is after all called  "that New England Shit"  I got put into a tree at one point, but blew by the guy on the run up. Going into the last lap Ben came to the front and got a small gap. I would chase, but he'd come in a couple spots ahead of me.  I have to be honest, I was really stoked. It was my best ride of the year, and I did everything thing that I wanted to. I raced my race, and I was stoked.

Craig got balled up a couple of places, but still put in a rock solid race. For his first NEPCX Elite masters race I was super proud of him. He's just gonna keep getting better...

scratching Craig's nose

proper hydration is important

Interview here.

Chapter 3: The Hanson Brothers

Lots of questions about racing with my brother. I love it. I am so excited he's racing, and I love racing in groups with him. Someone asked if there was a lot of competition between us. I said I gotta be honest it's less like trying to beat each other, and more like us versus our group. I like to think of us as a little bit like the Hanson boys from SlapShot.  Okay, maybe it's not that bad, but how could I pass up this reference.

Craig railing the corner ...

Chapter 4: Day Two

Day two greeted us with steady rain showers. The course that was muddy and slick Saturday had been changed up a bit, and conditions now would be extra awesome. Monkey got a solid start and fought hard for the first 2 laps of her race. The final lap she found herself dangling off of a really nice group. She would get so close to attaching on, and the just get gapped off a bit. Through the final slip and slide spot, the same where she yard saled yesterday.. Diane made a move and caught the final woman in the group. As they hit the road Monk stalked her a bit, and just as the finish line came into sight, she attacked and took the spot on the line... Always a great way to finish a race...

I kinda really like this shot

Let me be clear, I love racing in slick, wet, mud. While warming up was not as fun, let me say, these conditions were perfect to race in. My start wasn't as rock-star as the day before, but I stayed aggressive in the corners, and moved up where ever I could. I dude from JRA cycles was trying to pimp me in the tape. He was subtle like a bull in a china shop, I dove to the other side and passed him into the beer garden. Up the beer garden stairs, Craig and I ran next to each other as the crowd was going insane. That was an all time awesome racing moment for me. Craig and I would ride in a group for the rest of the lap until he got caught up in a crash on the beach. I was happy with my ride, and I was sticking to my plan, the race was unfolding as I had pictured. With one to go I was dangling off of a group of 3, I kept creeping up on the final guy, in the mean time my buddy Matt had come across to my wheel. I felt like if I could get to the beach, I'd hold him off. But I spun out and Matt got around me... I chased hard, which caused me to bobble on the technical section losing another spot... As we hit the concrete I was gapped off the group and sprinted for them, but the damage was done... Mistakes aside at the end, I was pleased with my ride. Great stuff...

Benjamin Stephens shot

Epilogue
I can't say enough what a great experience this weekend was and how fun the racing was... Without a doubt I love the Mid Atlantic Scene and the various flavors you get more than any. That being said, the NECX is always so kind to Diane and I. There really is something special there. In club row next to the GEEK HOUSE guys, seeing Chip and the Hupsters, Victoria and Tony... MEGA! and JD! Just too many people to try and mention all... Such a great time... Top that with what was clearly my best weekend of racing, and I was super stoked this weekend...

thanks for reading...

respect
vanderbacon