That was awkward...

Dear Reader,

Last week I was standing in line at the local Walgreen's. The line was long and I stood behind a young lady, I'm guessing from the local college. I noticed she was trying to hide what she had and I looked closer and noticed it was an early pregnancy test. I didn't really think anything of it.

There was only one cashier who recognized how long the line was, and called for help over the intercom. Just as the young woman in front of me hit the front of the line, another cashier came to the front and said," can I help the next person please?" The young lady in front of me looked up and saw the cashier, and the cashier immediately recognized her and said, "Jenny, how are you?" 

Jenny, looked up and stuttered a bit., "errr okay..." She set the test on the counter recognizing the cashier and the cashier, not yet recognizing the EPT box, started in, "so how are you doing? how are your class-" she stops recognizing the test and immediately the awkwardness of the situation comes to full fruition.  "things are good" the young customer said. "excellent" said the cashier.

"That was awkward." I thought to myself. "I can help the next customer!" the next cashier said, and I walked to the next available cashier...

thanks for reading,

respect

m

the JAMBOREE and CROSSASAURUS AWESOME!

Dear Readers,

Trail Spinners JAMBOREE

Saturday we had a nice crew meet at the house and rode over to the Trail Spinners Jamboree. It was Monk's longest mtb ride since her injury, and we had a blast bombing around the trails in perfect weather. Diane set a great pace and Buddy kept her honest. It was great to see some old friends in addition to the folks I have the privilege of riding with all the time. PEACHES even came out to ride! The loop laid out for the ride was awesome. Perhaps it could be the race course next summer, because it is awesome! 

Eddie's Buddy Rich, Nick, Lisa V, Chris Jackson, Eddie W, Travis H, PEACHES!!!, Stu,
John Thompson, Buddy the leg breaker, Monkey, Dennisbike.com, Craig VDB,
Jay Cimini (ordering pizza for the end of the ride,
and a MTBNJ guy I didn't get to meet!

Craig, Monkey , Buddy and I heading home after the Jamboree...

Craig, Nick and I spent most of the day riding back a bit and we had fun chopping and passing each other and having fun dicing it up a bit.  I know watching point of view  pro video can be tough. I cut these short to share a little of  the fun...

At about 1:30 into the ride, I had planned to pull off and ride home, knowing that we were racing on Sunday. Diane and Buddy were setting such a righteous pace. Craig looked at me and said, "come on man, I'm not done, this is awesome. When else are you going to get to ride trails with your little brother?" Nick smiled at me and said, "yeah man, when else?" I was hooked. While I'll admit I drank a couple more beers than normal, and rode a few miles more- I wouldn't change a thing... Totally spectacular time...

Crossasaurus Awesome
While not the scale of Charm City or Providence, Crossasaurus Awesome put on by Craig LeBair, Mike Festa and the Philly Cicllismo boys is an outstanding event, and one I would highly recommend. The race, a part of the PACX series, it is an outstanding grass root event. Where it wins is that Craig, Mike and Company never forgets what makes cyclocross great. Yes, beer gardens, and vendor areas are all fun, but these guys take what is essentially a flat field and turn it into a cross racer's dream. There are FIVE features a lap. While there is only one set of barriers, a steep short run/ride up, a log, a two step, and a sandpit means that racers are challenged to not just throw down watts, but to drive the bike. On top of the FIVE features the course features a couple of open fast sections, and tons of corners including lots of 180's. As a bike driver, I'll admit this course plays to my strengths- as a cross racer- it's fun to do a race that isn't just about throwing watts down in the grass.

Fatmarc and Svelt-Craig waiting for instructions...

I was really pleased with my ride today. This was the third time I got to line up next to Craig this year. There is always a calmness for me knowing he will be in the group. I was also successful in convincing the team director (Kris Auer) to make the trip. Benny was racing down in age today, and I'm always happy to race with him. I'm always stoked to warm up and race with Nick. Scotty was staged behind me, and as he bumped my wheel, I smiled at him, and he promised me a hug after the race.

I got a good start, and about a third of the way into the race a group started to form. Angleo went to the front, and unlike last week, I went with him. I probably owe him some rent money because for a couple of laps I lived on his wheel. Over the log at about the midpoint, he caught his rear-wheel and suffered a mechanical. I moved around and chased Josh and Jeff the rest of the race, never quite making contact. Meanwhile, Craig and Benny dangled just off of me.  At the start of 2 to go, Benny came by me, and would get some space holding me off. That's how we would all finish up.  I beat crossresults, and finished with Craig nipping at my heels. I put in a solid ride and rode cleanly. I'm pretty stoked.  

Team's Halloween kit came in this week, which I was happy to bust out for today's race. The "love" and "hate" on the sleeves pretty much define my torrid love affair with my super hot super cool ex-girlfriend- who I am clearly having another love affair with this year. (long time readers recognize that my super hot ex-girlfriend is a metaphor for 'cross).

Thanks to Bob Joos for again working the pit for me, and to Jen Sears for taking some awesome shots of me again. Thanks to Monkey for coming up and cheering and hanging out. Race day is always better when she's here. Thanks to Ryan Effin' Dudek for the "go fatmarc, go svelt-craig cheers!"

Finally, thanks to Mark Featherman and his awesome son Juhda who has no idea who I am, but nonetheless was there on multiple parts of the lap cheering us on. That's a good kid, and being taught the ways of the force. Perhaps Featherman and Anne Rock will get together and write a book called : The Cyclocross Method of Parenting and Vampire Hunting.

thanks for reading.

respect
vanderbacon

West Chester Cyclocross Classic- I am totally bootylicious

Dear Readers,

I was very happy to toe the line today at the West Chester Cross Classic. The race is promoted by the local Bike Line team, and headed up by Bob Reuther, who long time readers of Fatmarc Vanderbacon know is one those cycling guys I have always looked up to and held in the highest regard.

This year the lap was a much more standard length, and the crew added a super sweet, super hard run up. Remember my friends, technical features in cross races are good. Cross should have challenging features.  Traversing the fields of West Chester Rustin High School, the course was still a power rider's course and featured a number of hard 180 turns, and quick power climbs to sap the legs.  The course raced really fun, and I was stoked with my ride.

In this picture my ASS LOOKS HUGE! 

Traditional Race Report to start now:

Shit my HUGE ASS is still there!

Got a good start. At the end of lap 2 settled into a nice group with Jason, Greg, and Joe (the 55+ race winner). Oddly, they started the 55 plus at the same time as the 35+ behind us. Joe pretty much tail-gunned our group the entire race, which was cool. With 2 to go, I felt like out of the corners, and barriers I could get a little gap and put some pressure on Greg, so I tried to pop him off our group. I failed. He made me pay for my indiscretion.

Group Compacto as we start the final lap. At the run up Joe moved up from his tail gun position and went to the front. Jason and Greg reacted and charged back in front, and I got caught flat footed, and with my pants down a bit. I charged and got back to Joe's wheel, but Jason and Greg were as Richard Fries says, "had the cash, and escaping in the get away car" I settled in a bit and finished up. I was happy with my race.. Greg, who I tried to dislodge from the group, won the group. Well played my friend, well played. Strong legs beat bad tactics every time.

the group I raced in today. Much respect to Greg and Jason who worked me over.

Fun day. Congrats to Bob and all the West Chester Cross Alliance Crew for a great race. This event has quickly become one of my favorite local races, and one I would definitely recommend. The race is also a benefit of the High School Wrestling team, so you know I'm supporting that...

Thanks to Bob Joos for pitting for me. You rock.

thanks for reading.

respect
fatmarc

Thanks to Jen Sears for the awesome pictures.
Yup, even for the one that shows off just how bootylicious I am.

Bicycling Magazine Fall Classic...

Dear Readers,

Diane and I did the Bicycling Magazine Fall Classic last weekend. It was an amazing event. The ride was Grand Fondo style with the overall loop being timed, as well as 2 QOM/KOM sections on the course to test the climbers. So a ride, that's not a race, but it's cool to ride with some purpose but no need to turn the pedals in anger. It was my first time. Probably not my last. This was a fun day.

The course was very well marked. I couldn't believe how many moto marshals and corner marshals there were. The star of the show was of course the Leigh Valley. The sceanary was beautiful and the roads were amazing. Great stuff ! 

This would be the longest ride the Monk has done in well over a year- since blowing her knee out at Providence last year. We were both pretty certain that there wouldn't be any issues- with either fitness or the knee, but there were also the KOM/QOM at mile eight that could cause the whole thing to come up done.

Monkey scrummed to the front of the ride, and those that know her are not surprised by this one bit. The ride took off and she proceeded to drop me. My legs were feeling pretty beat up and I was gone. I'll say it was amazing riding near the front of an almost 500 person peloton. I slowly clawed my way back up to Monkey and said "why are you going so hard right now?" She smiled and said, "I want to get to the QOM section near the front, it's gonna get crazy there." Sure enough when we hit the line 2nd/3rd wheel people started attacking all over the place, it was a little nuts, and a little awesome. We hugged the white line and steadily finished out the climb.

That first climb really spread things out. It was amazing to me how we started with so many, and really for almost the rest of the day, Diane and I rode together enjoying the amazing roads. It was an outstanding time.  Mentally, we had budgeted three and a half hours for the ride. But we rode pretty spirited, and at the 3:00 mark just had a little more than 2 miles to go! We were stoked, and had an awesome time.  

We finished up and got to take a couple laps on the track. Such a cool experience.

Afterwards, there was great food and beer (part of the registration). We had a great time catching up with some friends too. Diane's knee was fine, this was the deepest she had to dig in a while, but she was stoked. I would say to her, do you want to back off? She'd just smile and keep going. Stoked by her time, stoked by the route- she slept the entire drive home! What and amazing day. 

photoblog starting in 3...2...1 :

Monkey near the front at the start.

this is my "I've just been dropped by Monkey" face

On the first, and biggest climb

Beautiful Scenery All Day... 

Post ride Recovery

Pastrami truffle fries. NEW FAVORITE THING.

thanks for reading.

respect

fatmarc

It's Friday, I am in Love...

Dear Readers,

It had been a couple of weeks since I heard from my super hot, super cool ex-girlfriend. Frankly, I was completely okay with that. But...Something wasn't right. I was talking to a couple good friends and they told me, "don't be a jackass. you love her. don't let her get away...

"Screw them, they don't know what they are talking about..." I said to myself...

I haven't been sleeping much lately. It's been eating at me. I need to talk to her...

Last night, it was 60 degrees, with a slight mist in the air. The weather was perfect. Perhaps I found some courage in the couple cans of master's recovery drink that I imbibed. I'm going to settle this once and for all... I grabbed my bike with Clement MXP tires, and 35lbs of pressure up front, and 37lbs of pressure in the rear- and charged off as a man on a mission. I'm going to see my super hot, super cool ex-girlfriend.

I got to her house and I knocked on the door. I could hear her on the other side the door. "Go Away!" she said.

"Just hear me out. I've been doing some thinking" I said.

She interrupted, "it sounds like you've been doing some drinking... get the hell out of here. You said you don't want to see me anymore- remember! "

I continued, "Look, things haven't always been easy for us. We've had our rough times, but we also had our good times. We've had great times. But you have hurt me. When we broke up you made me question all the time, energy and love I had given you. You ground me in down. You broke me."

"If you came here to tell me  how mean I have been to you, than just go away.." she said through the door...

"Look, these past weeks, I realized, that I need you. You're my passion. You're my muse. I can't imagine a fall without you. I was scared to be around you, because I know the truth.. the truth is that I love you..."

I heard her unlock the door, and there she stood. She looked me in eye and said, "what did you say?"

I said, " I love you. I can't imagine a fall without you."

She smiled and threw her arms around me embracing me tightly. She whispered into my ear, "what the hell took you so long?"

And then she kissed me.  A warm, wet  kiss and embrace that made my knees buckle just a little. It was a familiar kiss but new at the same time.

I looked into her eyes and I said, "what now?"

"whatever we want" she smiled and said to me...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No cross for me this weekend as Monkey and I will tackle the Bicycling Fall Classic on Sunday. Should be a spectacular adventure... I'll be back at it the next weekend in West Chester...

thanks for reading...

respect
fm

Providence Cross is Divine - KMC CHAINS Providence Cross Festival 2014

Dear Reader

I have been fortunate as an amateur cyclocross racer to get to race cross in a lot of different regions. Alpen Rose Dairy in Portland, the Cincinati 3 day, Madison Nationals were all amazing in their own right.  Look Park is one of my favorite venues. Right here in the Mid Atlantic Charm City is easily among the 3 best events in the country. DCCX is a personal favorite, and again an incredible race and experience. I firmly believe that every cross racer should experience Gloucester CX at least once... It's something that as a cross racer, you need to put on your bucket list.

All that said, I have always believed that Providence Cross- Roger Williams Park, is the best of them all. Last year, they had some growing pains. This year, was amazing and for me cemented the race as the best in the country. The course was technically challenging. Slightly altered race categories from your normal series resulted in huge fields and the classes were DEEP. The competition was incredible. Driving home I-95 last night, knowing my results were completely unimpressive, I was stoked with the racing, the course, and how much I had to turn myself inside out all three days. Thank you Providence.

I'll also say that I'm stoked to be apart of the cross community. The large community as well as my own Mid Atlantic and our compound even. We took care of each other, cheered for each other, and our little C3 Twenty 20 Cycling- Joe'e Bike Garage-Bike Line-Wooden Wheels camp site  was a pretty joyful place where lots of laughter, support, friendship and post race master's recovery drinks were shared. BEST WEEKEND OF CROSS EVER.

for those readers that like the traditional race reports, they are at the bottom. Photo Blog Start in 3...2...1:

On Friday as we were setting up camp, this guy was pulling in next to us, and hit my car  with his trailer...

He was unaware hit hit me, but we stopped him, got him to drop the trailer and back up. 
No Damage to the car, and frankly it was pretty much all smiles.
 His face turned green, but alas no damage, all was good.

Benny the Jewlar and Craig on the front row of the Madison!

Look serious

Now Smile!

Our Compound was running pretty deep.

Katie said the La Vie Claire Kit made my butt look big. Mark McCormick complimented my kit during the madison. I've going with age over beauty on this one Miss Compton! 

The Fabulous Vanderbacon Boys at your service.

Craig and I got to race together a lot this weekend. that was awesome.

On Saturday. Diane forgot her kit and was afraid she wouldn't get to ride. I went down to the vendor area and found a kind man selling cycling clothing. I said to him, "I need xsmall  shorts, and a small jersey in the ugliest thing you have." Take a moment to really bask in the awesome ugliness of that kit.

Jenn was blaming "the blondes" for getting her into trouble this weekend. Beth and Diane welcomed her to the club. Nick was speechless. :-)

As long time readers know Monk is still recovering from a knee injury and can't race cross at this time, she and Beth Did the Mini Grand Fondo on Sunday Morning. Monkey grabbed Ted King's wheel at the start and stayed on it for the first few miles. On the way home she commented that his wheel was the only wheel she'd ever followed that  was better than Mark Wise's. I told her Peter Sagan thought so too.  "WHAT !!??" she said. She laughed, as I explained who Ted King the Pro Tour Rider was...

Monkey and Beth after finishing the Mini Grand Fondo

Anne ROCK throwing down some watts...

Jimmy (MAUER) ROCK throwing down some ZZZZZZ.

Scotty Freakin' Roberts- best line of the weekend "my call up was so bad, when I got staged, I didn't have to roll forward" Raced his face off all weekend. He's a crosser...

Monkey Selfie in the pits...

Doughnut Watts are totally a thing:

ROCK and ROLL THRILL MY SOUL !

Damn, that's a fine looking couple. Freakin' fast too!

Brett finished off the his Holy week this weekend. 6 cross race and an Afghan Whigs show in 9 days.
All Killer no Filler... 

Anne ROCK attacks the stairs/flyover with style...

Sauny workin' pit for Benny...

One last shot of the compound.

FRIDAY
The Madison of Cyclocross. I was teamed with my brother Craig, or as Ryan has dubbed him 'Fake Fatmarc" (that was a pretty good cheer/heckle). The race is a two person cyclocross relay for an hour. Already stoked to be racing with Craig, we had Fergie in the pits coaching us. As Craig finished up his first lap Ferg says," oh that's a good start, he's going good... this is good" Craig and I both rode well. I was riding the flyover after the stairs on the backside, and flubbed that a bit on the final lap. Cost us a spot. We finished stoked. As fun as the course rode, it raced even better.

SATURDAY
I got called to the line #84, row 10. I was looking to battle, have a clean race, and leave it all out on the course. That's what I got. Craig is a faster starter than me, and I tried to stay on his wheel during the first lap. The chaos of the large field was exploding in crashes all around us. After the  race we would both comment how when we were on each other's wheel the thought was "no one is getting this wheel" Craig and I raced in the same group all day. On start of lap 3, I went to the front of the group and put in an attack and strung the group out a bit. We moved up and picked up a few more guys. Final lap, we come the the final section of the course and hit the spiral rectangle of death, I surge one last time, and pick of two riders who were just off our group. Craig chases me in, I'm stoked..

SUNDAY
We sat around our compound extra early as Diane and Beth did the mini grand fondo that rolled out at 7:00am. As the camp filled up,  we all lamented that three days of racing in a row was- really hard- maybe stupid. Brett (our awesome teammate) just smiled, as he was finishing up his 6th race in 9 days having raced the holy week. Called to the line lucky #84 again. I wasn't as fresh as Saturday, but mentally was on point. We got a good start, as the argy bargy seemed to be a little better... First lap Sunday was the fastest lap I rode all weekend. I was hurting on the 2nd lap as I wondered if I over-started.., "Keep fucking fighting", I said to myself. I wasn't jumping out of corners like I was the previous two days.  Oddly, on the final lap, I got a weird second wind. Craig and I were riding the same group again, but a reverse of Saturday (him up front, me tail gunning). I rode up to him. We started to take turns pulling each other and talking each other up in the the last lap. Half a lap to go and I stacked it hard catching a rutt on a fast downhill. Hardest cross crash ever.  I luckily didn't take him down, but I was pretty rattled and a  few riders came by. It took me a bit to get my whits about me, and in the final section Angelo passed me. I dug deep and snuck around him before the pavement and held him off to the line. That crash hurt. I hate screwing up on the last lap, but I was really happy with my effort...

still stoked from my racing...

wonderful weekend...

thanks for reading.

respect
Vanderbacon