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