Have I mentioned How much I love SPOT BRAND ?

I followed Tom home tonight to get his bike box. He stopped and got a burrito which he cut in half and shared with me. A might fine burrito it was too. Thanks bro. Anyway. Good day for sure.

Photos for this blog were stolen from NCVC.net,Dennisbike.com and Brewerja.blogspot.com
No photos were harmed in the making of this blog entry.

respect
fatmarc

Weekend. Cross. Ed Sanders...

Cross Race? Cross Dress...

So my brother and his wife have trained my niece Ciera on how to deal with strangers.
It's very heads up, and frankly if I was a parent I hope that I would have these conversations with my children. Tim told me as they drive around in their white 1979 Ford Bronco (just like OJ's), they would practice screaming, " stranger! stranger! Help!" at the top of their lungs. This came as a great surprise to Ciera's grandparents, who were having a nice discussion with her over breakfast at Denny's, while babysitting one recent morning. Ciera calmly commented to them, "Daddy and Mommy have told me how what to do if a stranger comes up to me." Ciera's Grandmother asks, "how's that honey?" Ciera calmly sets her piece of toast down on the plate, places her hands on her hips, shuts her eyes, and begins to scream at the top of her lungs, still in Denny's mind you "STRANGER, STRANGER, STRANGER, HELP, HELP" Of course everyone in the restaurant turned startled and horrified at what was going on. The Grandparents were a little embarrassed. Ceira said, "see!?" with a big smile, she picked up her toast and very matter of the factly continued to eat.

I love pink.

Saturday Morning I had planned on riding mountain bike. I admit I had 2 thoughts, first my bike has a flat and frankly, I"m feeling way too lazy to change it. Next, I was gonna ride with Todd the destroyer and Buddy the leg breaker, probably not the best idea before a race. So I figured I head out, do a couple of openers, and sit in on the barksdale ride, which I hadn't done this year, but was advertised as a mellow ride, no attacking.

As I rode into the parking lot, I looked up to see the green wave. "Fuck, I'm in over my head." I thought to myself, as I saw much of FSVS sitting in the parking lot. Once in college I played football against some Frat guys. I made an interception, and turned to run up field, I remember looking up and seeing 5 huge frat brothers quickly charging at me. They were salivating waiting to pounce on the skater-fag.

As I looked up at Dave N, Chris M, Joel, Mike CZ, and Bianchi Mike, all sitting waiting to leave, I had a very similar feeling of horror in my gut. Unlike my football experience which left me a lot bloodied and a little unconscious, the green wave treated me much more kindly. It was a big group, I sat in. It was fun. Thanks guys. Joel made a strong fashion statement with the $1.00 garden gloves covering his riding gloves to deal with the early morning chill. John H (Wilmington velocity) had the best statement rocking the drunk cyclist sox. Yeah.

Here I teach my newphew how to skateboard...

Lily Pond Cross Race.

Where have you gone Chris Mayhew? Last year I never went to a cross race without seeing you, the lovely Cheryl, or Fred the wonder dog. This year 2 races, and 2 misses? What gives?

The Luxiourious one professes his love for Little "E"

The NCVC Lilly Pond race was a good one, another long lap, pretty technical, course. Flat for the most part. Not smooth, lots of ruts. One dismount a lap, a run up which I rode each lap, although sometimes I put my foot down at the top. It was still faster than running. Warming up before the race I got to ride with World Famous John Lux a bit. I like this guy; he's got moxy if you know what I mean. First, I told him how he stuck it to me last week, then he goes on to tell me that he plans to do it again today. Emphatically he says, "there's no respect in the masters class."

That was awesome. Luxy you could get a side gig working for the WWF writing their smack talking dialogs. I also have to give him credit, he has best name for a future bike shop de-LUX Bikes. That was fricking beautiful man.

mike c. helped save my day...

The race. Well staging sucked. I got screwed badly. So they call up the top seven 35 + from last week. (I was 9th). Then they call the top seven 45+ and then the top 7 55+. Then they start staging by numbers. Holy crap by the time I got to stage I was like 6th row back. My homies, Mike K and Mike Conair let me move up a little, but damn I felt like I was so far back. Look I love Don Morison, but Jesus, he started 4 rows ahead of me.

The start takes off fast. In a flurry of anger and desperation, I attack really aggressively. Seeing that I staged near the back, and I wanted to be in the front I drilled it and frankly anyone that was around me. I found myself taking really aggressive alternative lines, but It worked pretty well, as I made it to the second group pretty quickly. From there the race went like this:

wayne (erik zable of cross)

Lap 1:
Killed myself trying to make up for shitty staging.
Lap 2.
Get into group slightly off the leaders. I'm on Marc Gwadz wheel. Then he rolls a tubular. Yikes, almost hit him, but I'm clean. Then I look up and Luxy has just stacked it. His derailleur is looking really mangled. I cheer him on, "common John get back in" I look across one of the million little ponds here, hence the name "lily ponds" and see Slick Rick and Hebe cruising with a nice group.

Killer Corgi at teh race... This little fucker tried to chase anyone
who walked past his owner's car.

Lap 3
This is were it all fell apart last week, So I really buckle down and commit myself to suffering this week. I find myself trapped between the lead group with Slick Rick, Hebe, Masse, Root, Davis, and Bill Davis, a Harley dude, Todd Pittman just behind me. The group behind catches me. The Harley dude, and Pittman attack and ride up the road.
Dude in orange totally shatters. Bill Davis and I catch him.
Lap 4.
Coming out of the barriers I see Hebe and Masse right there, like 20 yards up from me. I'm suffering badly, in front of them the main lead pack is charging. I put my head down and try to bridge. No avail. Behind me Bill Davis is right there, despite my best efforts I cann't put him away...

Recovery?

Lap 5
Masse and Hebe are gone. Bill Davis is still there. I punch the run up that I have been riding, but I know Bill has been riding it too. I hit the little hill following and get a little space. One more little rise, I'm out of the saddle got a little more space. Down the long off camber decent, a fan yells, "you got a big gap" I let up just a little, at the bottom of the hill I look back, and Bill Davis is flying, closing in on me quickly. Bastard won't go away. I take a good line out of the gravel pit, I hear him groan, he came in too hot and took the bad line. I stand up and sprint just to keep enough space. For this I am grateful because have I have seen Bill's legs. Shit they look like the Goddamn incredible hulk's legs, I don't want to be in a close sprint with this dude. I roll across the finish for 7th in 35+, 10th overall. I am pleased with my ride.

Up front Root, Slick Rick and some others made a wrong turn but quickly recovered. Todd edges Rick for second, and Hebe rolled to 4th. Some unknown dude, I think his name was Andy Applegate or something, rolled off the front early and took the win. For fun Applegate does the A race afterwards and wins that too. Damn it's good to be a gangster...

35+ podium...

In the B's I didn't see too much, but Wayne (the Erik Zable of cross) fought the entire race to bridge to 3 leaders, to catch them with one to go. They gapped him just at the end. Wayne (the Erik Zable of Cross) finished 4th. Hell of a nice ride. FortJames took 12 in the C's; Fitzy boy was 23rd, Mike K was 13th in the 35+.; Leo was 4th in 55+ Mike Conair was 12th in 45+; A good day for our community, a good day of racing.

full results here: midaltanticcross.info

Heard Ryan Baby took 10th in NY Saturday, and that Wes teh Conquorer took 19th, and finished on the lead lap of his first UCI race this year. Nice job fellas.

Diane and I finished off the day with a plate of nachos and a couple pints of Guinness. Yeah, I know the 2 pints is over my 1 pint a week plan for cross season, but damn it tasted so good.
Next week, another race. I can't wait...

respect
fatmarc