Charm City...

This one might be a little long. I love Charm City. One of my favorite venues for sure. My team's race and as such it's the one weekend where we can count on everyone being together...It's pretty rad to say the least. Historically I have had good rides here. The courses have 2-3 dismounts a lap, and favor good bike handlers and technical riders... that being said I have a few stories to tell..

me going half hasselholf

Episode I
First, and having nothing to do with Charm City, is my niece and nephew showing up on crossresults.com.
Taylor is there in second, and my nephew.. well Fartecus Vanderbacon is in 5th...

I'm pretty damn proud. My nephew asked his father if Uncle Marc was Fatmarc Vanderbacon, and His Dad was Skinnycraig Vanderbacon, and Aunt Diane was a Vanderbacon, if he was a Vanderbacon. To which my brother said, sure you can be a Vanderbacon, what is your first name? Carter with a straight face and a gleam in his eye answered "Fartecus Vanderbacon"... AWESOME...

Episode II
I was lucky to have a number of awesome dinner invites this weekend. Sadly, being busy with the race, exhausted from traveling... AhgH... we had to pass...  But let me say, it's pretty rad to get awesome invites.
I'll be collecting dinners soon!

Episode III
One of Monk and my responsibilities is to run the kids race at Charm City. We get close to 30 kids ranging in age from 2-12. This year we had some super rad helpers, and "sand keepers" who guarded the sandpit and made sure all the kids made it through cleanly. They were Jimmy Rock, Emily White, and Victoria Gates. All super juniors in their own rights. Day two, Monkey and had to scramble to put together some more goody bags for prizes, and when we got to the course we found Victoria and Emily waiting for us to help.  The races were rad, the kids had fun, and it was pretty awesome.

Episode IV
Let's talk about racing on Saturday. Monk got a solid start, and really pushed herself hard, battled in and out of good groups, she put together her best race since her injury. I was super proud, she was super stoked.

 It was a pretty good thing. My race followed a similar format. Got a rock star start. Hung with the group for the first two laps, then started to crack a little in the middle of lap three. I was lucky enough have my buddy Norm (MTBNJ.COM) come by and I proceeded to suck on his wheel for the next lap or so.  With 2 to go my teammate Glenn Turner came up to me, and followed him in for what I felt was my best ride of this year so far...

Monk with a little body english..

Episode V
Where this is light, there must be dark. Hard day for both of us. We both usually have our best days, day two of a weekend. This weekend not so much. Monk struggled, and just couldn't get going. She had fun, but never got it rolling. Me, I had a solid start, sat just outside of 20th in the group I like to race in (w/ Benny; Travis; Matt and Norm), laps 3-4 I started bleeding spots. I was falling back and I kept trying to grab onto a group... With two to go I finally settled into a group with of I'll say 5, and I finished 3rd out of that group... I was pleased with my effort, felt like I was working my ass off to keep going fast.. and today... I just wasn't... At the end of the day, the race was fun, and I had fun, but man, I was not fast today...

a little english of my own...

Epilogue:
The season rolls on. A fun weekend, I have prided myself in consistency in past years, and this weekend, I had one of my best rides, and by far my worst... But I walked away smiling... Got to say, I love working with my teammates, the race came off really well... And heck, even going backwards we were still racing...

thanks for reading.. heading for holy week next week!

respect
vanderbacon

ps thanks to Dennisbike.com for pictures

My garage...

traveling for work this week...

I managed to find an abandoned parking garage that I could run in. I was so excited with my find, that I called Diane to tell her about it. "it's totally awesome" I told her..

Concerned, she inquired, "are you sure it's safe to be running in an abandoned parking garage in Chicago?"

Without thinking I responded, "sure I just stay clear of the police tape..."

"Really!?, Really !?" Monk asked...

good week, good conference, legs should be interesting this weekend...

looking forward to getting home, sleeping in my bed, being with my family...

I'm not the best traveler in the world...

Stayed up late to watch CrossVegas last night, I was totally stoked. As soon as the women started, I crashed out... The best laid plans...

Charm City Here We Come!

respect
fm

This is how I want to start every week:

Nothing like getting a nice note in the morning to start the week off with a smile:
Totally made my week already:

Hey Marc and Diane,

I just wanted to thank you again for supporting Em in her cycling ventures.  She pulled off a win today that was soooo unexpected that it made me, and complete strangers, cry.  Even someone from the food tent tracked me down after the race and said that she (and some of the other volunteers) had goose bumps watching Em sprint to the finish.  Anyway, I wanted to let you and Diane know that she couldn’t have done it without your help.  Without you folks loaning us the Jamis, Emily wouldn’t have been able to be there today to grab that win.  And now man, she has a memory on that bike that will last her a life time.  She rode that thing like a woman possessed today.    It was so much more than just day 2 of Nittany.  It wouldn’t have been possible without your and Diane’s kindness.   You helped make it happen.

Take care!

Bill (and Em and Cati)

At the end if the day, we were happy to lend a friend a bike, and frankly super proud just to be a teeny, tiny part of this story!   Yeah Em!  Keep on Rocking!

respect

Fatmarc

Nittany Cross

Good fun this weekend. I struggled a bit, got slapped around and came out with a smile.

Okay, I was a little grumpy Sunday afternoon, but the community makes it hard to be grumpy.

the courses were fast, and dusty... it was good stuff for sure...

watching races after my races was really good. good weekend, can't wait for until next weekend...

Monk put together a couple of solid rides with good results. She stoked to be racing w/o injury for the first time in 2 years... good on here..

cross is rad. Bad Legs, great racing, fun weekend...

respect
fatmarc

Trucker Hats are Totally Cool.

Where do you want to go after cross practice?

Two of the most interesting men in the world?

respect
fatmarc

Weekend of Awesomeness

After a few weeks of craziness, and really having my head in the midst of all the things I hate about our sport, my head was spinning and frankly I was kinda bummed out. Reading Hamilton's book didn't help out this perspective. This weekend really showcased all the things about our sport that I love. Reminded me why I'm in love with this silly-assed bike game.

Delaware Special Olympics Cycling Classic (at the Air Force Base in Dover, DE)
totally awesome day. Never mind when I got there at 6:30am there the gate for our entrance was locked and no one was to be found. Never mind that I went to the main gate of the base asking for directions and was asked, "sir can you please step out of your car?"  I smiled, agreed and thought to myself, "this is wear the strip search starts..." Never mind that I finally got my buddy, SO event directer Wiser on the phone and he said, "we got a little delayed with the truck, I'll be right there.." Why would there be an issue bringing a rented U-haul truck on to an Air Force Base? All of this which was all smiles really, was just the beginning of a great day.

Wiser was the man with a plan.

Can you find the Faticus and Jesse in this photo?

The Athletes were racing in a variety of time trials from 1k-20k, with many doubling up. The Air Force base had tons of volunteers, and Jesse P (PhillyCiclisimo) and I were the rider escorts, leading racers around the course, helping pace them, talking to them. It was pretty damn Amazing... Fort James was the chief timer and made sure everyone got off on time, and had a timer working with them... It was freaking awesome.

FortJames made sure everyone got off on time...

I'm not gonna say that I didn't well up a couple of times on this day. I did, but let me tell you this, they were tears of joy. You get perspective really fucking quickly working this event. I think I needed some of it. What was really clear, was that I needed to be at the Special Olympics far more than the Special Olympics needed me.

Tacchino Cross
If there is one word I could use to describe Tacchino Cross it would be Hugs. Lots of them. Like the first day of school, or a reunion, or hell... Lots of hugs. The course was super fun, and I have to admit may have inched it's way into my 5 favorite courses of all time. The racing was great, but more so it was awesome to see so many old friends, and frankly have big fat hugs.

Jim McNeely- Most Hugable man on the Planet?

I attribute that Hugable atmosphere as much to the great weather, as I do the promoter Jim McNeely. Jim makes me happy when ever I see the guy, and frankly, he always puts on a great show and frankly beyond the race, it's just a great time. Good food, drink, a funk band, and Schieken on the mic was rad.

Jen and Monk debrief..

Let me digress. In my adult life, there have been 2 people that can talk me into doing things that I hadn't planned. Worse, things that frankly if you ask me, I'd say, "no freaking way am I doing this..." My brother Craig, and Auer. I have to be honest, we are planning on racing a lot in the next few weeks, and I hadn't planned on doing Tacchino. But Auer gave me a call, and "come on down, we'll do the singlespeed race, have a couple of drinks, it'll be fun!" and thus I was there, never mind that I didn't have a single speed cross bike (until last wednesday), little details.





So Monkey, L-Web and I fit all our bikes, all our wheels, all our stuff, in the Fit and hit the road. It was a really fun, hard day. Thanks to everyone for making it happen.

Which one of these kids has gray in their beard?

Special thanks to Jon Seibold and Chip Baker who helped me get my gearing set up on my single speed cross bike, which I will now be referred to as "the C bike".... The single speed race was fun, and I might toe the line with the one gears again this season...

Jon Seibold beard of awesomeness.

Lauri charging in the Vandessel kit.

Two quick stories...

Jim and I standing by pit, handing out dollars in the dollar primes. Monkey was coming by and I was pretty excited, I was gonna hand her a dollar, stuff it in her jersey. She made eye contact at me and said, "I need a bike!" Shit. I run across the pit, grab her bike and get her out with no trouble. Not our smoothest pit, but she wasn't delayed at all. "whew"  a lap or so later when Monkey finishes up, she rolled over to the pit and asks, "hey man, where's my dollar?" we all laughed...

Dennisbike

Finally, Dennis Smith, one of the two guys that I followed to my first cross race ever, and a guy whose been helping me out along the way ever since won the 55+ race today, we were waiting for the podium and David from Arrow bikes, who I worked with at the Powers/JBV Clinic last year, said, "thanks for all the coaching last year it really paid off." I told him he was welcome, then pointed to Dennis, and said, "this is one of the guys that taught me how to do this stuff! David and Dennis (1st and 2nd) shook hands and David thanked Dennis... It was a cool moment...

Then Monkey and Lauri, who both had fun days, but not the rides they wanted, and I loaded up the fit, and headed home with all smiles....

Later, Matt M and Jaime were driving through and they joined Monk and I for dinner as we re-hashed the awesomeness of the day, as we ate food that was horrible for us, and drank beer. It was good stuff...

It was an awesome weekend.

thanks for reading.

respect
Vanderbacon

Two Time Trials

I pulled into the parking lot near the start of the Deep Blue Time Trial, in the shadow of the Salem Nuclear Plant, to find Gurski and Auer chatting. Gurski noticed me, smiled a Cheshire grin from ear to ear and gave me a two  finger salute. I am a Gurski fan.  Auer, Gurski and I talked about dogs and bike racing.

My TT bike and Auer's TT bike

A little over a week ago, Auer gave me the call. In his best Mr. T voice, he said, "Hey Man, you and I, we are going to do the two man TT in a couple of weeks." I protested, "but I haven't really done a TT in a while man, I've not been.." He cut me off, "How about this sucka! we're gonna go out and do a tt and have some fun. Now what do you say  we gonna get down with our own bad-selves?"

We'll shit, how could I pass. Our next discussion was what skin-suit to wear, he wanted to do storm-troopers which I said at this point would be the same as ghost busters, because if I put on a white skin-suit, I'm gonna look like the Stay Puft Marshmellow man. Not a great look for me.

Evil Care Bear it was.

ITT was first. I had a good ride. Felt good, rode well, got close to my :30 man, only to have him pull away a bit at the end. Wind was weird, but fun. Not really sure how I did. By my clock it was a 24:50ish; the scorers had me at 25:38, and strava had me at 26 for the course, although the segment may not be correct, or it's picking up time I'm standing in line... I don't think I was the only who thought their time was off, but in the end I was happy with my ride. . Something was clearly a little weird here.

TTT this was harder. A storm was blowing in, and the winds picked up. Auer is also a much better TT rider than I am. I was supposed to lead off, but of course missed my pedal. We settled into a good pace and, had we had good ride. We got caught by our minute men just after the turn around. We surged back, but I started to crack a little. Auer let off the gas and we were working together again... I took the final pull and we cross the line. Neither of us felt like our TTT was faster than our ITT, but of course the timers had us a 25:22, which was in line with GPS. Again, another good effort, and I admit in my best Mr. T voice that was fun, in a sick sad way...

Okay, a race report about 2 time trials. I tried my best to make it interesting, because TT's aren't really all that interesting. thanks for reading.

The Mr. T soundboard it totally work 10 minutes of your life...

respect
fatmarc

Snap Back To Reality

Cross season is long, and the story of the season is rarely written in one weekend or one race. It truly is looked at as the sum of the work. I've been happy with how things have been coming together and had a really good weekend racing last weekend.... The race before the race has begun in earnest as I have a number of trips back to New England planned, as well as our normal packed Mid Atlantic Schedule. I am also aware based on school work, I may be trimming back that schedule a bit...

Reality snapped back tonight. School was back in session. It was head first back into supply and demand curves. Looking for equilibrium points. That's what I need to find equilibrium. Unlike the spring season where races were spread out and I could plan, cross is every weekend. I know that to sustain racing every weekend and keep the level of intensity required for school will be impossible. I knew this when I decided to go back to school.

I knew cross would take a back seat.

I didn't quite expect the sweet pangs, and passion of cross to grip me so strongly. I thought I was good with decision altogether.  And so, I'll swing my best, but also know that school has to be first. And that's a decision I'm happy with... I enjoy economics much more than I expected... I'm embracing just loving racing, no pressure with both arms. Every race is a race I have the opportunity to do...

The energy at school yesterday was incredible. All the new undergrads and grad students bombing around, the school is just packed with people. Students starting a journey, excited to be there. Now a 1/4 of the way done, I feel like an old pro at this.  Frat Rats in the back of my class, athletes, daisy duke shorts, GOOD GOD daisy duke shorts. And me, the creepy old man in your class, with bad sideburns. People hugging each other and excited to see each other again after a summer break. Hell, my professor, who I have had previously, greeted me with a big smile, and welcomed me back. Great night. I am stoked.

I have often described the start of cross season like the first day of school. I think I proved out that analogy last night...

thanks for reading.

best to you.

respect
vanderbacon

I have heard every time there's a cross race in August, somewhere a kitten dies.

Sorry Cat Lovers.

Monkey and I headed up to New England last weekend to catch up with my brother and family, and to compete in a couple of cross races. It was hot, and it was fun. Quick recaps follow:

Monson:

Held at a local high school, some good elevation change, very technical. Fun run up. Good field for the master 35+ dudes. Fast. I kinda blew the start, and spent too much energy on the first three laps trying to get back to the top 5; just when I got close I realized that was a mistake. Settled into steady survival mode, and with 3 to go (we did 8 laps) I found myself in a group with 2 other guys. One I brought back, one bringing me back. I upped my pace a bit, and shed him, but the other dude was on me like a bad suit heading into the final lap. Then I heard his tire blow as he flatted. I stood up a bit just so as to not be passed by a dude with a flat... Up the final climb to the finish I was phoning it in a bit, when Lindine started charging. (the elites raced with the masters) I really didn't want to get lapped, so begrudgingly, I put in one more little effort barely finished on the the lead lap...

Monk got a solid start in the top 8-12 spot and settled into a really nice group. There was some really good battling going on in that group for the bulk of the race. Monk and Jordan had a nice back and forth going, and Monk was finally able to slip away on the final lap for a solid finish. Totally rad.

Blunt:

The women's field was extra large and extra rad. As such the promoter had emailed all the women and offered them there own race an hour later in the day. It was a unanimous yes, and the women's field had there own race. Monk scrummed her way to the front row and had a killer start. Battled in the top 10 for the first two laps (they did 6) before settling into the same group from the previous day. She fought hard to make contact through the barrier with 1/2 a lap to go, but as they came to the road, she ended up on the short end of the group. Still, a super solid ride, and a really good race.

Unlike Saturday, when the gun went off, I got a great start, and sat in 2 second for most of the first two laps before Snoop and Bobby came around me. I was feeling good and having fun. The field was tough, and I kept scrapping. As the race wore on (7 laps) I fell back a few more spots, but with 3 to go was in the top ten and felt good. Then the troubles started. The course was really dry, loamy, and dusty. I was getting away with some silly cornering during the race, but then I started sliding out the front wheel in turns, twice I had to put a foot out, and suddenly I started to lose my nerve. As I entered the final lap, I knew there were 2 dudes chasing, and I was hurting pretty badly. Bad motor, Bad handling, this could be bad.

Then, what I knew would happen 2 years ago when I gave my brother one of my old cross bikes happened. I heard his voice as I was slowly imploding. "dude, there's a guy coming we gotta go..." I stood on it through the last long open straight, mentally thinking that if he didn't get us here, no way was he going to out corner us. Not the Vanderbacons!  The effort was my last match, and while I'm confident Craig could have come around me at this point, he coached me up through the last twisty section, and we rolled across the line together. I gotta say, I've been waiting to race with Craig, and couldn't have been happier or more proud.

Freakin' awesome day, awesome weekend.

It was great to see some MACsters as well as all the NECX folks that are always so kind to Monkey and I. Great stuff.

school starts again Tuesday.

It's going to be a great season.

respect
vanderbacon

note all pictures taken at Blunt Park...

Chasing it...

I am not usually a late person. But this week, I've been chasing it all week. Monday getting to Philly Cross track, Tuesday catching up with Jen and Monk to work some cross skillz, and last night getting to  DEL grass track... Had a camera in my back pocket, but you know how sometimes you are rushing and you're late, and so everything just feels like you are rocking in haste? Never pulled the camera out...

yeah, that's been my week.

That and staying up until 10:00 wrenching on bikes, and trying to get stuff together... This included what I am calling project c bike, which is actually coming along better than expected.

school starts again next week. You know more stuff on the plate can only help right?

Grass track was awesome both days I got to ride it this week. Monday's group was a little bigger, and the format different than Wednesdays. Works different skills. You end up in a group, and the course allows for very little passing, you get a good start, and then get real comfortable riding centimeters from the guy in front of you, with a guy to the left of you. If someone leaves an opening, you try an stick your nose it it and make the move.  Wednesday was a much smaller group, and a super sweet oval set up. I expect the group to be much larger next week. I learn a lot from (i) Paul in the way he runs and scores the grass track. Me I got slapped around pretty good by Consorto, Chuck, and Dennis. I was pretty happy to sit on wheels, and hold on for dear life.... Same idea, get in a group make try to make things happen... Really fun, you know except when I find out the flying TT is 4 laps not 3...

I'll work on getting some pictures soon...

respect
fatmarc