8 days...

Dear Readers,

Sometimes I get tired and lose my shit.

This morning was one of those times. Doing my best to stay positive, but I admit. I'm failing a bit. This has been the winter of discontent, and I'm feeling it for sure.

When I was younger and just finishing up college I worked as a paraprofessional  at the local school for the deaf. The group I worked with had a number of other challenges outside of being deaf: primarily severe autism and Down's.  For a while,  I worked in the dorm, and part of my role was to help some of these guys shower, and clean themselves up- which sometimes wasn't very pretty. Personal hygiene was not high on some of my guys list of priorities.

In my career since that time, I have often said that no matter how tough it is, or how stressful, at least I'm not cleaning up shit (literally) anymore.

Except that I have been.

God Bless Puppies- He made them cute for good reason.

deep breath, good cup of coffee and moving forward. Just keep moving forward.

thanks for reading a little of my frustration...

More snow on Monday.  fucking joy.

respect
vanderbacon.

Playoff Beard

Dear Readers,

I have been growing a beard for a few weeks now. I like having a beard.

Yesterday, Diane said to me, "your beard is starting to get a little bushy, you think about trimming that thing?

To which I responded, "yeah, it's a little longer than I like, but I can't do anything about it right now."

Diane looked at me puzzled.

I continued, " I'd love to trim it but I can't."

I smiled and explained, "it's a playoff beard, I started growing it when I started my last push of school. Frankly with 16 days left to go, well I'm afraid that if I trim this thing I'm gonna fail my last last class and not be finished on March 1."

My lovely wife, nodding understandingly, " got it. totally understand, I want you to finish up school, so don't touch that thing..."

you gotta respect a playoff beard. It's the rules.

BTW my wife rules too.

thanks for reading

respect
vanderbacon.

It's a good crew

Dear Readers,

I have always been proud of the people I get to ride bikes with over the years. While I am constantly amazed at their abilities and the things they do on a bike, I am even more impressed with the fact that they are really good people. On a ride last week at Elk Neck, there was a particularly gnarly steep section of trail. We had a pretty nice sized group. We each cheered for each other while most folks made it up the section and two us, myself included did not. It was one of those moments where you look around and say, you know I'm lucky to be around some really good people.

That same ride, we were charging down a twisty, switch back decent. We noticed a couple and their dog riding up at the most technical, rooty and tricky little section. We pulled to the side as the man and the dog charged by, we cheered a bit for him. As the woman was coming up to us you could tell she was really digging in, she commented between heavy breaths, "I hate this climb.."  Instantaneously, we all went nuts cheering for her. It felt like a tunnel of noise as we cheered her on. This wasn't planned, it was just one group of riders cheering for peer as she crushed out a tough section.

It was courtesy to pull over, it was community to cheer. I was really proud. I felt it right there in my chest, pride to ride with, hang with, be apart of the group that I get to ride with... We cheered the woman on as she crushed out the technical section and began to motor away from us...

I count myself as a lucky man surrounded by some really good people.

thanks for reading.

respect
vanderbacon

yup, yeah just like that...

Dear Readers,

So there I was just sitting on Josh and Joe's wheel, bleeding out my eyes on this climb. I was hoping just to stay on and not get dropped. Josh and Joe were both out of the saddle, standing and throwing head shot after head shot. Toe to Toe, neither would back down. I was hanging on for dear life and all I could think of was Macklamore hanging out in the club wearing his grandfather's velvet jacket thinking, "this is fucking awesome!"

respect
vanderbacon

this is brilliant.

Dear Readers,

I wish I thought of this...

so you want to be a bike racer in the midatlantic?
this winter- you better hit the trainer...

respect
vanderbacon

gone daddy gone

Dear Readers,

Less than one month and school will be finished. I'll walk in May. Had my midterm on Saturday. It was tricky and I'll admit I over studied a bit. Totally screwed up one of my essay questions. Confused two different principles. That may have crushed my GPA, but not my soul.  Group project and presentation due in 2 weeks. Then a final and the term paper.  Just keep hammering away at it. "it's gonna be a fight out there."


Crushed out some great miles with a great group last weekend:

photo by Joe B.

We joked the last time we had a group this good, this fun we got a ton of snow and couldn't ride outside for another two weeks. Sure enough after Sunday's adventure we got another 6 inches on Monday... Here's to hoping it's not another 2 weeks until we get to ride together again...

respect
vanderbacon

End of a personal era

Dear Readers,

Diane and I have served on the MAC board for many years. I joined the board about 10 years ago, and Diane joined shortly after me. Yesterday was the MAC Banquet where we got to acknowledge all our champions, and racers and have a great time. It was a fun day, and it also brought to the end our time on the board.

I will admit, on one hand it is a great relief. As a member of the MAC board, we have been very proud of the work we have done, and our efforts to help foster not only the MAC series, but cross in our region on the whole.  It was a lot of work, a labor of love, and work that we are very proud of. That said, we are excited to have some wonderful new board members who will bring some fresh perspectives, and energy to the table.

As we sat at the breakfast table this morning, we both felt some sadness. It is closing a chapter on something we both are passionate about, and have enjoyed doing. We also both felt cooked this fall, and frankly some of the fun we have had with it in the past was replaced with stress.  Being part of the board, was always a part of what cross was for us. It will be interesting to see what the world is without that responsibility. Brave, New World for us...

YOUR HARD WORKING MAC Board of Directors and Race Promoters

While I hope the leaders of the MAC will continue to look to us as resources, I am also excited to be moving on to other things....


thanks for reading.

respect
vanderbacon

photo by Dennis Smith

Speaking at the Trail Spinners Banquet

Dear Readers,

A few weeks ago my buddy Karl, who is on the board of directors for the Trail Spinners, asked me to speak at their annual dinner. I'll be honest, I was honored to be asked, and without a doubt recognize that the trail spinners are one of the pillars of our cycling community here in Delaware. I know that without the Trail Spinners much of our amazing community and infrastructure would not exist.

Photo: Kita... 

That said, in recent years I have been openly critical of the homogenization of our local trail systems, and frankly the desire for White Clay/ Middlerun to be a destination park.

I won't go into that history anymore, because if you know me, you know how I feel, if you don't know me shoot me a note I'm happy to share.

So when I agreed to speak at the banquet I knew that I wanted to be respectful and appropriately honor the Trail Spinners for all that they do, but at the same time, I couldn't not take the opportunity to address the issues that I and many others see. Frankly, this created a bit of a moral dilemma for me. Be respectful and grateful- but also point out where we have gotten off the path. I felt that if I only mentioned the great things the club had done, and represents, without voicing my concerns I'd be a hypocrite. I also knew that many in the audience already didn't love me, and they would really not like my message.

I am not uncomfortable speaking in front of a crowd. I have had to deliver some tough messages over the years, and some really fun ones. I wasn't great this night. I didn't have my A game, I was too nervous and that came through early. My jokes weren't funny. My timing was off. I hate having to speak into a microphone and not be able to walk around. While I know there were many receptive to my message, I also know I got the stink-eye from a many. That's okay. I never set out to be everyone's favorite guy. At the end of the day, I just want to ride my bike on kick ass trails.

My buddy in the club said to me afterwards, "there were no surprises, and frankly it shows we want to hear different voices..." I appreciated that...

Last year, after 20+ years of dodging it, I joined the Trail Spinners. I recognize their importance to our community, and I want to support that...That and Night Riding at Fairhill isn't a bad deal either..

IMBA Rep Frank, who once heckled me, "you were faster when you were fatter!" bought me a beer afterwards. We joked. I am a big fan.

No one punched me in the face.

I'm very pleased I was presented this opportunity, and had a chance to share... Thanks Karl.

Thanks to all my friends that supported me during the run up to the event, and came out to support me. I really couldn't have done this without you. While I'm a little disappointed in my presentation, I am very pleased that I took advantage of this opportunity.

After a week of sleepless nights leading up to the event, I slept like a baby Friday night...

thanks for reading

respect
vanderbacon

Half Wheelpalooza...

Dear Readers,

Had a great time on the Trail Spinner Night Ride last night. We had a nice group of strong riders and we were rocking out on mostly fire-roads, and as the temps dropped got to sample some sweet, sweet frozen single track up on top of the ridges. It was amazing...

11 brave souls were out last night!

Near the end of the ride, we were climbing up one of the fire-roads, I moved to the front of the group and rode tempo. Out my peripheral, I see Phil slot in along side me. In a classic half-wheel hell move he inches just a head of my front wheel. "Okay," I thought to myself, I was aggressive moving to the front and pushing the tempo.  I generally don't fall for this half wheel stuff. " I'm okay with this..." Then I hear: "CHUNK!, CHUNK!"

Phil shifted down two gears as the hill got steeper, and he began to pick up his cadence. Using my own deception and guile, I quietly shifted down a gear, and picked up my own cadence. I didn't want to show that I was reacting or even aware of his actions.  I can half-wheel with the best of them.  This time, I inched about a half-wheel in front of Phil. I could see the top of the hill, and we speed toward it. I refused to look over, but then heard that sound again, "CHUNK, CHUNK!"

I looked over as I saw Phil's wheel inch in front of mine, and saw him out of the saddle sprinting for the hill crest. "FUCK YEAH! HERO TIME!" I thought to myself, as I responded shifting quickly and jumped out of the saddle. I threw the bike side to side, and pulled back into the lead by about a half wheel, where I would hold it until we crested the hill and both sat up... We were joined in short order by Joe who congratulated us, "Nice work Boys!" I took a deep breath, and smiled at Phil, "well done!" he smiled and nodded back at me....

Yeah, sprinting for a hill top in January is generally pretty stupid, but clearly not something I'm above...

Strava had us at a dead heat, but I clearly had half a wheel!  ;-)

We soft pedaled a bit and waited for the rest of the group to join us, as we dove into the single track for one last section of trail and calling it a night.

thanks for reading

respect
vanderbacon

Creativity Class

Dear Readers,

My apologies for the radio silence this week. For some strange reason I thought it would be a good idea to take a week long class. The class met everyday of the week from 4-10 and as my professor said was 5 days, 3 Credits, 2 papers, and 1 presentation. That was tough stuff.  The class was on Creativity, and Creative Problem Solving in Business. While really intense, and I was forced to be really focused this week, the class was outstanding. I worked really hard, learned  a ton.  I start my final class next week, I'm glad I took this class with the professor I did, and the classmates I did. It was outstanding...

My wife, is far more creative than I: she dances around the house like no one is watching, she plays guitar, and sings in the shower. It's  a pretty amazing thing...  It's one of the things I love most about her... That said, she said she'd kill me if ran video of her singing or dancing...

Nature Break

In class, the professor asked does anyone sing? dance? or write? none of us raised our hands. Professor then asked, if you were 10 how would you have answered? We would have all likely said yeah to something... Kids are totally in touch with their creativity. They have fun. My goal: keep in touch with my inner child, have fun and try to be more creative...

Eddie Fought Super Hard- Guy Rode Great Today...

After a week of not riding a bike, and Mother Nature continuing to kick our asses,  I met some friends for a a nice ride. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of the loop, it's actually kind of bleed out the eyes boring, but it is good for getting in some base miles, and frankly catching up with some friends... all in all, I'll call it a win, and at no point did my eyes feel like they were going to bleed.

One class to go, starting next week... Keep Moving Forward... Be creative... have fun...

thanks for reading.

respect
vanderbacon