No Beer For You
For those of you who grew tired of me promoting my contest to benefit the YSC a few weeks back; Bite me. For those of you who donated to the cause. Thank You very much. We raised almost $300 and Dave won a swanky new helmet that he was good enough to provide a picture of.
Dave also sported that helmet at the Bear Creek Cyclocross races this weekend.
Man I RULE at seque's.
The Bear Creek races were moved from Bear Creek to the site of 5th Street cross, The formerly coolest race in the history of ever. The course was fast, fun, and muddy. Even thought it hadn't rained in several day's the frost and dramatically changing temperatures made sections mucky and slick as greased owl snot.
I had my best races of the season and really felt like I was giving it. My leg's sure barked at me Monday to tell me I pedaled. Possibly the best part of my races was that my mom went to Rome and brought me back a hat. I wore it proudly in all of it's color clashing glory against my kit. Hope Auer doesn't fine me for a uniform violation. Best part of the hat, It says ROMEO on the brim. Yeah that's how I roll.
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| Look at that hat! And the muck on the down tube Photo Courtesy of Anthony Skorochod |
The USA Cycling and UCI official's in the region have taken a hard line against unauthorized feed's, AKA Beer Handup's. They have really singled out the Lehigh Valley crew. It has gotten to the point where they announced at our 10:00 start time for the C race (and every race there after) that any one taking an illegal feed or a beer would be Disqualified.
I get that illegal feeds are a rule; but seriously? Cant we all just lighten the hell up?
Since the officials were so serious the normally fun crew up in Emmaus decided to back off and not cause a disruption. They didn't want to get anyone in trouble. Most of all decided that they could go home and have an adult beverage in the privacy of their own home's and not party with a few hundred of their closest and new friends.
If they had decided to party at the race it MAY have looked like this...
It possibly even could have looked like this...
Too bad it never happened. That was just Saturday not happening. I heard Sunday would have gotten even more ridiculous but that never happened either. It didn't happen to the extent that their aren't any video mock-up's about it. At least not that anyone is sharing.
Man I am digging cyclocross. It kinda feels like home. You know the home where you pull on your snuggie, curl up on the sofa and watch Mad Max on repeat all day.
Halloween CX
I had a difficult time deciding what to dress up for on Halloween. I was gonna go with this
I got caught up trying to figure out which one was more creepy; the assless chaps unicorn or the creepy cowboy standing behind/in a unicorn and holding a little girls hand. The thinking made my head hurt so I opted for sitting on my porch with a beautiful girl drinking an adult beverage out of a blue cup and giving candy to small children. It seemed to be the correct decision.
There was Halloween revelry that was more fun than getting the candy out of my house so I didn't look like that Sumo wrestler costume. That was racing cross the preceding two days in the midst of Snowtober.
Saturday we didn't get snow in South Jersey. What we lacked in snow we made up for in hypothermia inducing rain. The Beacon CX race was all the fun I heard it would be. The course wasn't as spectator friendly as some since it wasn't laid out in a field with barrier tape where you could see the whole thing. What it lacked in spectator appeal it made up for in fun for the riders. Fast laps through the woods and ridiculous features like a sand run and the "Ampitheatre of Pain" made this a course I will look forward to again. Hopefully the weather will be slightly better.
I apologize to any one who had to endure eyeballing my totally naked bad tan lined body in the parking lot after the race. Normally I will have some shred of modesty after racing and at least get between two open doors while changing. Saturday it was all I could do to get out of my new C3 Halloween skin suit and get warm. I dropped everything on the ground by the side of the Spruck and hopped in the car seat shivering and whining like a wounded animal for at least 1/2 an hour. I knew I was coming around when the heat got through to my toes and I started to scream.
Yes it actually was fun. I cracked my first top Twenty in a MAC race and was stoked. Auer told me I was a "Mudder" and that actually made me happy. Only to find out when official results were posted on Bike Reg that I was actually placed 21st. Son of a Building Block!
Sunday I drove into the snow and almost didn't make my race due to an accident on the Garden State Parkway where the rain had turned to snow and two trucks decided to play demolition derby.
Or this..
There was Halloween revelry that was more fun than getting the candy out of my house so I didn't look like that Sumo wrestler costume. That was racing cross the preceding two days in the midst of Snowtober.
Saturday we didn't get snow in South Jersey. What we lacked in snow we made up for in hypothermia inducing rain. The Beacon CX race was all the fun I heard it would be. The course wasn't as spectator friendly as some since it wasn't laid out in a field with barrier tape where you could see the whole thing. What it lacked in spectator appeal it made up for in fun for the riders. Fast laps through the woods and ridiculous features like a sand run and the "Ampitheatre of Pain" made this a course I will look forward to again. Hopefully the weather will be slightly better.
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| Those are tall step's for short leg's |
Yes it actually was fun. I cracked my first top Twenty in a MAC race and was stoked. Auer told me I was a "Mudder" and that actually made me happy. Only to find out when official results were posted on Bike Reg that I was actually placed 21st. Son of a Building Block!
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| Said Halloween Skinsuit |
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| "Don't Care Bear detail" And Eek that skin suit isn't flattering to my figure. |
I got to HPCX on time and the course was pure snow with barely any tire tracks on it. First lap we broke snow and all you could hear was crunching snow under tires and C racer's breathing hard. Either that or I was breathing hard enough for everyone to hear. Our course changed every lap so it almost was a different course with the same turns every time.
I was sitting in the twenties for most of the race and then the power just went away in the last lap and a half. I watched 6 or 8 guys go past and couldn't or didn't respond. My position as mid pack fill was firmly intact.
I worked the pit's for three people during the 35+ race and had a ball cheering everyone on. It was great to see Joey P ride so strong to a deserved high placing. Getting Fatmarc a new bike and out on the course was good, but seeing Auer have to pull the plug due to medical issues blew.
The cross community kicks ass! The people are great and I dig hanging with them. I got to meet more of my "Teammates" from C3 this weekend. The highlight of my Sunday may have been Fatmarc saying that he had a really good time after he made it publicly known that he was not thrilled about going to HPCX. He tried qualifying his statement by propping up the organizers, but saying the course just didn't suit him. The glint in his eye and enthusiasm in his voice just minutes after finishing said otherwise. Marc you are officially not allowed to say you hate that race any longer.
The course looked like this. Later it turned into just cake batter deep mud.
More cross this weekend. The Bear Creek race is on tap, but now it is located at Fifth Street Cross the formerly coolest race in the world.
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