Monday, October 17, 2011

A Dance With the Queen.

 It's the weekend I have been most looking forward to since I laid down the first layer of mastik on a clean rim some time in August. Granouge is known as the Queen of the MAC and for good reason. The venue sits on the Dupont estate just over the PA border in Delaware. The last two years I have attended the race I have not been able to find enough adjectives to describe how amazing, brutal and all around fantastic this race is. This year not unlike last year the weather was perfect, 60's and sunny and a nice breeze, great conditions for hanging out all day and racing a bike.
If you love this sport and have never been to Granouge to race on one of the toughest courses in the country you're truly missing out. The crew that put this race on are the best and every time I see how hard they work and how much fun they are having I feel a little guilty about showing up simply to race. I hear more and more as the seasons go by about the cross "community" and Granouge and the people involved are what it's all about. From toddlers on striders to the oldest competitor in the master classes Tom, Marc and the crew make sure everyone is having the best experience they can.
As far as the racing goes it was hard, very hard and I expected nothing less. There was some really good inner team battles between Chris, Eric and I all weekend. When we finally pulled out of the field Sunday evening I had left a fair amount of turmoil in the dirt and grass of the Dupont estate. I am beginning to learn that in races like Granouge it's not necessarily how fast you can go that gets you the result but how well you can handle the bad patches your body is going to go through.
Thanks again to the whole Granouge crew for a wonderful weekend and to Bad Andy for some secret lines and motivation on Sunday.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

small world and the two wheeled connection.

So today at the shop A-rod wheeled down a big red I.F. touring bike with flat bars and a sweet pair of Paul canti's. So with a small I.F. fetish I quickly made my way over to it and inquired about where it had come from. Aaron(A-rod) explained that it belonged to a guy who was upstairs and was riding across country from Oregon to NYC. " I know that guy" I said. Technically I didn't know him but I knew about him. Bruce Weber was his name and I believe he was keeping track of his journey the NY Times. Any ways here's a little interview with Bruce and NYCVelo. Happy trails Bruce, pleasure meeting you today.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

New England Dreaming

It's not often that things live up to the hype. Think of all the albums you've bought all the movies you've gone to see that were supposed to be the greatest thing ever and they were barely meh. When we got in the car last Friday morning to start the 10 hour drive to Boston for 2 hours of bike racing the hype was high and at about hour 8 we slightly began to question if this trip was worth it. When we awoke to steady rain Saturday morning it was a little unsettling, but this was New England and cross racing so it may not have been proper without at least a little mud.
Once we reached the venue at Gloucester and began to see the lay out of the course the excitement started to settle in. I got my number at reg and quickly made my way over to the Mad Alchemy tent to get myself some special blend for the weekend and glad I did when Sunday's constant mist and cold winds came through.
We were lucky enough to spend the weekend with C3 crew from Baltimore. Since I started traveling to MAC races a few years ago I've always admired and kind of looked up to these guys and girls. They are always are supper supportive of each other, encouraging and making sure everyone has what they need. Getting to race with Auer and Fatmarc was super cool and it's always awesome when BA and Kat are around.
As far as the racing goes, it was incredible. The courses, the competition, the weather it was all pretty much perfect. Watching the battle between Johnson and Powers on Sunday may have been some of the best bike racing I have ever seen. Also watching Steevo battle Ted King in a skills verse pure power display was totally worth standing in the cool mist of the Atlantic.
I already miss Boston and the people who live there. I think that Gloucester is going to have to become a regular thing.
JPow and Ben Berden