1/4 of the season done

So the cracker jack staff here at FMVC service course has now gotten through the first month of the cross season.  Needless to say, it's been to damn hot to race so we dont really have alot to talk about in the form of race coverage.

The Kick It TT race was a pretty good time.  When this "idea" was thrown around it had great potential.  But the technical committee at the ACA decieded to "neuter it" and it was more a good time that a real race.  It should be noted though, everyone had a great time, there was free beer, a frites truck and lots of laughs. 

The next day some of the kids went up to Valmont and raced.  This is usually breaking first rule of our team but we understand the mafia style politics of cross now.  The ACA rolled over and gave the boys from the bubble 7 racing days.  They have do this or the income from those races is lost.  It's a win/lose situation they are in...but that is for another blog post.  Once the racing started, Brian had a bit of an issue with keeping air in his tire.  That would be one big ass screw sticking out of his carbon wheel.  Luckily for us, we know people who can fix this up without an issue.  But still, it is shitty luck.  The rest of the fast kids did a great job racing. 

What has really been the best racing this year has been the Back to Basics CX races put on by our buddies over at RLW.  They guys have taken the lead in putting on quality events, timely results and have impoved the course at the kiddie prison in Golden this year.  For the same cost as a bottle of Chimay, you go out and race, either in your category or race up a category and challenge yourself and still get in a great workout in.  Hell, the C's race, which is the SM4's and BDDL has an average of 70 guys each week.  There are only 2 races left but get out there and have fun.

I finally got out from behind the wheel of my new toy, Little Blauw, and pinned on a number and raced in the heat of Sunday over at Adrenaline CX.  Since I have not raced since the TT, I didn't get a call up and I dont know why.  Started at the back, moved up and settled in and then went about the business at hand of not throwing up.  Finsihed without falling down, having a screw through my wheel and felt pretty good about it.  With the weekend of cold temps and mountain races coming up, cross season is shaping up to be a good time.  Enjoy!

Money, Money, Money.....MON-EY!

Money, it's a gas
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash - Pink Floyd

Friday, Friday, Friday.  Get there early.  Choose your seats wisely.  Hit the concession stand before the house lights go down.  You should only need to use the edge of your seat for this one.  With USAC CEO Steve Johnson making the trip North to grace his with presence, this should be fun.  

USAC is ready to start playing hardball and the showdown is here.  These are the brief highlights, I mean lowlights of joining "the firm" from the South.  This is all available on the ACA website if you want to read more.

So reading over the documents that were sent out, how can you even think about voting for this crap?  First off, USAC will not be able to give ACA 20k per year for 3years.  There are legal issues with this for starters.  Other local associations will want the same sweetheart deal that we are getting.  That aint gonna happen.  That should make the rest of the discussion a moot point. It has been bantered about that we will be giving up more than 100K in revenue in return for "joining" them and they are giving back on 60K?  That is fuzzy math that every liberal or repub can see is a bad deal.  But if you are in congress, maybe that is a good deal?

Second, the fee's that are going to be collected could wipe out the debt of small countries.  It now costs your team $100 bucks for dues.  Going forward, it will be $275 bucks.  Want a license, pony up that platinum card to the tune of $120 clams.  That is $60 bucks to the feds for either a road/cross or cross/mtb license.  Wanna race one of the disciplines that you didnt buy a license for, that will be $30 more.  Add on the "BRAC" part of for another $30 bucks. Currently license are $45 dollars and good for a full year from date of purchase.  USAC license will be good for only the calendar year.  

Wanna have results, ask the wife for another loan.  $35 bucks for your BRAC timing chip or $38 if you dont join them.  Now it talks about leasing the chips.  Does not say how long the lease is good for, but this is USAC so figure you get to lease that guy each year.  Also, D&L are upping their rates from $700 to $800.  Wanna put on a race without USAC but have cool results, that will be $1200 dollars for them to come out.  Want D&L to type in everyone's name on race day, add $250 more to that total.

Another casualty of this could be the ROL Wheels neutral support program.  They are willing to grandfather in all officials but have said nothing about the mechanics.  If you have raced a crit in the last 5 years, you have seen these guys sitting around waiting for you to show up with your flat tire, twisted seat or bottle cage falling off.  A "yes" vote will probably see this go away also.

Where this is really going to be a cold shower of reality is for the promoters who want to put on any race.  Your race has a prize list more than 2K, feel free to donate 7% of that to the feds, in CASH$$$, they aren't going to take your merchandise. Wanna put on a race in that open date on the calendar and it is less than 6 weeks away, that will cost you $100 dollar late fee plus the standard processing fee.  Where is the incentive to join these clowns again? 

The other major failure is with juniors.  They will be eliminating the 8-9 year old category. Please tell Muffy and Buffy why they cant race next year while they have been watching their siblings race for the past 3 years and they will be turning 8 at the beginning of the 2012.   They will be putting in jr. gear restrictions.   Make sure your roll out is correct at home or pay the penalty. 

I truly hope that Alpha Bicycle Co., Boulder Jr. Racing, Boulder Cycle Sport, Blacksheep, ICCC, Dawson Cycling, Peak to Peak Training, Ridge View Acadamy, Green Mountain Sports are all going to vote "NO" on this Friday night.  These are just the teams that I know of that have JR. racers.  

As you might understand, I have not pointed out any positives about getting back to somebody that was kicked to the curb about 10 years ago.  I have also heard rumblings that USAC has also come to OBRA and they told them to take a hike, we are not interested.  I think this is the same thing we should do.  

Do the right thing and show up and vote on this.  Stand up, be proud of your vote and and say it with authority.  Just remember, everyone will be watching you.

One month down and 3 more to go

The season is in full swing here in Colorado.  With the temps still in mid 80's, it can be hard to get into cross mode.  Who wants to wear the LS skinsuit and warm embro when you can still race around in a black velvet speedo right?

The first weekend of races I skipped.  The courses that were used just don't have a lot of "WOW" factor for me.  Plus each day it was in the high 80's...me and the heat index don't get along so well, if you know what I mean.  El Conejo took another approach to this and finished 2nd in the SM3's at the Queens of Cross.  Skillet and Buzzsaw finished 18 and 19th in the 45 Open.  Coco raced at the Kiddie Prison and finished 5th in SM3's.

So my season started off down in Buena Vista at the Cross at the River.  This is a great race that gets a raw deal from the bubble crowd.  Granted, even from my house it is about a 2 hour drive but that is a very scenic 2 hour drive through the mountains.  With the aspen's turning it is a great way to spend a Sunday.  But the bubble crowd cant be bothered.  So it is a 3 hour drive from them to race 45 minutes or so....what else are you going to do?

The course that Doug has laid out has a bit of everything.  Good run up, some high desert singletrack, some sand, stairs, cobbles and free beer at the end of the race.  Brian, Dash, Buzzsaw and myself toe the line for the 35/4's race with all 21 starters.  Where are the big crowds?  Where is the shout that cross is king?  Where are the bubble boys at?  Nobody knows and I don't care at this point.  Off we go and 45 minutes later we are all a bit knackered.  Racing cross at 8000 feet is a bit rough.  So after a bit of lunch and Flapjacks joining up with us for the afternoon races, we once again toed the line in the SM4's and 45/4's....again with a total field of 25.  Let's just say, more beer for us and we took home some hardware, Brian was 3rd in the 45/4s and we had lots of laughs.  Who needs the bubble anyway.

A great week of training and it is up to the bubble to race at Xillinx.  This has always brought big crowds because it is a great course.  It can be ran a variety of ways and Saturday's course did not disappoint.  An uphill sprint to some quick dusty singletrack, a log hop and then through the dusty fields and out into the south dusty 40 acres we went.  Did I mention dusty singletrack?   There is nothing worse than dusty singletrack with you and 135 of your closest racing friends for the 35/4's race.  Racing in CO is like racing at Nationals each and every week.  Do they have dusty singletrack in Madison?

With no call up, that is what happens with 135 guys most weeks, I started back in the mid 80's.  At the end of the day, I finished in the mid 80's.  How is that for consistent racing.  Brian, on the other hand was a set to light the rockets.  He had a call up, first row and was ready to race.  He was sitting about 5th wheel for the first 2 laps with a lot of people riding his wheel.  When your 6foot4 this happens a lot.  The guy behind him decided he wanted a different view.  Brian had the line and the guy went with the adage "rubbin is racin" and proceeded to more over on him.  Brian put out the elbow going into the corner and the guy proceeded to move said elbow right out of the way.  Brian made the corner without issue...his tires on the other hand decided to not make the corner and both rolled off his new wheels.  Day over.  I heard there might have also been the first annual Primus Mootry bike toss just after this happened...but I did not see it through all the dust.

This last weekend was the first CO Cyclocross Cup race.  This is where people from the bubble must travel around CO.  We have picked 10 races that will shape the overall champion for the series with these.  Too bad 8 of the 10 are in the bubble though.  Is the air in the bubble better than other places?

I was going to wax poeticly about the race but Dale over at Crossin Colorado has beaten me to it.  He actually thinks that I am famous.  Funny guy he is!!!

It was great to see all of my fellow cross brothers out this weekend.  Dale at Crossin CO, Jim and Chris from SRAM, Mud and Cowbells was racing right after us, my buddy Doug Squires who is racing 55+ this year and Boups mixing it up in the 35 Open instead of the Mens Open race and of course the hard men of cycling, Routine Leg Works and their singlespeed domination.

Cant wait for the races next weekend.......

The cross schedule is all over the place

With the Groove Subaru Fall Classic not able to secure a venue, it looked like a nice Sunday off.

But it now appears that Doug Robison has been able to slide into this date, Sept 18th, for the race down in Buena Vista. This is a great course, very fast with a little climb towards the end and some fun lines.

This in turns free's up the date of Nov 6th now.

Please see the press release below for more info.

Cross at the River is On! Mark your Calendars for September 18!
Fri, 2011-08-19

Despite a couple of false starts and last minute conflicts, Cross at the River WILL be held at the beautiful river park in Buena Vista on Sunday, Sept. 18th.

Bring the family and enjoy the fall colors in one of the most scenic areas of Colorado. Flier to be posted soon. Come early if you have a runner in the family and take advantage of the Fall color run 5k, 10k or 1/2 marathon on Saturday.

For info contact Doug Robison doug@southcentralracing.com or 719-221-0158.

C'mon Man!!!!

This is downright embrassing at this point - please someone, make up your damn mind

From the ACA - dated 3/25/10 at 330pm
Here's the plan. After last year's many delays, its time for a new strategy. As we threatened last year, we will go ahead with the race no matter the conditions. Worst case, Sunday's weather looks great, so the 9:45am wave should happen and definitely the 11:40 and later waves will be on.
Here are the expected options ...
A. It will be dry and racing will proceed as normal.

B. Its sloppy but the racing still happens. The expectation is that riders will hike the bike up the right, grassy side and remount on top. So this means it is highly recommended that if it is wet outside, you bring Mountain Bike shoes and pedals. We will investigate footbath options (seriously) on top of the hill in case of mud on the cleats before remounting.

Now the email today from the ACA dated 3/26/10 at 240p
We are postponing the race until next Saturday, April 3rd. Thanks for your patience. The snow did not melt as much as we expected and the impending weather keeps looking worse. We did line up a gravel dump to help our cause but after consulting with our soil experts, it may not have made much of difference if there was still some deep snow.
Next week's weather is much dryer so a much less chance of a mud issue. It's not much more work for us to delay one week, especially if we could avoid a cluster.

C'mon Man!!!!  If this is to make sure that the white sock wearing, leg shaving, white kit wearing are not going to get all muddy, HTFU!!
 
You would never cancel a cross race for a little snow and mud would you?  Hell, roads are closed all over town and we crossers are still out there racing and loving it....

Thanks for all the hard work given

The people have gotten what they have asked for.

This week Beth resigned as ACA Executive Director. She had put all of her being into bike racing for most of her life. From the Olympics, World Championships, Junior cycling camps to the local industrial park crit, she was always there to support the riders.

We all know that Beth can be forceful, opinionated and sometimes hard to speak to or with. But that is what makes a great leader. You want someone that will take charge, make tough decisions and make someone responsible for their actions. It might be unpopular but it is the way the world works. Any good project manager will tell you this.

Hopefully Beth will continue to work with the ACA and the junior development programs. We have turned out many outstanding juniors from this state, that have gone on to great PRO careers in cycling.

If not for people like Beth, cycling would not be the same in this state