If nothing else, it's warmer than the real thing. They leave in 15 minutes. The FGBC wishes them well. We will make those wishes material by turning it into a game and following along throughout the next 24+ hours.
So far I have received exactly one entry. Get them in before noon: here. Rules and details here.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
CX Worlds Mens Race
Friday, January 28, 2011
MCA Road Meeting
Is there anything anyone wants raised on our behalf at tonight's meeting of the MCA road committee? Email me at wooljersey mtsdotnet. Otherwise I will just sit there and eat pizza, and then report back. If no RRR members are planning on going, I am prepared to act as proxy for them too (legal fees payable in FGD).
Thursday Anticipation--Updated
The Update: details for Pride Cross have just come in over the wire. More info on Sloth Cross too. Scroll down.
Once again, Friday is the new Thursday. That is cool. Observing Thursdays on Thursday is so predictable.
1) CX Worlds Breakfast Party
The poosher is turning 40. And he is throwing a party at his palace. It will start at 4am this Sunday with live coverage of the women's race. The men's race is at 7am. We hope to have better luck with the video feed this year. But watching the live twitter stream on the big screen last year was strangely compelling. It sounds like it is going to be muddy. And it would be so much more fun to see the mud than to read about it. But either way it will be awesome. Awesome or awesomer: those are our options. Bring something to eat for breakfast. And a present for the birthday boy.
2) Vicarious Arrowhead
Ian, Lindsay, and Dallas heading south for a winter vacation this weekend. But they are not heading for sun and sandy beaches. Their kind of vacation calls for a 135 mile race on snowmobile trails in Northern Minnesota. Halberto will be there too. Always tagging along looking for the next big party, that guy. He has not promised any twitter updates. That is totally lame. But he did suggest he might post something on the Olympia blog from time to time. We will link it here too. We will also link Lindsay's GPS feed so that you can track his progress.
More importantly, we will reprise the vicarious Arrowhead race that happened last year. Your task is twofold: (a) predict the finish order for all three of them (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). (b) Predict the finishing time for each of them, rounded to the half-hour (e.g., 21 hours, 32.5 hours, etc). Your score will based on the difference between your predictions and their actual finishes. So if you pick Ian to win and he finishes 2nd, you get 1 point. The LOWEST score wins. It's like golf. Everyone knows cycling is the new golf, just as Friday is the new Thursday.
For bonus points, predict how many days it will be before Halberto hops onto the Pugsley bandwagon.
Note that Dallas is planning to run it. His finish order is relative to the other runners. His time, obviously, is absolute. Just as Dallas is an absolute stud.
The race begins Monday at 7am. Send in your entries here before Monday at 9am.
To read more about the race, including past year's results, go here.
3) Nordic Cross
Thank-you Halberto. This looks awesome.
And in other Nordic Cross news, the poosher confirmed yesterday that his palace will serve as the HQ for Sloth Cross aka 24 (or is it 48?) Hours of Clint. Jan. 19-20 or Jan. 19-21. More details coming soon. But we can tell you already that it will cost $20 to race this year.
Once again, Friday is the new Thursday. That is cool. Observing Thursdays on Thursday is so predictable.
1) CX Worlds Breakfast Party
The poosher is turning 40. And he is throwing a party at his palace. It will start at 4am this Sunday with live coverage of the women's race. The men's race is at 7am. We hope to have better luck with the video feed this year. But watching the live twitter stream on the big screen last year was strangely compelling. It sounds like it is going to be muddy. And it would be so much more fun to see the mud than to read about it. But either way it will be awesome. Awesome or awesomer: those are our options. Bring something to eat for breakfast. And a present for the birthday boy.
2) Vicarious Arrowhead
Ian, Lindsay, and Dallas heading south for a winter vacation this weekend. But they are not heading for sun and sandy beaches. Their kind of vacation calls for a 135 mile race on snowmobile trails in Northern Minnesota. Halberto will be there too. Always tagging along looking for the next big party, that guy. He has not promised any twitter updates. That is totally lame. But he did suggest he might post something on the Olympia blog from time to time. We will link it here too. We will also link Lindsay's GPS feed so that you can track his progress.
More importantly, we will reprise the vicarious Arrowhead race that happened last year. Your task is twofold: (a) predict the finish order for all three of them (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). (b) Predict the finishing time for each of them, rounded to the half-hour (e.g., 21 hours, 32.5 hours, etc). Your score will based on the difference between your predictions and their actual finishes. So if you pick Ian to win and he finishes 2nd, you get 1 point. The LOWEST score wins. It's like golf. Everyone knows cycling is the new golf, just as Friday is the new Thursday.
For bonus points, predict how many days it will be before Halberto hops onto the Pugsley bandwagon.
Note that Dallas is planning to run it. His finish order is relative to the other runners. His time, obviously, is absolute. Just as Dallas is an absolute stud.
The race begins Monday at 7am. Send in your entries here before Monday at 9am.
To read more about the race, including past year's results, go here.
3) Nordic Cross
Thank-you Halberto. This looks awesome.
And in other Nordic Cross news, the poosher confirmed yesterday that his palace will serve as the HQ for Sloth Cross aka 24 (or is it 48?) Hours of Clint. Jan. 19-20 or Jan. 19-21. More details coming soon. But we can tell you already that it will cost $20 to race this year.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
TNR Report
There was a ride. It was awesome. Then there was a gathering at the klubhaus. It was awesome too.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
TNR
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thank-You Daniel Ania Gonzalez
Your second-last place finish yesterday in Hoogerheide graciously interrupted the stranglehold on the last three spots that Canada's male CXers came dangerously close to pulling off. Three out of the four worst results we can live with. But a sweep of the inverse podium would have been a bit hard to swallow. So thanks for taking one for our team.
Then again, maybe our boys were just saving their energy for a full on assault at the world championships next weekend. Neils Albert certainly wasn't holding back anything yesterday. Nor was Katie Compton. They won their races with relative ease and head into next weekend as favourites in their respective races.
Given Jay's domination of the recent world cup races, he has to be reckoned the favourite to don the vicarious rainbows next weekend. For those who are new to the FGBC CX Pool or simply can't remember, it was Brad the Impaler who found himself standing atop the podium in the cherished rainbow speedos last year. He has worn the CX Pool's version of the rainbow jersey with the understated sophistication we have come to associate with our beloved Impaler. But barring a miracle, it looks like we will have a new world champion in the pool.
In any case, Jay won again yesterday. He finished with 915 points. That is his third win in the last four world cup races. He moves back into 5th overall. But with the extra points on hand next weekend, he has a legitimate shot at the overall podium. I finished second yesterday, with 890 points. Gary and King Andy each had 760 points to share third place.
Albert may not have held back yesterday. But he did hold back by opting out of Saturday's race in Zonnebeke. Stybar and Nys were there. But it was Rob Peeters who took the win. In the CX Pool, Matt found the top step of the podium in Zonnebeke. He had 355 points on the day. Miriam was second with 305 points. And Gary again shared the final podium step, this time with Cousin Adam. They had 270 points apiece.
Full results and overall standings here.
Then again, maybe our boys were just saving their energy for a full on assault at the world championships next weekend. Neils Albert certainly wasn't holding back anything yesterday. Nor was Katie Compton. They won their races with relative ease and head into next weekend as favourites in their respective races.
Given Jay's domination of the recent world cup races, he has to be reckoned the favourite to don the vicarious rainbows next weekend. For those who are new to the FGBC CX Pool or simply can't remember, it was Brad the Impaler who found himself standing atop the podium in the cherished rainbow speedos last year. He has worn the CX Pool's version of the rainbow jersey with the understated sophistication we have come to associate with our beloved Impaler. But barring a miracle, it looks like we will have a new world champion in the pool.
In any case, Jay won again yesterday. He finished with 915 points. That is his third win in the last four world cup races. He moves back into 5th overall. But with the extra points on hand next weekend, he has a legitimate shot at the overall podium. I finished second yesterday, with 890 points. Gary and King Andy each had 760 points to share third place.
Albert may not have held back yesterday. But he did hold back by opting out of Saturday's race in Zonnebeke. Stybar and Nys were there. But it was Rob Peeters who took the win. In the CX Pool, Matt found the top step of the podium in Zonnebeke. He had 355 points on the day. Miriam was second with 305 points. And Gary again shared the final podium step, this time with Cousin Adam. They had 270 points apiece.
Full results and overall standings here.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Hoogerheide live
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Take Six Words
Explosive. Unreal. Painful. Fashionable. Hard Work.
And lots of sweet moving pictures.
Mix them all together with generous portions of mud and water, and you've got this nice video of the cx scene down south. The boys and girls who race their hearts out get their share of attention. But the fans and the worker bees behind the scenes also get some decent screen time. It takes a village.
Be sure to tune in tomorrow morning for the last round of the World Cup series. I'm going to get up super early to see if those same links cover the women's races. My girlfriend will be looking to defend her lead in the series. Coverage of the men's race begins at 7:40 am. Live streams can be found here (scroll down).
And lots of sweet moving pictures.
Mix them all together with generous portions of mud and water, and you've got this nice video of the cx scene down south. The boys and girls who race their hearts out get their share of attention. But the fans and the worker bees behind the scenes also get some decent screen time. It takes a village.
Be sure to tune in tomorrow morning for the last round of the World Cup series. I'm going to get up super early to see if those same links cover the women's races. My girlfriend will be looking to defend her lead in the series. Coverage of the men's race begins at 7:40 am. Live streams can be found here (scroll down).
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday Anticipation
1) Icebike?
We are confused. The interwebs, while non-committal, give the impression that it's off. At the same time, word of mouth suggested on Tuesday that it is going to happen after all. But still the interwebs are silent. Maybe it's all just a clever marketing ploy. Phoenixes rising from ashes and all that. It has worked before. But it doesn't really add up. Can somebody help a brother out?
2) Pride Cross
We are assuming it's off and are ready with a plan of our own--namely Pride Cross. Halberto has a concept. And he is planning to implement it on the first weekend in February.
3) Sloth Cross
We are still waiting on confirmation from the poosher concerning the availability of his palace. But it seems we have settled the matter of the film festival. It will be 24 Hours of Clint. We still have yet to select the films that will constitute the program. That in itself is a bit of a task. Fortunately, we like tasks.
4) Chasing Legends
Speaking of films, the guys from Gripped Films (Off Road to Athens, 24 Solo) are coming to town with their latest effort on Feb. 2. Our man in Harrisonburg confirms that these are good folk. The Dark Side will be there, even if only for the opportunity to hear the Manx Mouth spout off as only he can.
We are confused. The interwebs, while non-committal, give the impression that it's off. At the same time, word of mouth suggested on Tuesday that it is going to happen after all. But still the interwebs are silent. Maybe it's all just a clever marketing ploy. Phoenixes rising from ashes and all that. It has worked before. But it doesn't really add up. Can somebody help a brother out?
2) Pride Cross
We are assuming it's off and are ready with a plan of our own--namely Pride Cross. Halberto has a concept. And he is planning to implement it on the first weekend in February.
3) Sloth Cross
We are still waiting on confirmation from the poosher concerning the availability of his palace. But it seems we have settled the matter of the film festival. It will be 24 Hours of Clint. We still have yet to select the films that will constitute the program. That in itself is a bit of a task. Fortunately, we like tasks.
4) Chasing Legends
Speaking of films, the guys from Gripped Films (Off Road to Athens, 24 Solo) are coming to town with their latest effort on Feb. 2. Our man in Harrisonburg confirms that these are good folk. The Dark Side will be there, even if only for the opportunity to hear the Manx Mouth spout off as only he can.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
TNR Report
It has been a long time since we visited the Junk-shon. It was nice to be back. They are good to us. But we know it is only because we show up with the Cricket. They love the Cricket. We love the Cricket too. We may even go so far as to say we love those who love the Cricket. Which would mean we love the Junk-shon. There was a lot of love flowing around last night. It was dizzying. But it was all held together by the glue that is Cricket love.
Speaking of the Cricket, he was loving the pink ice palace.
He also loved riding on the newly opened river trail.
So did we. But it was pretty slippery. So we mostly stuck to the walking portion of the river trail. Slippery as the icy river was, however, the most treacherous portion of the ride occurred on Wolseley as we made our way over to the klubhaus. We arrived after the snow plows had done their work but before the sanding trucks arrived. This meant that the road, while much wider than it has been in a while, was essentially a sheet of polished ice. It was sketchy. And we almost survived it. But exactly two inches from where the road ends, just before the drop down into Omand's Creek, Jonny G hit the deck. It was not for lack of sufficient light.
The klubhaus was awesome, of course. The Secretary treated us to a passionate rendition of his first encounter with Metric. We discussed the newly initiated sweetest jersey in the world do-over project. Is it possible to make it even sweeter? We believe it is. So confident are we that we are adding shorts to the equation. Jonny G explained to us what comes up, other than our old hard-rocking friends Bernie and Ron, when you type the term "thrillhammer" into google and hit return. Lest anyone get any funny ideas, Jonny G agreed to dig up the video of Bernie and Ron and post it for our viewing pleasure.
As for tunes, one could make a compelling case for regarding last night as the all time best night for tunes we've ever had at the klubhaus. Notice it says "at the klubhaus." By that we mean that it does not include the times we used to sit in the Secretary's Civic in the Crosstown parking lot, after retiring from the klubhaus, eating Big Macs and listening to some U of W late night dj whose name, I think, was Andy. In any case, Ozzy received the most audible series of oohs and ahhs last night. But it was Steely Dan who received the most explicit attention. We lost the Secretary for about five minutes when he became immersed in the Wikipedia article on them.
Good times. Until I lost my keys. But they got good again when I found them stuffed into one of the back pockets of my Nordic Cross jersey. What a strange place for them to be. But better there than inside of the locked up F&H where, for a time, it seemed they might be.
Speaking of the Cricket, he was loving the pink ice palace.
He also loved riding on the newly opened river trail.
So did we. But it was pretty slippery. So we mostly stuck to the walking portion of the river trail. Slippery as the icy river was, however, the most treacherous portion of the ride occurred on Wolseley as we made our way over to the klubhaus. We arrived after the snow plows had done their work but before the sanding trucks arrived. This meant that the road, while much wider than it has been in a while, was essentially a sheet of polished ice. It was sketchy. And we almost survived it. But exactly two inches from where the road ends, just before the drop down into Omand's Creek, Jonny G hit the deck. It was not for lack of sufficient light.
The klubhaus was awesome, of course. The Secretary treated us to a passionate rendition of his first encounter with Metric. We discussed the newly initiated sweetest jersey in the world do-over project. Is it possible to make it even sweeter? We believe it is. So confident are we that we are adding shorts to the equation. Jonny G explained to us what comes up, other than our old hard-rocking friends Bernie and Ron, when you type the term "thrillhammer" into google and hit return. Lest anyone get any funny ideas, Jonny G agreed to dig up the video of Bernie and Ron and post it for our viewing pleasure.
As for tunes, one could make a compelling case for regarding last night as the all time best night for tunes we've ever had at the klubhaus. Notice it says "at the klubhaus." By that we mean that it does not include the times we used to sit in the Secretary's Civic in the Crosstown parking lot, after retiring from the klubhaus, eating Big Macs and listening to some U of W late night dj whose name, I think, was Andy. In any case, Ozzy received the most audible series of oohs and ahhs last night. But it was Steely Dan who received the most explicit attention. We lost the Secretary for about five minutes when he became immersed in the Wikipedia article on them.
Good times. Until I lost my keys. But they got good again when I found them stuffed into one of the back pockets of my Nordic Cross jersey. What a strange place for them to be. But better there than inside of the locked up F&H where, for a time, it seemed they might be.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
TNR
Monday, January 17, 2011
Greed Cross Report
If Gianni plans it, it will be awesome. From his cx races at the Belgian Club to the Bruxelles Classic and Grass Track, there is little that he touches that doesn't turn to gold. Yesterday he did it again with his contribution to the 2010-11 Nordic Cross series. He treated us to an exploration of the sin of greed that was at once enlightening and punishing. There were plenty of guffaws and almost as many crashes. It was vintage Nordic Cross.
These guys had no idea what was about to transpire.
Heading into the race, it was not entirely clear what to expect. Gianni had supplied us with a long list of instructions about what to bring. Most followed along dutifully, even as there was some concern that we were unwittingly colluding in our own demise. But Ian is not Brad the Impaler. When he says more is better, he really means it. The race began with a weigh-in. Bikes and bags were weighed and transcribed onto a greed-o-meter. The more it weighed, the better. Or so it seemed.
The Impaler went first. He weighed in at 36 pounds. Merely acquisitive by the greed-o-meter's standards.
Lindsay went next. His Fatback was loaded down like it will be at Arrowhead in a couple of weeks. He made Brad look like a lightweight. In fact, his gear exceed the capacity of the scale to measure it. We had to resort to plan B, which required a bathroom scale and some mathematical calculations. Our abilities were pushed to the limits with KK, whose gear had to be weighed in two installments. First the bike. And then the chariot full of gear. He tipped the scale at 76 pounds. Nobody else got even close. Only KK would reach flirt with the territory of the genuinely avaricious.
After the weigh-in was complete, it looked like this:
From there we set out on a short ride to the race course. What is the one place in Winnipeg that serves as a monument to greed, Gianni asked? The answer: Garbage Hill.
The ride itself proved to be an adventure. KK's set-up faced some distinct hurdles. A sign of things to come.
And then Lindsay went down, causing a chain reaction and minor pile-up. Fortunately his shoulder stayed together and nobody was hurt.
We finally reached the race venue and got things started with a neutral pre-lap. We were told that laps were taking about 5.5 minutes when Gianni was there last week testing things out. But with all the snow that fell over the weekend, our pre-lap took more like 20 minutes.
This became worrisome when Gianni pulled out the scale by which the greed-o-meter translated into laps of the course. Happily he revised it a bit. KK only faced 2 laps. Others had to do as many as 5.
Sadly, KK's race ended early. He may well have hung on had the hitch for the chariot not disintegrated. Now we will never know. Bummer. Lindsay disappeared as well. Hopefully that was a preventive measure and not because the crash was worse than it seemed.
In the end, the race came down to the Cricket, Gianni, and me. We went into the last lap together. It helped that the Cricket thought he was done and was celebrating with KK when I came down to inform him that we still had a lap to go.
The Cricket quickly dropped us again and seemed to have it in the bag. Until he faltered on the last climb up what every Wolseley Wheels kid knows to be the highest hill in Winnipeg. I snuck by and managed to stay ahead of him on the long push (yes, push) downhill to the finish line. But just barely. Gianni came in a short while later to take third place.
That was hard. But a good hard. The winning time was somewhere around 50 minutes. Brad the Impaler was out there for 70. It was a little quiet at the finish line for a while. But Jonny G got us all smiling again with his best Brad the Impaler beard imitation.
Full results:
Chris 25
Craig 22
Ian 20
JP 19
Graham 18
Jonny G 16
Brad 15
KK 0
Lindsay 0
Nordic Cross standings after two races:
Chris 47
Ian 45
Craig 42
Jonny G 32
JP 19
Dave E 19
Graham 18
KK 18
Brad 15
Darryl 15
Charlene 14
Liam 0
Lindsay 0
Mark 0
Thomas 0
Vic 0
After two races, there seems to be a pattern emerging. 2010-11 looks to be turning into the year of moderation. Somebody go tell Larsen. For the second consecutive race, the winner has come from behind as an early head start purporting to reward excessive consumption or acquisitiveness came to naught. So perhaps it's less about sinning boldly as in a more calculated fashion. Then again, it's still early. Too early to draw any grand conclusions. Things can change. And probably will.
These guys had no idea what was about to transpire.
Heading into the race, it was not entirely clear what to expect. Gianni had supplied us with a long list of instructions about what to bring. Most followed along dutifully, even as there was some concern that we were unwittingly colluding in our own demise. But Ian is not Brad the Impaler. When he says more is better, he really means it. The race began with a weigh-in. Bikes and bags were weighed and transcribed onto a greed-o-meter. The more it weighed, the better. Or so it seemed.
The Impaler went first. He weighed in at 36 pounds. Merely acquisitive by the greed-o-meter's standards.
Lindsay went next. His Fatback was loaded down like it will be at Arrowhead in a couple of weeks. He made Brad look like a lightweight. In fact, his gear exceed the capacity of the scale to measure it. We had to resort to plan B, which required a bathroom scale and some mathematical calculations. Our abilities were pushed to the limits with KK, whose gear had to be weighed in two installments. First the bike. And then the chariot full of gear. He tipped the scale at 76 pounds. Nobody else got even close. Only KK would reach flirt with the territory of the genuinely avaricious.
After the weigh-in was complete, it looked like this:
From there we set out on a short ride to the race course. What is the one place in Winnipeg that serves as a monument to greed, Gianni asked? The answer: Garbage Hill.
The ride itself proved to be an adventure. KK's set-up faced some distinct hurdles. A sign of things to come.
And then Lindsay went down, causing a chain reaction and minor pile-up. Fortunately his shoulder stayed together and nobody was hurt.
We finally reached the race venue and got things started with a neutral pre-lap. We were told that laps were taking about 5.5 minutes when Gianni was there last week testing things out. But with all the snow that fell over the weekend, our pre-lap took more like 20 minutes.
This became worrisome when Gianni pulled out the scale by which the greed-o-meter translated into laps of the course. Happily he revised it a bit. KK only faced 2 laps. Others had to do as many as 5.
Sadly, KK's race ended early. He may well have hung on had the hitch for the chariot not disintegrated. Now we will never know. Bummer. Lindsay disappeared as well. Hopefully that was a preventive measure and not because the crash was worse than it seemed.
In the end, the race came down to the Cricket, Gianni, and me. We went into the last lap together. It helped that the Cricket thought he was done and was celebrating with KK when I came down to inform him that we still had a lap to go.
The Cricket quickly dropped us again and seemed to have it in the bag. Until he faltered on the last climb up what every Wolseley Wheels kid knows to be the highest hill in Winnipeg. I snuck by and managed to stay ahead of him on the long push (yes, push) downhill to the finish line. But just barely. Gianni came in a short while later to take third place.
That was hard. But a good hard. The winning time was somewhere around 50 minutes. Brad the Impaler was out there for 70. It was a little quiet at the finish line for a while. But Jonny G got us all smiling again with his best Brad the Impaler beard imitation.
Full results:
Chris 25
Craig 22
Ian 20
JP 19
Graham 18
Jonny G 16
Brad 15
KK 0
Lindsay 0
Nordic Cross standings after two races:
Chris 47
Ian 45
Craig 42
Jonny G 32
JP 19
Dave E 19
Graham 18
KK 18
Brad 15
Darryl 15
Charlene 14
Liam 0
Lindsay 0
Mark 0
Thomas 0
Vic 0
After two races, there seems to be a pattern emerging. 2010-11 looks to be turning into the year of moderation. Somebody go tell Larsen. For the second consecutive race, the winner has come from behind as an early head start purporting to reward excessive consumption or acquisitiveness came to naught. So perhaps it's less about sinning boldly as in a more calculated fashion. Then again, it's still early. Too early to draw any grand conclusions. Things can change. And probably will.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Greed Cross Countdown
T minus 3 hours.
In case you missed it, the Guru of Greed sends the following note:
After Gluttons Cross, the Nordic Cross series standings are as follows:
Ian 25
Chris 22
Craig 20
Dave E 19
KK 18
Jonny G 16
Darryl 15
Charlene 14
Brad 0
Vic 0
Mark 0
JP 0
Thomas 0
Liam 0
Lindsay 0
There is a big gap between the haves and the have nots. But it is far from over yet, especially since double points are up for grabs at Sloth Cross. If nothing else, this just confirms that the implications of hurling your curry can be severe. The Impaler puked up 22 points when he paid that fateful visit to the restroom at the F&H.
In case you missed it, the Guru of Greed sends the following note:
Greedcross sign in will be in the garage, behind 781 Beaverbrook. Bring your stuff. More stuff.See you and your truckload of stuff there shortly.
After Gluttons Cross, the Nordic Cross series standings are as follows:
Ian 25
Chris 22
Craig 20
Dave E 19
KK 18
Jonny G 16
Darryl 15
Charlene 14
Brad 0
Vic 0
Mark 0
JP 0
Thomas 0
Liam 0
Lindsay 0
There is a big gap between the haves and the have nots. But it is far from over yet, especially since double points are up for grabs at Sloth Cross. If nothing else, this just confirms that the implications of hurling your curry can be severe. The Impaler puked up 22 points when he paid that fateful visit to the restroom at the F&H.
Jay Captures the Castle Bridge
It was about this time last year that the Secretary started whining about the relative stability of the FGBC CX Pool. It is true that vicarious cx racing is quite a bit more predictable than, say, the mercurial Spring Classics Pool. But Jay and Dan proved that it's still possible to make some major gains in the CX Pool. Jay moved up seven spots and into 5th overall today on the strength of a 970 point display of domination at the World Cup race in Pont-Château. Only Prince Dan, King of the Deep End managed to stay close. He had 905 points and displaced Olli from third place overall. Today's podium was rounded out by we heart King Andy. He had 685 points and moved into the top 10 overall. On the less fortunate end of the spectrum was Jonah. He had a stinker of a race, finishing last with 120 points. He fell almost as many spots as Jay gained, dropping from 6th all the way to 12th overall. Ouch.
Full results and overall standings here.
The World Cup series wraps up next weekend in Hoogerheide. And then it's the World Championships. That means some big numbers are up for grabs before the last handful of races in February. Nice to see TJ within spitting distance of the top 10. But where was Page?
Full results and overall standings here.
The World Cup series wraps up next weekend in Hoogerheide. And then it's the World Championships. That means some big numbers are up for grabs before the last handful of races in February. Nice to see TJ within spitting distance of the top 10. But where was Page?
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Introducing the Sweetest Cap in the World
Technically, this one falls under the portfolio of Tony H, VP Style. But he was busy sunning himself in Mexico, Phoenix, and other more moderate climes. You didn't think that tan was fake, did you? Fortunately, we at the FGBC have learned over the years how to cover each others' backs. That is the secret to our ability to keep the greatest show on two wheels churning along year after awesome year for almost a decade now.
Not to be lost in the hectic shuffle of this past Tuesday Night's roster of good times was the official launch of the sweetest cap in the world. This took place by way of an impromptu fashion show toward the end of the evening after Lisa had changed the station from Loverboy and other old school tunage to some newer and sexier beats. Jonny G, ever the aspiring model and all-around attention whore, pulled a mysterious dark item out of his messenger bag. He positioned it atop his curly locks, and strutted around the table for a lap or two. It was awesome. Even the VLT set stopped dropping loonies for a moment and took in the sweet spectacle that was unfolding before them.
Here it is, in a slightly less spectacular context, modeled by one of the Dark Side's growing cadre of cadets:
The cap was produced by our very own Charlene. Some know her as the Mennonite Lady. In addition to kicking ass on the local cx circuit, she serves as the FGBC's official couturier. We are lucky to have her among us. Those who are not so lucky can still get in on the action by heading over to Olympia on Portage where some of her fine work is available for purchase. But not the official FGBC racing cap. This one is reserved for the very darkest of the Dark Side.
Not to be lost in the hectic shuffle of this past Tuesday Night's roster of good times was the official launch of the sweetest cap in the world. This took place by way of an impromptu fashion show toward the end of the evening after Lisa had changed the station from Loverboy and other old school tunage to some newer and sexier beats. Jonny G, ever the aspiring model and all-around attention whore, pulled a mysterious dark item out of his messenger bag. He positioned it atop his curly locks, and strutted around the table for a lap or two. It was awesome. Even the VLT set stopped dropping loonies for a moment and took in the sweet spectacle that was unfolding before them.
Here it is, in a slightly less spectacular context, modeled by one of the Dark Side's growing cadre of cadets:
The cap was produced by our very own Charlene. Some know her as the Mennonite Lady. In addition to kicking ass on the local cx circuit, she serves as the FGBC's official couturier. We are lucky to have her among us. Those who are not so lucky can still get in on the action by heading over to Olympia on Portage where some of her fine work is available for purchase. But not the official FGBC racing cap. This one is reserved for the very darkest of the Dark Side.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday Anticipation: Special Friday Edition
2011 is apparently in a bit of a hurry. The days are flying by so fast that we can't keep up. And so, as happens from time to time, Friday is the new Thursday. At least for this week. The more routine bound among us might find this difficult. But in the end it's good news. It means the Spring Ride will be upon us that much sooner. We will pass under the 100 day plateau before you know it. That is exciting.
There is still some waiting to be done, however. Thankfully, Gianni has stepped up to keep us preoccupied with other things.
1) Our opportunity to explore the sin of greed goes down this Sunday. It all sounds very intriguing. There are lots of instructions. With so many details, there is bound to be a twist or two. The only question is what it will be. Sometimes these things take on a life of their own. Just ask Juan Eppstein how he managed to embody all the wrath that was served up by Impaler at last year's Wrath Cross. All the props will no doubt serve to enhance the carnage that is about to be unfurled.
2) As if that wasn't enough, Gianni has also served up a Greed Cross appetizer of sorts. Starting on Saturday at 3:30 am (!) is a four lap series of rides out to Headingly and back via the Harte Trail. Each lap is dedicated to a pro cyclist so awesome that they are known simply by their first names: Tom, Eddy, Jan, and Jens. Two Belgians and two Germans. How can you go wrong? Other than planning it for a weekend I can't attend. The other problem is that the acronymn based on their names has one too many Js. Still, you might consider bringing along a bottle of Ethiopian mead to keep you warm through the night. For those who are unable to do the whole thing, Gianni has been kind enough to supply a schedule so that people can join in for any one of the individual laps. He only asks that you let him know that you are planning to show up (and for which lap) so that he can make sure to look out for you. All the pertinent details can be found here.
3) The other bit of good news is that the River Trail is now open for business. This year it goes from the Forks to Churchill Dr. Park. It is a bit shorter than usual. But it is nicely situated for a kick-ass course for Sloth Cross that, by the sounds of things, will once again be based at the poosher's palace. Course planning rides will commence shortly. We still have yet to settle on the theme for the film festival portion of the event. The latest suggestion is Dude Fest: 24 Hours of Jeff Bridges. Other suggestions are 24 Hours of Clint and 24 Hours of SCTV alumni. Stay tuned.
There is still some waiting to be done, however. Thankfully, Gianni has stepped up to keep us preoccupied with other things.
1) Our opportunity to explore the sin of greed goes down this Sunday. It all sounds very intriguing. There are lots of instructions. With so many details, there is bound to be a twist or two. The only question is what it will be. Sometimes these things take on a life of their own. Just ask Juan Eppstein how he managed to embody all the wrath that was served up by Impaler at last year's Wrath Cross. All the props will no doubt serve to enhance the carnage that is about to be unfurled.
2) As if that wasn't enough, Gianni has also served up a Greed Cross appetizer of sorts. Starting on Saturday at 3:30 am (!) is a four lap series of rides out to Headingly and back via the Harte Trail. Each lap is dedicated to a pro cyclist so awesome that they are known simply by their first names: Tom, Eddy, Jan, and Jens. Two Belgians and two Germans. How can you go wrong? Other than planning it for a weekend I can't attend. The other problem is that the acronymn based on their names has one too many Js. Still, you might consider bringing along a bottle of Ethiopian mead to keep you warm through the night. For those who are unable to do the whole thing, Gianni has been kind enough to supply a schedule so that people can join in for any one of the individual laps. He only asks that you let him know that you are planning to show up (and for which lap) so that he can make sure to look out for you. All the pertinent details can be found here.
3) The other bit of good news is that the River Trail is now open for business. This year it goes from the Forks to Churchill Dr. Park. It is a bit shorter than usual. But it is nicely situated for a kick-ass course for Sloth Cross that, by the sounds of things, will once again be based at the poosher's palace. Course planning rides will commence shortly. We still have yet to settle on the theme for the film festival portion of the event. The latest suggestion is Dude Fest: 24 Hours of Jeff Bridges. Other suggestions are 24 Hours of Clint and 24 Hours of SCTV alumni. Stay tuned.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
TNR Report
The people didn't so much claim their voice and speak up with their preferences for how the evening should unfold. It was more of a faint mumble. In the end, a 1-1 tie left us in limbo for a while. But the tiebreaker went to Tom K on account of his actually showing up at the TNR HQ. Big Luke was there too. We only recently found out that he is, for all intents and purposes, for all intents and purposes the Peg City's answer to Little Steven. The absence of a bandana serves as a cover. But the chops are most definitely there. Jonny G and the Cricket were there too. RRR, however, was not represented. That has not happened in a while. Tom's vote for a ride turned out to be the right choice. Because last night's ride was a sweet one. Maybe even super sweet. We rode the monkey trails to Ass. Park, spent some time playing around at the new duck pond and toboggan run, and made our way back to the klubhaus on the river. Good times. That it was warm relative to the way things can often be in the middle of January didn't hurt either. The condition of the river means there will be another IceTT at some point.
Tom K supplied the video:
Back at the klubhaus, the president, the secretary, Juan Eppstein and Philly were already well into the evening. They'd been sorting out the details of a covert operation that required them to take leave of us for a half hour or so. They came back grinning triumphantly. But we will likely never know whether the plan was successfully executed or not. Lisa and the Impaler sparred again. It is getting a bit old, this dance of theirs. Now she is upset that he ate her Toffifay. This did not stop her from sharing her chips with us. After some coaxing, she even allowed the Impaler to have a few too. It is not clear where this is headed. It is probably best not to think too much about it. After the situation with Lisa settled down, I found myself on the receiving end of some attention by an inebriated, though nevertheless kindhearted, benefactor. We haven't been feted with gifts from strangers since the Crowbar incident. But at least this one did not involve an invitation back to his place. It seems he simply wanted to share some bourbon with a fellow redhead. It is hard to argue with that. Needless to say, we spent some time talking about the spring ride. There will be some long rides. And yet the secretary was emboldened by the possibility that some might show up with the intention of not riding at all. It seems the year of dnb 2.0 is off to a rather inauspicious start. Vic brought the evening to a close by recounting for us what it feels like to be drowning. It is to be avoided. Drowning that is. The experience of listening to Vic tell stories somehow always manages to bring on a sense of jollification, even if he's talking about such macabre matters as sinking to the bottom of a lake.
Tunes? Loverboy.
Tom K supplied the video:
Back at the klubhaus, the president, the secretary, Juan Eppstein and Philly were already well into the evening. They'd been sorting out the details of a covert operation that required them to take leave of us for a half hour or so. They came back grinning triumphantly. But we will likely never know whether the plan was successfully executed or not. Lisa and the Impaler sparred again. It is getting a bit old, this dance of theirs. Now she is upset that he ate her Toffifay. This did not stop her from sharing her chips with us. After some coaxing, she even allowed the Impaler to have a few too. It is not clear where this is headed. It is probably best not to think too much about it. After the situation with Lisa settled down, I found myself on the receiving end of some attention by an inebriated, though nevertheless kindhearted, benefactor. We haven't been feted with gifts from strangers since the Crowbar incident. But at least this one did not involve an invitation back to his place. It seems he simply wanted to share some bourbon with a fellow redhead. It is hard to argue with that. Needless to say, we spent some time talking about the spring ride. There will be some long rides. And yet the secretary was emboldened by the possibility that some might show up with the intention of not riding at all. It seems the year of dnb 2.0 is off to a rather inauspicious start. Vic brought the evening to a close by recounting for us what it feels like to be drowning. It is to be avoided. Drowning that is. The experience of listening to Vic tell stories somehow always manages to bring on a sense of jollification, even if he's talking about such macabre matters as sinking to the bottom of a lake.
Tunes? Loverboy.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
TNR
The Dark Side doesn't necessarily recommend giving the people a voice. But that is exactly what will happen today. Just to show how much we care. True colours can't always be obscured. Just ask Cindi Lauper. Race or ride: what shall it be? Use the comment button to express your preference. Enjoy it while you can. This rare opportunity comes to an end when the polls close at 9 pm.
9:30 pm at my place.
Monday, January 10, 2011
The CX Pool is Back Open
Finally! That felt like forever.
Olli wins it. His combo of Pauwels and Dieter Vanthourenhout cobbled together the highest number of points today. The magic number was 225. Jay was second with 205 points. Ryan found himself on the third step of the podium. He had 150 points on the day.
No significant changes in the overall standings. But Gary narrowed the gap to just 130 points. This one may go down to the wire.
Full results and overall standings here.
Olli wins it. His combo of Pauwels and Dieter Vanthourenhout cobbled together the highest number of points today. The magic number was 225. Jay was second with 205 points. Ryan found himself on the third step of the podium. He had 150 points on the day.
No significant changes in the overall standings. But Gary narrowed the gap to just 130 points. This one may go down to the wire.
Full results and overall standings here.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Thursday Anticipation
IATP continues this weekend with Frozen Crow on Saturday. Ian guarantees that any bike will do. And it looks like mother nature is cooperating as well. There will be a coffee break. How can you go wrong?
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
TNR Report
The movie was awesome. Almost as awesome as this guy:
Speaking of the Impaler, KK very nearly found himself impaled last night. Not by B-Rad. But by a very pointy fence post around the corner from the TNR HQ. He lost his front wheel coming around the corner and landed on the fence. He did not suffer the same mortal fate as an old classmate of mine who came to ruination on the same sort of pointy fence as a result of a motorcycle accident. That would be a terrible way to go. We are glad that KK lives to ride again.
We didn't make it to the klubhaus until after midnight. But when we got there, the Secretary, Tenacious V, and Cousin Thomas were entertaining themselves with chips and darkness. It was nice to be welcomed by their cheery presence.
Speaking of the Impaler, KK very nearly found himself impaled last night. Not by B-Rad. But by a very pointy fence post around the corner from the TNR HQ. He lost his front wheel coming around the corner and landed on the fence. He did not suffer the same mortal fate as an old classmate of mine who came to ruination on the same sort of pointy fence as a result of a motorcycle accident. That would be a terrible way to go. We are glad that KK lives to ride again.
We didn't make it to the klubhaus until after midnight. But when we got there, the Secretary, Tenacious V, and Cousin Thomas were entertaining themselves with chips and darkness. It was nice to be welcomed by their cheery presence.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
These videos are awesome
It is nice to see the women CXers getting their due. They always get left out of the standard highlight packages. But these women radiate radness. Especially my girlfriend, the ever smiley SVP. These videos also provide a much better sense of the courses than what we get from the television coverage. The course in Zolder looks particularly nasty. And Kalmthout was the race at which Halberto was allegedly present. But he somehow managed to elude the camera. Either that or he wasn't really there.
TNR
Monday, January 03, 2011
IATP
It stands for Ian's Arrowhead Training Program. He has signed up for the 135 mile race on the snowy and cold Northern Minnesota trails that Lindsay brought to our attention. That means our Vicarious Arrowhead Pool will be a little more complicated than it was last year when we had only Lindsay to cheer for. In addition to Ian and Lindsay, Dallas will attempt to run it. That should be fun . . . to follow from a distance. It also means Ian is in full on training mode. His goal for yesterday was 8 hours or 100 kms, whichever came first.
Jonny G, KK, Halberto, and I joined him in what was, for us, envisioned as an hour or two of good times in BHP. Ian's new Pugsley was considerably more nimble on the snowmobile trails than our mtbs. But once we got into the trees, we were able to maintain a decent pace. For about 20 minutes, at least. And then Jonny's bike shit the bed. His freewheel flew the coop and was free of any spliny engagement whatsoever. Because none of asked ourselves What Would Aiden Do? as we prepared for the ride, we discovered we had not a single zip tie on hand. But Halberto has been on sabbatical for the past six months, so he is wise. Even wiser than usual. He had the bright idea of cutting the elastic cords off his jacket and using them to tie the cassette to the spokes.
It worked well enough to get Jonny back to the parking lot. At which point our ride was brought to a premature end. But the other three soldiered on a bit longer. And hopefully Ian reached his training goal for the day. This could be fun. The next opportunity to participate in Ian's Arrowhead Training Program is next Saturday for the Frozen Crow Ride.
While we were fixing Jonny's bike, each of us had a chance to try out the Pugsley. It is pretty awesome. Almost as awesome as Jonny looks when he's wearing the sweetest jacket in the world.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Tervuren and the Hotel Threeland
King Andy is back on top of the podium. His 430 points today in Tervuren were good enough to get him back where he belongs. The Impaler was just 20 points back. And Jonny G got himself on the last step of the podium with a 385 point performance.
The industrious interns at the FGBC's Dept. of Low Stakes Gambling have decided that we should also include the race that took place in Luxembourg yesterday. That is mostly because of the women's field that showed up. But it also serves as a nice bonus for those who have that little sandbagger Francis Mourey on their squads. This is especially good news for Prince Dan. He finally gets the kind of win we have come to expect from him. 490 points for the reigning King of the Deep End. KK and Jay rounded out the podium with 300 and 275 points, respectively.
Full results and overall standings here.
No race tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that. Withdrawal is hard. Good luck.
The industrious interns at the FGBC's Dept. of Low Stakes Gambling have decided that we should also include the race that took place in Luxembourg yesterday. That is mostly because of the women's field that showed up. But it also serves as a nice bonus for those who have that little sandbagger Francis Mourey on their squads. This is especially good news for Prince Dan. He finally gets the kind of win we have come to expect from him. 490 points for the reigning King of the Deep End. KK and Jay rounded out the podium with 300 and 275 points, respectively.
Full results and overall standings here.
No race tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that. Withdrawal is hard. Good luck.
Saturday, January 01, 2011
GP Sven Nys Results
Two in a row for Jonny B. He racked up 355 points to win Sven Nys's eponymous race. Eponymous races seem like a good idea. Just think of how much fun it could be to race the GP Jonny B. Or perhaps the GP Penner. Actually, that would be scary. The GP Brad the Impaler would no doubt dole out heaping portions of pain, suffering, and other churlish delights. And the GP Jonny G would leave us all smiling from an excessive flow of good times. Perhaps that will be our theme for Nordic Cross if we ever manage to finish with the seven deadly sins. We could draw names from a hat at the klubhaus--because random is awesome--and watch the goodness unfold.
Anyway, Brad and Gary rounded out the podium today. They ended up tied with 335 points apiece. Vantornout finally found the front of the race again, which was good news for Gary. Perhaps he was motivated to put in a good ride to help give his new kit a proper debut. Either way, it helped Gary narrow the gap a bit. He pulled back 50 points today and now sits just 125 points back of first overall.
Full results and standings here.
Watch the last lap and the impressive final kick by Nys:
No, we're not done yet. There is one more race to go before what will no doubt seem like an interminable break. The Fidea CX Classic in Tervuren goes down tomorrow. The women will be racing this one too.
Anyway, Brad and Gary rounded out the podium today. They ended up tied with 335 points apiece. Vantornout finally found the front of the race again, which was good news for Gary. Perhaps he was motivated to put in a good ride to help give his new kit a proper debut. Either way, it helped Gary narrow the gap a bit. He pulled back 50 points today and now sits just 125 points back of first overall.
Full results and standings here.
Watch the last lap and the impressive final kick by Nys:
No, we're not done yet. There is one more race to go before what will no doubt seem like an interminable break. The Fidea CX Classic in Tervuren goes down tomorrow. The women will be racing this one too.
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