12, November 2007

Greetings -

Whoa. What a weekend of we had. The Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team had one of
the best two days of racing and comraderie we've ever experienced atmo*. All of the stars
were aligned for us: 1) it was a road trip, and the last road trip of the season at which all the
team mates would be at the same venue (except for the KC Natz next month), 2) it was a
weekend of back to back UCI events, 3) said events would take place in the MAC conference,
and 4) the weekend's events were part of the season long VERGE series that is sponsored by
our apparel supplier Verge Sport. On Saturday we were in Bridgeton for the Beacon Cyclocross,
and on Sunday we were in Jamesburg for the HPCX. Our team loves the road, the road trips, and
especially the road trips down to the Mid-Atlantic states. Here is what I wrote about the MAC this
past October:

There is a calm and and an excitement level that exist simultaneously in the UCI races that we do
in the Mid Atlantic states. Our group loves the road trips down to this region. Cyclocross has become
incredibly popular these past few years and while some events and venues have taken the sport to a
higher (or different) level, commercially speaking, the MAC brotherhood has a way of making all their
promotions seem so homegrown and touchy-feely, while also putting on events that cover all the bases.
They are all well sponsored and promoted, the courses and amenities have few peers, and all the racers
and spectators have experiences that keep them coming back season after season.

We all congregated in South Jersey at a Quality Inn where I had secured rooms for at
least 10 warm bodies. As it happened, Fetty decided to go to Canada for some easy
UCI points pickins, and The Brian was inundated with duties at the office and was asked
to do the extra work left by a recently departed (for employment reasons, not any related
to breathing) co-worker. So, we had Justin, Amy, Pookums, Alie, and the coolest couple
in 'cross, Jon and Alicia. I've been thinking about how to articulate the success we had
these past few days, and I realize that it's not always about what happens once the gun
fires or whether we get to see excellent action pictures online once the events are covered.
As a group we did some some great bonding over meals, and movies-on-demand, and
trying to stake our claim (not once, but twice) to the best parking spaces at both race sites.
For us, it's all about the friendships we share and the memories we know we are making,
even as we experience it all in real time.

So what about the races? Let me say the the A-Team did incredibly well both days with
Amy and Alie finishing 10th and 12th on Saturday, and then switching their finishing orders
the next day with Alie getting 13th and Amy at 14th. Amy gets some much deserved UCI
points for her Saturday result while Alie - who, a month ago was in the ER for that nasty
crash at Gloucester - gets her best finish so far in a UCI event. We'll see her in a top 10
very soon, I am sure atmo. As far as the less-fairer sex went - well, the boys killed it. I am
unable to recall any race, much less a weekend of UCI events, where the RS 'Cross Team
made such an impact, but we certainly did so in New Jersey atmo. On Saturday, after Justin,
Matt, and Jon finished 2nd, 3rd, and 6th respectively, I made some comment like, "...well if
we sold all the bikes right now I'd consider it a perfectly successful season." So what happens
on the following day? The names change a bit, and Jon gets 2nd and Matt is 3rd again with
Justin seconds behind at 5th. Here are some online articles about it all:

Saturday - cyclingnews dot com
Saturday - cyclingnews dot com
Saturday - velonews dot com
Sunday - cyclingnews dot com
Sunday - cyclingnews dot com
Sunday - velonews dot com

I have found a decent amount of images to link, and I'll start with a batch from Dennis Smith:
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88865142
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88850392
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88850394
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88841427
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853398
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853408
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853423
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853429
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853430
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853431
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853440
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853458
http://www.pbase.com/dens/image/88853459

And here is a long list from Michael Kirk:
men
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219901691-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219881331-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219884348-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219886556-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219884050-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219887212-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219887922-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219888345-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219892148-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219892387-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219892838-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219893697-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219895359-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219895970-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219897703-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219898681-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219901823-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219902218-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219903683-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219903916-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219904100-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807007#219904248-L-LB
women
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219865750-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219865981-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219868834-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219872549-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219872370-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219872914-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219872737-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219876426-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219876656-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219885024-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219885255-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219885528-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219895735-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219895949-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219896655-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3807003#219896855-L-LB
general
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219904424-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219862066-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219862758-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219862972-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219863223-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219863472-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219898452-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219898688-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219898886-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219899035-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219899798-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219899996-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219900574-L-LB
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/gallery/3808591#219900216-L-LB

Please note that all of these images are the property of the shooters. If you are interested
in any of these for specific commercial reasons, I will gladly put you in touch.

Well I kinda' sorta' have to wrap this up. It's late Monday night and I am still unpacking from
the road trip. I hope that if you read this far, you feel the love. The RS 'Cross Team has
another weekend of memories in the bank! This coming weekend, Jon and Justin will be
doing the UCI races in North Carolina, while Amy and Matt are at the USGP events, once
again held in New Jersey and sponsored by Crank Brothers.

Thanks for reading.
e-RICHIE©™®
*according to my opinion
______________________________
Thank you for your interest and support.
The Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team is sponsored by RGM Watches,
Rex Chiu, Radix Group LLC, Ozell, Stankus Architects Associates, as
well as by Cane Creek, Crank Brothers, Rudy Project, Oval Concepts,
Challenge, VergeSport, Selle San Marco, JB Custom Paint, Nelly's Deli,
and The Wheatmarket
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