A memo to the Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team on the eve of the season -

19, September 2009

Greetings Amy, Dan, Josh, Matt, and Will -

Okay, it's time atmo. After all the dancing around, sniffing each other out (meant with love, huh...), hustling,
filling up your inboxes, hustling other people, ensuring folks that we are real, doing the hustle a few more
times just to make it rain even harder (as in, getting us more stuff and more funds), after all the fantasizing,
bushitlilng online about how cool and how worthy we are, the racing begins. Pookums goes to the MAC
events this weekend, the Dom does (and conquers) 'Cross Vegas and then is off to the MadWis USGP,
and the rest of us all do Catamount UCI C2 next weekend.

I have sent out as much booty as I could and will follow up with the balance over the course of this coming
week. Thank you for bearing with me and also my repetitive emails about clothing sizes, chainrings, and
whatever else (schedules) I had here but never transcribed for posterity. Eff man, I am so scattered.

Please remember this from an earlier email, as well as from years past in case you've heard me state it before:
there is only one first reason we exist and why we go to races. That first reason is that we owe our souls to
every single sponsor, equipment provider, behind-the-scenes donor, and fans/followers/friends who support us.
We are at the races to prove a point. That point is to be ambassadors for all of those I just mentioned. (Y)our
obligation is to know everything about every company on the kits as well as about every part we use until the
season ends. We are at the venues to represent, and represent well. We (the team - you - us - the folks who
raced here before 2009) give good brand. In an era and in a climate in which teams falter, vaporize, splinter,
cease to exist, and just plain can't raise a fucking dime, we are flush. We are quite flush atmo. Data point -
we're not Radio Shack flush, but heck - I can only panhandle so much, huh. We have parts. We have a good
war chest of funds. And we have each other.

The second and third reasons we exist are interchangeable. That we have each other is a gift. The gift gives
back in spades, especially to me atmo. But our team is not just a team. This is a troupe, a cabal, a closed
society, and a family. We should bleed for each other and for 'cross. We should know how lucky we are that
our paths have crossed (no pun...) so that the next 4 plus months can be filled with opportunities that afford
us memories we'll cherish for the rest of our lives. Cue the string section. Let's each of us do what we can -
or have to - to ensure that the other 5 has a banner filled season filled with mighty fine and fun times at the
venues, at the meals, while traveling god awful miles to hotels we can't find, on start lines, and every place
we spend time with each other.

Let's also use our support system and each other to help everyone reading this have the most successful
season of racing possible. We also have personal goals, and we each have an obligation to help the others
reach those goals atmo. We are each others motivators, coaches, pit crews, and shoulders if needed. It's a
gift to be in each others lives, racing 'cross, and having the support and camaraderie that we have. Let's represent,
let's make memories, and let's race.

e-RICHIE