30, October 2010
Greetings -
What a difference a day makes atmo. The Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team had one of its best weekends in years
this past Saturday and Sunday. We were in New Gloucester, Maine for the Downeast Cyclocross UCI C2 events. It's
funny (not) how focused I have become on results these past few seasons as wins and podium places have become
quite routine for us each weekend. We are there at the venues to represent first, and make everlasting memories too.
One fine way to build and support a brand (read: keep the RS 'Cross Team's sponsors in the limelight) is to race rather
than just ride. There's a big difference between being there and being there and having a presence, and I feel our team has
a presence atmo. In Maine, not only did we leave with memories, we also left spent and reaped the rewards of wringing every
ounce of effort from ourselves. In the two days of racing, Pookums' sixth on Saturday and second on Sunday, coupled with
Josh's fourth and fifth respectively in his events, made for our best finishes so far. Both riders are on the fast track to consistently
high places going into the second half of the season. I couldn't be more pleased with this. Please click through the image links
below to see them in focus and at speed.
For my own part, I had a rare-slash-unusual-slash-
going to be, for me, the take no prisoners (what does that mean, anyway?) season I had waaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2009.
Well, if it is a secret, I wish it was one that was kept from me. Regardless, I have reconciled that another summer has passed,
I'm a year older, and the competition in my category is deeper than ever. When last year I could start any race and fear no one,
since this season started, my demeanor has included a, "I wonder when I'll get popped" component that has effed with my head
major league like. It's not a healthy attitude, especially since I am at the race to RACE rather than to ride in circles. Thus far,
most of my finishes have been top tens and I have worked very hard to get them too! So anyway, Saturday I had this great start
(rare for me...) and was in the first five for most of lap one. All of the sudden - poof - some demon got into my head and put in this
doubt shit that came from who knows where. Within a pedal stroke, I was wondering why I was even in Maine. It's hard to articulate
because at that very point I was still in the race (as in, at the front of it) but all energy needed to get the bicycle going was lost. In
the space of less than a minute, I went from a great position to one of getting passed by this cat and then that cat, and then those
guys. I was in a place that was unfamiliar to me and I made a decision to quit. In all my years of 'cross, it was my first DNF and it
came with less than ten minutes of effort. I was upset. TLD was upset. I pondered what message this action sends to all who saw
it in real time or might read DNF next to my name in the results. It sucked to be me, and it sucked to be around me as well. The
lovely Deb and I discussed what transpired and the conversation left me with a will to never get close to losing focus again. We invest
a lot of energy to be at all race weekends fit, and prepared, and on the best equipment. Going there and leaving matches left unburned
makes no sense at all. The next day I felt compelled to prove to myself that I had legs and motivation and raced the way I expect to,
am supposed to, and am there at each event to. The ninth I got on Sunday may seem like a mediocre result in the larger picture but
I left it all on the course and was more satisfied with that finish than I was with any of my five wins in 2009 atmo. I am part of the team,
and not just the guy who helps coordinate it. My race may precede Matt's and Josh's, and Masters racing may seem like just a part of
the under-card. But it is a race just the same, and we all line up with a chance at beating up on our fellow competitors. I may have forgot
about this for a moment on Saturday but I'll stay reminded of it until the very last 'cross event I register for. Hey - thanks for listening.
Okay, now for my specialty, mining the internet for RS 'Cross Team stuff. There's quite the list this week and it includes three videos
(one for me, one for Pookums, and one for JD), a link to what I feel is a superb article penned by Brian Palmer at TWMP in which, I
believe, the team is used as a metaphor - or maybe we're there as an example of how to get it done. Note: drink more Ardberg atmo.
And, all of this is followed by a list of images I found on Flickr
That GREAT post by Brian atmo
e-RICHIE on film
Pookums on film
Josh on film
Josh one
Josh two
Josh three
Josh four
Josh five
Josh six
Josh seven
Josh eight
Josh nine
Josh ten
Josh eleven
Josh twelve
Josh thirteen
Atmo alef
Atmo bet
Atmo gimmel
Atmo dalet
Atmo heh
Atmo vav
Pookums I
Pookums II
Pookums III
Pookums IV
Pookums V
Pookums VI
Pookums VII
Pookums VIII
Pookums IX
Pookums X
Pookums XI
I want to thank Matt Kraus and Josh Dillon for racing hard, racing at the front, and for representing the RS 'Cross Team
superbly well in 2010. Along with these two and TLD, I want to send regards to Justin Spinelli who remains on the injured
list for another few weeks atmo. Please drive up his Luxe Wheelworks hitcounter by following his new tech journal.
Many thanks.
e-RICHIE
What a difference a day makes atmo. The Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team had one of its best weekends in years
this past Saturday and Sunday. We were in New Gloucester, Maine for the Downeast Cyclocross UCI C2 events. It's
funny (not) how focused I have become on results these past few seasons as wins and podium places have become
quite routine for us each weekend. We are there at the venues to represent first, and make everlasting memories too.
One fine way to build and support a brand (read: keep the RS 'Cross Team's sponsors in the limelight) is to race rather
than just ride. There's a big difference between being there and being there and having a presence, and I feel our team has
a presence atmo. In Maine, not only did we leave with memories, we also left spent and reaped the rewards of wringing every
ounce of effort from ourselves. In the two days of racing, Pookums' sixth on Saturday and second on Sunday, coupled with
Josh's fourth and fifth respectively in his events, made for our best finishes so far. Both riders are on the fast track to consistently
high places going into the second half of the season. I couldn't be more pleased with this. Please click through the image links
below to see them in focus and at speed.
For my own part, I had a rare-slash-unusual-slash-
going to be, for me, the take no prisoners (what does that mean, anyway?) season I had waaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2009.
Well, if it is a secret, I wish it was one that was kept from me. Regardless, I have reconciled that another summer has passed,
I'm a year older, and the competition in my category is deeper than ever. When last year I could start any race and fear no one,
since this season started, my demeanor has included a, "I wonder when I'll get popped" component that has effed with my head
major league like. It's not a healthy attitude, especially since I am at the race to RACE rather than to ride in circles. Thus far,
most of my finishes have been top tens and I have worked very hard to get them too! So anyway, Saturday I had this great start
(rare for me...) and was in the first five for most of lap one. All of the sudden - poof - some demon got into my head and put in this
doubt shit that came from who knows where. Within a pedal stroke, I was wondering why I was even in Maine. It's hard to articulate
because at that very point I was still in the race (as in, at the front of it) but all energy needed to get the bicycle going was lost. In
the space of less than a minute, I went from a great position to one of getting passed by this cat and then that cat, and then those
guys. I was in a place that was unfamiliar to me and I made a decision to quit. In all my years of 'cross, it was my first DNF and it
came with less than ten minutes of effort. I was upset. TLD was upset. I pondered what message this action sends to all who saw
it in real time or might read DNF next to my name in the results. It sucked to be me, and it sucked to be around me as well. The
lovely Deb and I discussed what transpired and the conversation left me with a will to never get close to losing focus again. We invest
a lot of energy to be at all race weekends fit, and prepared, and on the best equipment. Going there and leaving matches left unburned
makes no sense at all. The next day I felt compelled to prove to myself that I had legs and motivation and raced the way I expect to,
am supposed to, and am there at each event to. The ninth I got on Sunday may seem like a mediocre result in the larger picture but
I left it all on the course and was more satisfied with that finish than I was with any of my five wins in 2009 atmo. I am part of the team,
and not just the guy who helps coordinate it. My race may precede Matt's and Josh's, and Masters racing may seem like just a part of
the under-card. But it is a race just the same, and we all line up with a chance at beating up on our fellow competitors. I may have forgot
about this for a moment on Saturday but I'll stay reminded of it until the very last 'cross event I register for. Hey - thanks for listening.
Okay, now for my specialty, mining the internet for RS 'Cross Team stuff. There's quite the list this week and it includes three videos
(one for me, one for Pookums, and one for JD), a link to what I feel is a superb article penned by Brian Palmer at TWMP in which, I
believe, the team is used as a metaphor - or maybe we're there as an example of how to get it done. Note: drink more Ardberg atmo.
And, all of this is followed by a list of images I found on Flickr
That GREAT post by Brian atmo
e-RICHIE on film
Pookums on film
Josh on film
Josh one
Josh two
Josh three
Josh four
Josh five
Josh six
Josh seven
Josh eight
Josh nine
Josh ten
Josh eleven
Josh twelve
Josh thirteen
Atmo alef
Atmo bet
Atmo gimmel
Atmo dalet
Atmo heh
Atmo vav
Pookums I
Pookums II
Pookums III
Pookums IV
Pookums V
Pookums VI
Pookums VII
Pookums VIII
Pookums IX
Pookums X
Pookums XI
I want to thank Matt Kraus and Josh Dillon for racing hard, racing at the front, and for representing the RS 'Cross Team
superbly well in 2010. Along with these two and TLD, I want to send regards to Justin Spinelli who remains on the injured
list for another few weeks atmo. Please drive up his Luxe Wheelworks hitcounter by following his new tech journal.
Many thanks.
e-RICHIE
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