Bundle up hell has frozen over- Heavy D. with the W!!

Damn good day on Sauvie Island in the great state of Oregon.  Kruger’s CX.  Muddy course. Lots of barriers, transitions, and a pumpkin pile!  just my kind of course.  I had a last row starting position (as usual) I felt like crap before the start but low in behold at the end of lap one I was fealin’ good and riding well.  I started picking riders off one by one.  As I come through the start finish area at the end of lap 3  I see 2 to go and the announcer says… “And here is Dave Drumm of FTS Cycling  #975 he is your race leader!”  WTF???  for real???  I didn’t realize that the people I had been passing, hopping from group to group were the guys that started ahead of my race-  I had worked my way into the middle of that field without really realizing it-  I had my head down and giv’ner – a guy in front is a guy in front-  totally in the zone-  So now I panic, afraid I am gonna blow with one to go.  I fade 1/2 way through the last lap but rally and give it everything I have-  I win with a 30+ Second advantage.  Jesus H. Tap Dancing Christ!  Heady D.  fastest fat guy in Portland 11-23-08.

Heavy D. 7th in Portland!!!

Hilsboro CrossCrusade-  A flat super muddy and slippery course.  I am last row.  Good start and fealing it!  In the end 7th.  Initial reports had me at 6th but in the end 7th.  A good Day.  Who knows-  one more lap and I could have been Oregon State Champion?????  The leaders were visible on the last half of the last lap.

NOHO- 2 Days in the Valley

and were back…..  Northampton.  Cyle-Smart International UCI cross race weekend.  Hosted by the fine folks of the NCC.  The NOHO cross race is like homecoming.  The venue is located less than 40 minutes from my house and it is by far one of my favorite cross races evah!!!  The Pioneer Valley is by far one of the most cross rich areas in the USA.  This tiny community is home too/has spawn  Jeremy Powers, Matt White, Mike Cody, Adam Myerson, Steven Weller, Alec Donahue not to mention Mukunda Feldmann, and Meg Biladeu, J.D. and Pioneer Event Productions, Cycle-Smart Coaching Services, Bike Reg.com, Spooky Cycles and J. Gump’s Incline Training.    The Pioneer Valley is Cross- 

I got to “race” my bike both days and I got to work the pit for D.D> Winfield and Anna Milkowski of Vello Bella.  I also got to watch Celeste crush some souls as she worked her way from  last row starts in fields of 70 women to finish 11th on day one and 9th on day 2.  It was a great weekend and my last Cyclocross race in New England for the season.  My next race will be in Portland Oregon.  More to come on that in the near future….  Here are some pics for ya

Double D. microwaving the hearts of the back markers

technique- 8 out of 10

Celeste riding the run up

Glahsta 2008

Treestump-  making monkeys jealous with her massive beer

So Last weekend was what has become known as “New England Worlds” The Erdinger Grand Prix of Cyclocross in Gloucester MA.  It is said that if you can win here-  you can win anywhere.  Gloucester can be likened to a spring classic.  The course changes little from year to year-  the competition is deep and often the best of the best come to test their merit here in New Belgium.  The weather can be anything from snow and sleet to 70 and sunny and because this is New England and the course sits on the ocean, it can change in the blink of an eye.

For me this was my 10th trip to Gstar and I have experienced the full spectrum.  I have podiumed here and I have been lapped, I have suffered catastrophicbike failure, thrown up breakfast sandwiches on course, I have watched reigning World Champions “play” with local champions and I have seen  friends once juniors grow up and achieve greatness at the Elite level right before my very eyes-  and I have seen it all here, at Gloucester.

This year at Glahsta I was there to “race” and to work for Amy Dombroski and the VeloBella girls.  My race Saturday went on without me-  a Gloucester first-  I missed my start, but was I there in plenty of time to meet up with Amy D., Anna Milkowski and Kathy Sherwin and get them ready for their day.  As you all know by now-  Amy destroyed them.  She not only won the Elite race on Saturday but on Sunday as well.  On October 12th  Amy Dombroski wrote her name in the storied history book of the Gloucester classic.  At 21 she is the youngest Elite woman to ever win at Gstar and one of only two Women to win back to back races here.  Amy also became the NACT leader as well as the leader in the Verge New England Series and as of October 13 she became the highest ranked Female CX racer in the USA ahead of Katie Compton and Sue Butler.  

 I have been working with Amy all season as her mechanic on the Webcor Builders Pro cycling team and it has been awesome to watch her grow and progress as an Athlete and a person.  It was fantastic to watch her crush the souls of the best riders in New England making it look easy-  and as far as my race on Sunday went, well… I raced and I finished 83rd and I could not have been happier.  I survived.  I witnessed history in the making, I made a couple of new friends and I drank a wicked pissah of a beer.   Another new chapter in my Glahsta story.

Rock Star

Heavy D. Out-  Sorry for the repeat entry from just one of the girls- I am lazy

The Storming of Troy

or at least the attempt there of.  Lap 1 in good postion, but I slide out in a turn on the descent, I think I am going to come out of it oK-  until I hit a big rock on the side of the course lurking in the tall grass.  I go over the handlebars at full speed augering  in, HARD.  Head and right shoulder first,  I am knocked for a total loop and for brief moment don’t know where I am.  I get up and ride down the course,  it takes more than 1/2 lap to get my wits back.  I do what I can – and finish again, 1 lap down but not last.  Collar bone still hurts-  xray tomorrow????

Heavy D. trying to make up lost ground

Wearing the marks of a pretty good digger-

The tradition continues….

I just don’t think it is possible for me to have a good race in the state of New York- Seriously the Gods of NY Cross will not allow it!

Schenectady, NY, Masters 35+- The gun goes off and I am in the third row. As lap one winds down I can still see the leaders, something I have not experienced in quite sometime. Lap 2 they are still there and so am I. Lap 3 heading into the u-turn, downhill dismount I F’up. I know where to dismount on this hill, I’ve done it enough times- but I still try and dismount on the descent. I plant my leg and hear POP!! and then everyhting goes pearshaped. I explore the inner depths of the pain cave for the next 3 laps wanting so badly to pull the plug and head to the car- I don’t, no way, not today. I bite my lip, HTFU and finish 1 lap down. 1 lap down, but not last.

Delaney manned up and attacked the back of the 3/4’s like a man possessed. Smiling and riding like a lunatic, hurdling the giant tree without even touching it- no small task- that shit was huge and he was the only person we saw do it, probably because of the way he landed- legs all akimbo, bike bouncing wildly out of control- impressive and insane at the same time. Kevin finished with a smile and a sort of purple tint. First race of the season- done. Onward and upward! See you in Troy!

Are you ready???????

The time is now!  Fuego- ON.  Bring it!!!!

Team Twinkle Toes

 

Some people might view this as kinda gay.  Not me.  I think it shows true, hardcore devotion to the sacred gods of cross.  Kevin Delaney-  More dedicated than you.

W is for W!!!!!

It’s gold in the cold for the Giant Kiwi.  Linnea Koons takes the top podium spot at the Natz Smatz Rematch race in CT on January 6th.  Teammate and all around cool cat Mary Lynn Wikar snatched silver.  In other FTS news…..  Celeste wins more bread at the Notchview Cross Country Ski race.

Martha Stewart and FTS- the connection

FTS B-Man, Brian Walak,  was kinda quiet on the cx front this year.  We didn’t see Brian much, we didn’t hear from him much.  He had a lot going on planning his wedding and preparing for the big day… but nothing could prepare any of us for this.

or this….

WTF dude?  you been holdin’ out!!!!  You know the big M. and you make crazy cakes?   I thought I had seen everything.  Brian we proudly present you with the very first FTS GTM Award!!  Congrats and I like carrot cake (hint, hint)