A new beginning. And another. And another.

I know, I've been MIA for a while.  Until Kyle's most recent update, which made my entire goddamn day, it was beginning to look like this blog was defunct - another dead mall in a sea of foreclosed web space.  Well, it's not.  Lots to talk about here.  I'm not really sure where to start this one, so I guess I'll just dive in here with what matters most in the world:  Danny O and his rising stardom. 

From Danny O via Text yesterday:
Grand Junction is cold and snowy.  I won the short track. 

Decidely not Grand Junction.  But appropriately blurry. 

Danny Flow in the snow.  I've seen this phenomenon quite a few times myself, and I'm not surprised that our East Coast kid stuck it too a bunch of Colorado talent when things got slippery and loopy. Atta boy.  But here's the rub, Danny Flow.  You better keep working.  No matter how fast you get, there's always going to be some kid behind you, working harding, getting faster, training while you're sleeping, creeping up on you when you think you've got it made.  And she might be on a trike with tassles. 



The fastest C-Ham yet. 



Speaking of fast C-hams, our big man took his formerly substantial girth down south to race The Ocho with our other big man, Nolanpalooza.  Nolan decided to just take it easy and support Chris in his effort to get on the podium and make sure he eats a square meal.

dude's bike got a little banged up though.

And, C-ham did, indeed, get to lift his immaciated body onto the bottom rung of the podium.  Not sure if you've noticed, but C-ham is the top BFR stud these days.  And he's got the scrapes on his schnozz to prove it. 

Congrats.  But get a happy meal.  Supersize it. 

Again, though, the song remains the same.  Keep training.  Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day at Preddy Creek was a smash.  Zoom in, C-ham.  See the hard looks.  They're coming for you. 

And, while we're on the subject and since it's the thing that excites me the most in the entire universe right now, BFR has three new groms. 

Theadore Michael Royer, Son of Summer of Toph 2.0 (SOSOT2.0) was born on the last day of Summer, September 22nd, sometime before noon.  His application to use the title "Ted Shred" is still pending with the powers that be. 

Not to be bullied at the finish line, Shan and I decided to see if we could bridge the gap, and yes, indeed, later that day at 11 PM team Tevendale crossed the line with two of our own.  Rowan Michael Tevendale and Avery Rooke Tevendale. 

I know what you're thinking.  Technically, this looks like a win for SOSOT2.0 with an 11 hour lead.  But put on the spectrum of an entire lifetime (or three for that matter) I'm calling this a group finish with no substantial gaps and giving all in the bunch "same time" status, even though Shreddy crossed the line first.  Not a bad last day of summer.  The excitement that I feel in all of this is completely off the charts. 

Don't panic yet.  There's still time for you to win a race or two before these groms are grown enough to kick your aging, wrinkled ass.  Of note, the Cville edition of the Blue Ridge Cyclocross Cup will be at the IX this Tuesday at 5:30 PM.  Get there.  Represent.  Enjoy the time you have left to not be looking over your shoulder for singlespeeding tots creeping up behind you. 

And, quite naturally, The Paranormal.  After a summer of building berms and connecting forgotten singletrack smidges, the course is better than ever.  6.1 miles.  Is Jeremy Senn's 2008 recordbreaking sub 30 minute lap possible?  I submit that it is not.  Prove me wrong.  Prove me right.  But at the very least, come out and defend home turf. 

Lastly, and on a somber note, many of us knew a radical boy, kid, and man named Ben Orr.  Albemarle HS cross country team captain.  JMU grad.  A hell of a runner, and most certainly a pinner on the bike.  Ben, sadly, left this world back in 2006.  But in my recent stay at the new, very bitchin' Martha Jefferson Hospital up on Pantops, it was nice to see that Ben's got a wing there in his honor.  Quite appropriately, it's looking out at Carters mtn.  Shine on, Ben. 

Up, up, up.