Luxury

Charm City Weekend

It was a luxury to head down early on Friday to Baltimore, a day before the racing weekend.

I took a nice tour of Fort McHenry,  ....that's where the British were put off from invading, where the resistance and the raising of the larger garrison flag, up the pole,  in the morning after the pounding, said f'you. Brits

then a short jaunt up the road to the incredible, and free Walter's Museum

 a private old family art collection,  in a cool building,  I looked at everything,  stupendous!
then I made another short jaunt to the course and did,  a bunch of laps of the fresh course, then dinner at the bar,  ...always Johnny Rad's,  sipping a beer and watching skateboard videos play.

The real luxury, was the luxuriosly, Deluxx bike team, tag team beat on, pound down I got racing Sunday.

Its a three man team.  and the headpin, is the cantankerous, John Lux.   so evil, I think he recruited the other two hench men, just to also, beat on me,  I mean its a team of three,  three master, that somehow I was sandwich inbetween,  the whole race Sunday.  

                                    photo: lefty Diane Vettori

John went by strong early and got away from me,  ...but not outta sight,  and I'd suffer trying to pull him back, with no avail,  really giving my all just to keep him in sight.

        photo, mrs. henchpin,  Diane Vettori

Deluxx mate, Fatmarc Vanderbacon, comes on strong next.   I was able just to hold his gap, I gasped and gasped.   I think John let up a bit, and Marc went harder a bit, and Marc got a bit of a gap, and again I was in close battle now with John.     He couldn't put me away,  and I stomped on him a bit and got a nice gap, and was heading to the last bit of the course, up to the sandpits, and he unleashed the last minute attack,  not him himself, but #3,  Deluxx  Joey Daub to get me.

Coming around the last of 4 sand crossing Joey took the good line to pass and put me to rest.  I took the bad line and went more hard.  We rode the sand crazy, scooting back and forth, banging and pounding shoulders into each other,  exited the sand, both intact.  Into the big planter, I took the exit first,  but use some wileyness and caught my breath, gave him just  a hint of a passing lane, he took, and I sucked his wheel out onto the pavement.    I got him, took him in the sprint.

I pulled up, Marc was there, done already.   Huffing and puffing, I shook hands with Joey, and Mr. Deluxx,  I think, if I remember correctly,  unleashed a big wet sweaty hug on to me.
I don't know how many of these f'n races I've got in me,   This was a dynamic trio deluxx beat down at its best, and...was really, Charming, for sure!

Cheers,  race hard, bump, crush and love your opponents!  O' cyclocross!

dlowe