Larry Bullard , team racer and sponsor.

 Back in 2004 we started the Rock Lobster team. Jeff Traugott and I were the split sponsors and for the first year we kept the team rolling in a very modest way. In 2005 the Spokesman bicycles sent a couple my way who were interested in getting cyclocross bikes. They were Larry and Karen Bullard. Very nice folks and enthusiastic about the local CX race scene they were keen to get the team issue frames and start riding in the dirt. 

Once the bikes were done, Larry came by to pick up his bike. He did a short test ride and Simon and I watched him quickly roll by and said to each other : "Hey, maybe we should ask him to be on the team "Larry looked at us as if we had just handed him the keys to the city- needless to say , he said yes. He raced and eventually made it onto the podium for the overall in the local CCCX series-something I had failed to do for about 5 seasons. We, and he were very stoked.

The next year , Larry asked what it took to be the title sponsor of the team. I told him the various levels of sponsorship and what it would mean in terms of logo placement on the team kits. Immediately he wrote a check and we were team HRS (Human resource solutions - Karen's business ) for the next four seasons. The 2006 kits were the notorious argyle with Karen's puzzle piece logo mixed in. It was a big year for the team with trips to the USGP races in Portland and Tacoma and the nationals in Providence. Team HRS was getting national exposure and Larry and Karen were the ones helping to make it possible.

Larry was always upbeat, positive and wickedly funny without trying to be- he would just make an observation that would be a hilarious truth that most of us might have overlooked. Larry and Karen came to the team parties and got to know the rag-tag CX crew and they accepted us with all of our various eccentricities. They were never trying to steer the team or change anything we were doing- they were unconditionally supportive and really helped launch us to another level. 

Larry passed away last weekend , a victim of cancer. He had only just retired from his career at AMD the previous December. He was just starting out on retirement with a dream house that he and Karen built in Scottsdale, AZ. Larry was dedicated, worked hard-was a positive influence on everyone he came into contact with from my experience. He, and Karen's enthusiasm and support for the team in its early years was elemental in getting the team national exposure and helped create the reputation that it has to this day- a group of racers who value having fun while racing and showing people that as difficult as CX can be, the community does not take itself too seriously. 

Larry is gone too soon and he will be missed but his and Karen's role in building this team will never be forgotten . Rest in peace , my friend. 

Nationals day five

grey skies but warmer temperatures were on hand for the final day of races. The super fast tacky conditions of the day before were altered in a big way by a rain storm that lasted the night. The course was  soupy mud on one side and chunky slippery mud on the other side. It would be hard to keep the bike upright on the Sunday version of the course at Joe Creason park. Our solo junior at this years nationals was Enzo Berghout in the 15-16 race . Enzo got a third row start -even with five falls he managed to break into the top-20 with a 19th place finish in his first trip to the nationals.

Later in the day Kathleen Bortolussi would line up with the women's 60-64 age group . Kathleen has had a few trips to the nationals but usually sickness or injury prevented her from success. This time nothing got in the way and she rode to a podium and a medal in 4th place. After decades of racing she can mow claim a national medal racing against the best in her age group in truly difficult conditions.

Last race of the day would be men's single speed. Max Judelson has raced many a single speed nationals in the ten years he has spent on the team but this would be Andy Wulfkhule's first try at it. The course was still very slippery but both riders kept their bikes upright with Max finishing 7th and Andy finishing 14th. 

With two podiums and a couple top 10 finishes and everyone in at least the top 20 , this was a very good nationals for the team. We came with a small crew but definitely made an impact. The director of the race thanked me personally for bringing the team and taking part. Next year the race will be in Fayetteville, Arkensas but the same director and crew will be putting it on. I think there's a good chance we will make the trip.

 

Nationals day four

Today was a day for heroic rides and that what happened. In the early afternoon Dan English lined up for the U-23 UCI race without having planned to do CX racing this season- it was an afterthought. His ride to 6th place was done with style and consistantcy-he looked in control the whole time and had a great last lap to pickup a place. Not bad for someone who was not totally focused on CX.

Max and Andy rode the Elite race and both had to start in the back rows. It did not take long for the both of them to move up and ensure that they both finished on the lead lap.Max came in 12th and Andy came in 20th-both of them improving on their results from last year on the same course. It was a good day.

 

Natonals Day three

 The night before Friday's races was prime for a team dinner with pasta, roasted vegetables and salad-just as it has been for many years. Having dinners at the team house is a tradition going back since the beginning of the team in 2004. Friday would have Max and Andy riding in their respective age-group races. 

Max was first to race at 9:00 AM and had a front row call up. He made the most of it and rode away from the field with two other riders. Soon he had only one other rider with him and a real battle for the win went on for nearly half the race. Max wound up second with a silver medal and the first podium of the trip for the team. He really rode a great race and left it all out on the course.

The next race at 10:00 was Andy's first race of the season after a couple of months of illness. Nobody knew how he would roll and having the last call up in a field of nearly 40 riders would make things even more difficult. As soon as the race started Andy began to pass riders and wound up 7th at the end-a remarkable ride and a heroic one for sure-one of the most memorable in years.

Tomorrow the elite races are happening so another big dinner tonight-big day tomorrow with Andy, Max and Dan English riding .

Nationals , day two Master's 70-74

I was the only one to race on this day with the absence of Rick Ortenblad. When I got my number I knew that I would be starting at the very back-upholding a long relationship I have had with USA Cycling - which is essentially, I give them money and they allow me to have the chance to pass as many people as I can. While I'm not as happy as they might be with this relationship , there really is no experience like riding at the nationals......even starting behind a whole field of your peers. Below you can see in print that not only was my call-up the last one, there's no point total- not even the points from the last nationals. By not racing last year because of injury I guess I am not in their records. They did not demote me to a lower category though....
 

So- I did my best to pass as many people as possible and wound up 18th. I can thank friend of the team and fellow racer Jim Gentes for doing Nor-Cal a solid and setting up a heated tent with trainers just for Nor-Cal racers to use.I used the outdoor trainer to stay used to the 32 degrees and did about a 30 minute warmup before my race. This would not have happened without the generosity of Mr. Gentes, who has year in a year out really looked out for Nor-Cal teams and racers. I tip my hat to you, Jim !

Day one - nationals at Louisville, Ky.

Day one at Joe Creason park started out pretty cold but dry. The course appears to be about 95% turf. This of course will change to mud when the predicted rain shows up on the weekend . Unlike last year, the course features some steep uphills and no less than three sets of stairs, two of them being stone. There's a set of UCI height barriers as well. I got to ride the course today and found the lap to be pretty 'heavy' with the turf and climbs making it tough to get any speed. This is a good thing as the lap will take longer and people worrying about being lapped will have less to worry about. That said, punchy climbers will have fun on this course.
 

VSRT race in honor of Jim Lund

It's a long drive from anywhere to get to Rancho Los Mocos for the VSRT race but if you make the trip you will be rewarded witha CX course unlike any other in Nor-Cal. The track is almost like an MTB short-track course with a good climb, some twisty singletrack and so fast descending. That said, there was a proper CX race in many respects. For some, this would be a last tune-up before the nationals starting next week in Lousiville, Ky. 

In all, we had nine racers from the team taking part and some very good results spanning nearly all of the age groups . 

 

In the juniors 10-14 Noah Hekkert got the win.

In the men's 35 A race Eric Brown got 2nd. 

In the men's 45 A race Carl Hekkert got 7th

In the 60 A race Paul Sadoff got 3rd.

In the women's 55+ race Kathleen Bortolussi got 2nd.

In the open B race Finn Cunningham got 2nd with Kai Yee coming in 7th.

In the men's single speed A race Matt Miller came in 2nd.

In the men's single speed B race Jaiden Ramiro came in 4th.

In the Pro-women's race Maddie Ortenblad came in 2nd.