Thank Youz, Thank Youz Very Much

I cannot say definitively that this is the very last bit of Breckiness I have to get out of my system, but here goes.

Basically I just have a whole bunch of people to thank and say nice things about. I can't even guarantee that I will be a wise ass about any of it.

Tim Faia. Tim opened the door to Breckenridge and welcomed me inside with open arms. He checked in with me daily to make sure I had everything I required. It's funny, I've "known" Tim for many years, but only through blog stuff and team stuff — first with Independent Fabrication and more recently with the 29er Crew. It made for a relaxed and easy first meeting, we spoke like old friends. I can't thank Tim enough. I also have to say that his blog: "On Your Left" is a just about every post read for me. It is everything this blog is not: deep, heavy, poetic, honest...and succinct.

Tim hooked me up with his friend Monique Merrill for a place to stay my first couple nights in Breckenridge. He explained that she was "kind of running a bed and breakfast...but she didn't want any money." Huh? What? And she didn't. Immediately I picked up that Mona was really, really into her sports; the house was cluttered with in-line skates, full-face helmets, bikes, running shoes, and who knows what else. Then her friend Sue showed up and to "play" for the weekend. This involved multiple bike rides per day and trail runs in-between. My second night staying at Mona's house, I tagged along on a group ride, where I met another super-cool person, Jeffrey Bergeron or "Biff America" a guy that moved away from Brockton, Mass the year I was born. He still hasn't lost his Boston accent.

After the ride Mona invited everyone into her restaurant, Amazing Grace for beers and nachos. At one point (after helping myself to several beers, so dangerous for me) I went to the bathroom. Above the toilet hung a giant, glossy poster of a man and a woman in a kayak, crashing through some serious, gnarly white water. The woman had this crazy warrior face on, it was terrifying. I was like holy crap...that chic is BAD ASS! Then I realized that it was my host, Mona Merrill. Turns out she's this super human adventure racer and celebrated ski mountaineer.

Mona's Protein Power sandwich.

Second only to the "Turkey Berry" in the realm of culinary awesomeness.
And this from a dude who's had waffle fry nachos at Jake's Dixie Road House
and taco pizza at Flatbread.

Amazing Grace is sort of a hub in Breckenridge, all kinds of folks pass through, either on their way to do cool stuff or on their way back from having done cool stuff. It's a block off Main, off the beaten path, but the only place to be as far as I'm concerned. The Grace will take care of all your breakfast and lunch needs better than any other spot in that town.

Thanks Mona!


Tim Faia also introduced me to Tim from The Organic Mechanic (Mona would introduce me to Russ, another Organic Mechanic) a traveling band of top-notch wrenches working out of a solar powered trailer. These guys supported the race like you wouldn't believe. And, despite the fact they probably thought I was a dick, they took care of me at the request of Tim Faia. Check them out on Facebook and look for them at Cross races all over the country this fall/winter and for fucks sake, BUY THEM BEER!

In that department I also have to thank Kris and the guys from Breck Velo. I wandered in there looking to get a tubeless tire mounted. "Hi...my name's Thom, what kind of beer do you guys like? Um, I need a tire mounted..." I expected attitude like I'd get at any, and I mean any Boston shop, but what I got was invited behind the counter immediately. That's all it took. After that, they were my shop. Amazing what not being a dick to your customers will accomplish. Of course BEER also factored into the equation of friendliness here.


I'm starting to hear the "wrap it up" music here, so I'm going to do that pretty quick. But I can't forget to thank the loquacious juggernaut, the owner of the biggest dog I have ever seen, the promoter of the best high-alpine stage race I have ever done, Mike Mac. I help co-promote a dinky, little cross race once a year and it literally makes me ill. (Seriously, I ran a fever through the first edition and slept for two days afterward.) I have no freaking idea how Mike does what he does and less of an idea how he does it so damn well.

And the credits roll...

Jeff Carter, thank you for letting me crash at your place in Denver, for driving me up to Breck, and for kicking my ass on that Colorado Trail group ride the Friday before the race. Jeff doesn't have a blog to link to, he's too busy having a life...and babies.

OK, one more,
Sarai Snyder for getting my posts to Mountain Bike even though they were weird and silly.

Shoot, I could sit here an list off awesome people all day, people like Sarah, Montana, Dicky, Dougie, and Petey, but I have to go get some sleep. Worked an event for The Shop today and we're building up rapidly to another kids bike donation, um, this...Thursday? Oh crap!

Bye!