I believe there can be something said about trouping through an almost but not quite rain, pushing and riding a bicycle over terrain for a near twelve hours and covering something in the range of seventy miles all of which taking place below fifty degrees. One of the things that can be said about that, is this. All of the ingredients for a pretty miserable day are there, but baking that cake is a choice. Another thing that can be said, is enduring those conditions for long enough presents quite the platform for reflection.

A road and trail stage race around Charlotte, NC

Join us March 9th for a day on the bike you will never forget. We will ride as a group on a 30-mile "Party Pace" route around Charlotte. We'll stop along the way at 4-5 locations, called "Stages" where we will have a mini race. Some races will be Cyclocross style, some Cross-Country MTB, and one Fat-Tire Road Criterium. The Tour de Charlotte will be a showcase of in-town Charlotte trails, paths, and commuter routes.

A little while ago, I replaced my LAS helmet because I couldn't take the funk anymore. The awful vinegary face-melting aroma. It's not that I didn't try to wash it. I put all of the pads in the washing machine. I scrubbed the helmet, and I soaked the straps. It didn't work, the funk persisted, and I bought a new helmet. I never got around to tossing the old, funky helmet, thinking I may one-day need it as a backup. And perhaps the putrid stench would mellow with age.

This, I think, is the main culprit of the funk. These webbing straps absorb ride-after-ride of sweaty, salty, greasy off-gassing. And then it festers in your bike bag.

Kelly and I rolled up to David Heath's farm in Rome, GA on the morning of December 30th, wondering the frozen ground would evolve as the day went on. It had rained quite a bit in the week before the race, and then a good freeze set in the afternoon before, hitting 29 degrees by late afternoon. But, as you see below, the temperatures were on their way up so we had no idea what was in store for us. Her race was at 10 and mine was at 10:45... and that 45 minutes made a big difference.

*photo by Dahron Johnson

I had found out about this race because Gabriel had recently gotten involved in an organization based out of Nashville called, “Ride For Reading.” It is a group who hosts book drives (book rides) and various other fundraisers including this race for kids at underprivileged elementary schools. Eating doughnuts and racing mountain bikes to benefit kids is a pretty kick arse way to spend one’s Saturday.

The order is up and running! Sfatto is providing a store front to order 2013 kits this year. Great news is we won't be paying Google fees or shipping (if you pick up your kit in CLT or ATL).

Order kits here between now and January 27th: http://sfatto.myshopify.com/collections/team-store/products/faster-mustache

A few notes:
* If you're picking up your kit in CLT or ATL, you should select "Ship To Team Manager" and note CLT or ATL in the buyer comments on your order. This is IMPORTANT to speed up the sorting and delivery process.

On December 2nd Faster Mustache hosted the 10th race in the Georgia Cross Race Series. The race was hosted at Serenbe Farms for the 3rd year in a row and, once again, Faster Mustache proved that we know how to host an event! Over 150 people lined up to race and hundreds more were there to support and cheer on the racers for what was a good time had by all. Faster Mustache turned cow pastures and hinter land into a rockin, rollin center of bike racin craziness, complete with bikes, beer, cows and corral.

For 2012, we officially expanded the Faster Mustache race team to Charlotte NC, with the freshman class consisting of myself, Gwyneth Lodge, Tim Anderson, Zac Avant, and Jon Tumas. We competed in events all across the south, focusing mostly on mountain biking but also track, cyclocross, and alleycat races.

The Lake olmstead race is a perennial classic. Fast sweepers, a killer runup, tight grass twisties, infield sketchiness.