Soooo…we put together this really fantastic limited edition 2012 Chicago Cuttin’ Crew Calendar for our wonderful sponsors, and being the punctual team that we are, we’d like to welcome February 2012 to all of our site followers by presenting pdf versions. We love you guys! Keep following us! We’ve got a million and one goals for 2012, and we’d love to have you guys hop on for another ride!

Without further ado (right click, choose “Save As”),

Version 1 – EZ Layout: for those of you who want it printed simply

Version 2 – EXTREME Layout: for those of you who know how to manipulate your settings to make it print as a real calendar (trust us, this one is tricky to figure out, but we have full faith in your ambition)

ENJOY, family, friends, rivals, and everyone in between!

Love,

CCC fam

Host housing wasn't too bad.

Warming up and eyeballing the competition.

Tess gets her sugar levels sorted at the start.

Great course, but spectating was a lot like finding Waldo.

"Be fearless on the descents" was the best advice we got before the race (thanks Paolo and Eleanor!) It was a big reason we decided to go with a straight bar, and it paid off: Ella blasted past at least two racers down the hills.

Pro trick #2: Ella's wearing modified 'ice grippers' on her shoes. We brought them in case of ice (way ahead of you Tati!) but they were brilliant in warmup. The traction was supreme, and they kept her cleats up out of the mud.

The finishing straight!

Host housing (aka Aunt Nancy) is waiting at the finish line.

The first time that 'Chicago Cuttin Crew' has been announced at the award ceremony in a National (sanctioned) event. Arms up girl! Enjoy the moment!

ChiCross girls represent! Ella: 3rd place, 10-12, Skylar Schneider and Gina Johnson: 2nd & 5th in 13-14. (Ella, I know you're not the showboating type, but you don't have to put your medal in your pocket ten seconds after you win it.)

Seriously, I really need a picture of you with your medal...ok, fine. Dad will shut up now.

The cross fanatics used to lament about how their season was maybe nine weeks long. Sometimes you get what you ask for, and to round out a season that kicked off before Labor day, the ChiCrossCup brain trust stepped up to get the necessary cash, barriers, and powerwashers to put together Chicagoland’s first UCI race.

But you knew that, booking your NYE adventure in Bloomingdale Illinois, home of famous karaoke nights and other hijinks. The Pros put on a big show with Trebon schooling Rapha’s Powers and Jones, and Sally, Sue, and Andrea owning the podium both days. But you can read all that in legitimate news sources.

Day one had the hardest working man in show business, our own Maxwell Riordan, lining up in the 2/3s race. While the rest of the cross world has been Facebooking their every race moment, Max has been chipping his crossresults score down, and he slotted up in the second row. On a day when the carpetbaggers came out of the woodwork, Max repped the locals well, as the third-placed Illinoisan and 9th overall. Chapeau to Mumford who made the last step of the podium as top local.

Blame the New Year’s champagne, the leg-sapping mud, or dropping temps, but day two was a more sparsely attended affair. Christina kicked off the day for the crew in the women’s 2/3 race. The mud was still in abundance, but the icy temperature was turning it into a two-mile bed of clay. Run, push, carry, or ride; there were no great lines left. Being the big ring monster she is, Teeners pretty much rode the whole thing into submission, notching a 2nd place finish.

Elsewhere on course, Ella was christening her new bike. Finally outgrowing her 650 wheels, she rolled single speed in the juniors’ 10-14 category. Joined by her longtime partner in crime, Tess, these two were the only girls man enough not to DNS. Heckle Hall of Fame nomination goes to Tess, who, while being razzed by her brother in the staging area, replied “I’ll eat your innards with a spoon!” Your fearless race director even paused over his clipboard at that one, and he’s heard it all. By any means necessary, Ella pushed, shouldered, and rode to a solid 4th place finish, first female. No podium shot for the girls, but the man with the clipboard slipped her a four pack of root beer anyway.

Sally Annis finished first and second this weekend, and despite freezing her patootie off, hung around to shoot the breeze with Ella. Class Act.

Rounding out the day Avi roused himself from the hotel fireplace long enough to suit up for Single Speed. Nearly half the registrants blamed it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol and were long gone, but the remainders made it an honest three lap affair, even if the course was being packed up mid-race. Greg Heck, off a full season of ChiCross racing, and ready for Nats, was in his own class off the front. Avi had a slow start, but found his groove in the thick mud, shed the two Tati riders Sascha and Rory, caught Sprockets’ Forest, and barely held him off to finish 2nd.

Big thanks to the late nights and hard work of our local promoters, who are tireless in their quest to raise the game of Chicagoland racing.

Thanks to levi

(photo courtesy of Michael Kelly)

It was a day filled with heroes, villains, big kids, and mud (as evidenced by Melissa Kelly.)

Mother Nature provided the canvas. Max and Avi made it a masterpiece.

Ultimately all of this was made possible with the Power of Love.

And, of course, by the generous excitement, participation and support of viewers like you.

Thank you.

It just. It just. didn’t. feel. right.

Wait a minute. Those scratches on the chair? Apostrophe(‘)? What’s that I see when I click on this pic?

“Given time some hostages can become controlled by their captor with whiskey & Frank Zappa. I think the CIA uses it.” – Tom Willet

OF COURSE! I KNEW IT! THE SCRATCHES! THE EYES! THE SUNGLASSES!? THE NUZZLING?!?!

IT’S ALL SO OBVIOUS!

And oh so, so sinister! Shame. SHAME on you, Supergirl! You may have them all fooled, but you’ve got to wake up pretty damn early to beat this bird..

He may have your wits, Sweet Justice. But I hear your heart.

And I’m coming for you baby.

SATURDAY.

Reminder to get registered ASAP. Last second to finalize your early registration is 2:59.59 PM CST on Thursday, December 15. Don’t mess up and be stuck on the sidelines for easily one of the top 7 best races Humboldt Park has had in a year!

(photo courtesy of Celeste Gail)

For first timers and any others without a 2011 USAC annual license, the Category 4 race in your gender OR the Fatbike Etc. is the one to sign up for. There is an extra fee of $10 to acquire a daily license issued through USAC and that transaction can be done when you come in to pick up your race number. If you ever wanted to try a bike race, this is your race. Trust. You can show up on a mini bike with flat pedals wearing a muumuu and 17 year old Nikes – you are GUARANTEED to catch way less a razzing than either of these two. In fact, we actually honor those that come out and race for their first time.

REGISTRATION IS HERE.

Afterparty info is here.

So. I’m just sitting around. Doing my typical reflection on my Tuesday and thoughts on Sweet Justice were coming up more than I wanted. Then what happens? Then I get an email from the most despicable subhuman in the world with nothing but PHOTOS…

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Subject: Sweet Justice Loves His New Home

(OK. SJ is never one to shy away from a drink. Whatever.)

(OK. Fine. He figured out SJ’s diet. At least he’s being good to ‘er. That cape had to be staged, though. Right?)

(Wait. What the hell is REALLY going on here?)

(NO! BRAINWASH!!)

(…..)

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All I gotta say is fuck that guy.

UPDATE: ON-LINE REGISTRATION EXTENDED UNTIL NOON ON FRIDAY

If it’s associated with this team and it’s worth a damn, you can bet Miss Marie Snyder had a hand in it. Thank you for such a fine poster!

Aside from the excitement circulating the highly anticipated Afterglow race coming up Saturday, December 17, AND the excellent Afterglow Afterparty orchestrated to benefit West Town Bikes, we have extra special news to share about one of our major sponsors and friend, Mr. Marcus Moore’s Yojimbo’s Garage.

Through the month of December he is selling everything at HALF PRICE! 50% off! His new hours are posted on his site (M, F 2P-7P, Sa, Su 12P-4P) so be sure to swing by and knock on the ol’ red door on Clybourn and check out what’s good!