THE PROOF...

...that someone would actually say "yes" to a crazy person. :)



I know what all you guys are thinking. "She's gonna get fat if she eats that cake!"
I fed her a tapeworm right before we cut the cake, so it's cool.



Lyd's dad and I looking to see if we stepped in any poo.



The cake topper to end all cake toppers!



Everyone had a wonderful time eating bowls full of limes! Yummy! We hate scurvy!


My wife is kinda hot, right? Yeah.......


Dork.


Luka (ring monkey) and Katie (flower munchkin)


That's the face you get when the 5 year old hasn't had cake yet.


Lyd's parents, Luka and Katie, and us!


Now that's just damn cute, except for the large nerd messing it all up.


Tastes like chicken!!


The wind kept it funny all afternoon.


Luka was the best ringbearer ever!


Katie was the best flower girl ever!


More to come! Thanks everyone!!

And it is so...

Today's The Day

OH MY LORDY-LORD! In just a few hours, my reign of terror over the female population will be over. O.K., so I never actually DATED anyone before Lydia (according to her), but in the crowded nation I rule inside my head, I was a once great dater of women. That will be no-mas by 3pm! YAY! See everyone today/next week, and bring your good livers with you!

M & M World Cup Update!

Olympian Mary Mac and Mike Broderick on the beach in Nor Cal.



**This letter came in today from honorary Backboners Mary McConneloug and Mike Broderick, on the World's MTB circuit....


grees got! (the traditional bavarian greeting we say
passing on the bike path or in the grocery store)

Since South Africa (our diary entry and pics are up on
cyclingnews.com) Mike and I have been roaming in Germany for the past
10 days in the (new, stylin' and much larger) RV... did a German
National race last weekend, then went up to the SRAM headquarters in
Schweinfurt to speak with the engineers about
the new XX components we are testing, and now are down in Offenburg,
getting ready for the 2nd wc on sunday. its been busy, but we are
digging rv life and the freedom that comes with it.



Mary rocking the '05 Mammoth Super-D Nationals. Photo by Greg Pleiss.

updating USADA (our antidoping agency)daily for our required 1 hour
slot is a bit humorous,
but we always find a way to describe exactly where the rv is
parked... :-) near the RR tracks in munsingen... or some random
campingplatz with zip code...



Mary and I at the '06 Scottsdale NORBA race..

the world cups are being broadcasted live on freecaster.com... so if
you want to watch us, you would have to get up at an ungodly hour to
watch. the women's race this sunday in Offenburg... is at 10.45 am,
mike at 2:30) figuring we are in germany (i think)8 hours ahead of
CA, so that would make the broad cast somewhere like 3 am saturday
night (even though we race sunday).... i dont expect you to really
watch! but you can if you are up for some reason!

Here is our race schedule for the next month:

Apr 26 wc Offenburg, Germany
May 2-3 wc Houffalize, Belgium
May 9 Poland XC race
drive to italy, drop off rv, fly to madrid may 20-25
may 24 wc madrid
may25 fly back to italy for media launch may 25-27 (major photo,
filming, interview session for srams xx line)
jun 2 back to chilmark, MA


Mike Broderick waiting for his race in Scottsdale.

and this is just the first half of the season!

so life is full to say the least! but we are well and I am feeling
more relaxed about living this way... and happy to be doing it!

sending U all much love,
Mary
and Mike

ps, we are updating on twitter.com (under marynmikebike@twitter.com)
almost everyday... if you are interested to follow closer... and we
can follow you too! it is actually really easy and free.

Backboners Welcome Formula Brakes To The Fold!

Backbone Adventure Cycling's riders get to race the amazing and popular FORMULA line of brakes on their shiny new Tomac bikes for the remainder of '09, and on into 2010! Thanks to the guys at Formula for allowing my riders to have quality brakes and amazing service from a stellar brand. Welcome to Formula Brakes!

Vanessa's Sea Otter Wrap Up

Hi Chris,

Sorry it took so Long for me to get back to you. I got your voicemail. Super D was great. I lost to a pro roadie. Don't ask why she was racing open woman. Still took 3rd! But yeah my time was decent too. Would have almost podiumed in Pro!

XC sucked. I started off great. There were 20 girls and maybe 6 back, and some girl who didn't understand how to go down sand made me use more break than I wanted. I finished the race but ended up at first aid. My shoulder still sore. At least I didn't break anyting! It was cool watching everyone go by me through the race. I just couldn't really use my upper body. And I didn't realize how much you use it in a race until then. I didn't come in last, but lets say if it went on any longer the girl who did would have caught me.

Nice weather. Wish more Backboners made it out. Watched Taylors Dual Slalom. That was fun. Jim cracked us up with his stories and no he actually didn't say anything about the bathtub (in Vegas). Was thinking of stealing Zephanies' small Type X but I didn't. Love my Carbide. Its really a great bike to race with! So I got your email about the bikes. Hopefully the boat doesn't get lost.

Anyway have a nice wedding. And we see you guys soon. Tell Lydia I said Hi

Schwanke Says Hi!

Chuck T's training partner and fellow lap-dance enthusiast James "Hot-Tub Hobo" Schwanke sent me this pic of him slicing turn at Sea Otter and asked me to tell all out there in Backbone Land "howdy!" James is known industry-wide for his ability to keep single mothers who work as "dancers" well fed and driving expensive cars, while he he is stuck riding his 650b unicycle with a kickstand to races all over the country.

Thanks for the pic Schwanke, see ya next week??

Meet Joel Smith's New Baby!

Joel Smith's new Carbide SL weighs in at a scant 22lbs, fully built!

Seen after three years of intense product developement, TOMAC's new Carbide SL frameset finally came out from the shadows at Sea Otter, displaying it's breathtaking build-weight of a FULL POUND LESS than my Ti hardtail! Crazy, but true. Roger said that on Saturday night, it was left out in the pits, and he actually HID it for Joel in the Kenda trailer. Joel arrived the next morning thinking it had been jacked, and seemed distraught..until Roger opened the trailer and showed him that it was safe and sound (thanks Rog!).



Joel, Johnny T and Vegas Bob talking shop at Interbike '08.




Last year, the gracious Joel Smith actually cut his ride short to look after some work on Vegas' Carbide drop out personally. THAT my friends is service.


The Carbide SL's will not be available until mid-June, so ORDER NOW!

Briana Roff Graduating!

Jim and Rhoda Roff's daughter and Backbone XC racer (multi-time podium, too!) Briana is GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL! Oh my god, I can't believe that this girl is old enough to get out of High School, I remember when I met her she was a FETUS! She will be cap and gowning it at Mountain Vista High School in Colorado on May 21st. WAY TO GO BRI!



Bri is pictured here with her future ex husband, Adam Craig in Brian Head, UT.

Sean C. Out With Back Surgery

Sean called me today and informed me that he sat on johnson again and herniated a disc. He just returned from surgery at the Columbus Spine Center, and had one installed(oooh, burn!). No, he's recovering well and asked for me to let everyone know he is very sorry for not being able to represent his team for the first couple of races..but looks to be out to finish the season with a few XC events. Send Sean some Darvocet QUICK!

This Should Explain Everything.

This is our wedding cake topper.


'Nuf said.

NEW SOCKS FROM SIGMA ON THE WAY!

The amazingly supportive (like a bra, really!) guys at SIGMA U.S.A, James and Brian, hooked you all up with some BRAND NEW SOCKS to get to the races in! PLease pick them up from Roger, and try to wear them during all races..just in case we can get them in a photo op! They are sweet high-cuff socks that are a nice dark color, to hide TICKS! yay! Thanks again for the amazing factory support from the best damn company in computers, SIGMA. Call your local shop today and order the new ROX 8.0 with software and docking station, or get on the waiting list for the ROX 9.0...it's worth it.

Randy Racing EVERYTHING At Los Olivos!

Randy Rush is a man with many talents. Grammar is not one of those talents. Bike racing is however, and he will be racing in three different categories next weekend at the Los Olivos National! Randy's schedule will include XC, Super-D and the VERY short and fast DH run that comes off the top of the Firestone Vineyard. Our plane in Sunday from C-Bus will put Lyd and I in too late to drive up and catch the action, but we'll hopefully get to see everyone while in Cali next week! Best of luck Randy!

Taylor Racing DH and Slalom At Los Olivos!

Charles will be racing his usual Pro DH on hos TOMAC PRIMER at the Los Olivos National next weekend. He will also be racing slalom again on his brand new black TOMAC SNYPER! After qualifying at Sea Otter for his first ever Pro Slalom..and on a brand new bike..he will be looking to BREAK IT IN this weekend in hills overlooking the Wells Fargo Stage Coach stop town of Los Olivos. GIVE 'EM HELL CHUCK!

Austin Takes Top 15 At Sea Otter On Tomac Primer!

Backbone's very own Austin Benge landed a solid 13th place in Jr. Expert (Baby-Pro) DH at Sea Otter this past weekend. Austin's brother crashed and burnt, but Austin barged his way down the mountain on his new TOMAC PRIMER to a great finsih in a huge field! GREAT WORK TO THE NEWBIE!

Vanessa Takes Bronze!!

Backbone's very own Vanessa Humic landed in THIRD yesterdaty, taking BRONZE home for her team..and her sponsors! Vanessa was riding her TOMAC CARBIDE, Kenda Blue Groove 2.0 tires, SIGMA DTS HRM/Computer, Hydrapak Bantam, and Sunline/Xpedo parts group to the box in the toughest race in the U.S.! Vanessa's legs will be fine for the Cat 1 XC race tomorrow, despite her efforts yesterday thanks to the Branch Chain Amino Acids found in the Amino Vital Endurance and Pro formula she uses in her water bottles. Great job, Super-V!


In other news, Chucky-T was taken out in round 1 of the Pro Slalom race with a one second deficit too much to overcome in round 2. He still managed to qualify in the first place, making already faster than the 600 or so guys who didn't make the cut! It was his first Pro Slalom. on a four day old bike! Great job Chuck, we'll get ya on the box next year!

Thanks to Timari Pruis for sending me these pix of Vanessa! Love ya Timo!

Sea Otter Super-D Race Today

Brant and Vanessa will surely be slugging it out today at the Sea Otter Classic's Super-D races! Last year Vanessa was in a huge photo in Mountain Bike Action magazine DURING her race! This year the weather seems to be better Friday than in past years, so with any luck the hip-deep sludge can be avoided. Best of luck to the Backboners, see ya next week!



John Ker pic of Vanessa racing Super-D at Sea Otter last year!

Randy's Memorial Report

Hey Captn,

I just wanted to drop a line as I just got home from Thomas Blaine's memorial service.It was held up in Highland were he lived and man I would guess there was 200 or so people there, the man influenced a lot of people. It was a full catholic service and then we went to a country club for food which was very good and a lot of talking. They are going to have a ride for him in november on his b-day so I'll go up for that to. Anyway I just wanted to pass this along it was a nice day for a really good guy.

Randy