My Heroes.

This is my grandpa, Charles Edward Lawton, Jr. He's 85 years old, lives in Barlow, Ohio, and worked for Union Carbide while also working a 200+ acre farm. My mom sent me this picture of him in his Army uniform today in honor of Veteran's Day.

It's a beautiful photo worthy of sharing. That's all.

Consuming

Buying is not the answer.

Consumerism is such a trap. Just a year ago, when I was living a fiscally-minimalist lifestyle forced by my lack of consistent employment, I was able to make do on a yearly income of about $14,000. I was able to pay my bills, buy groceries, go out once in a while, and get by. I wasn't saving anything, but I still had a cash reserve. Now a year into full-time careerism, I blow a good portion of my paychecks on gourmet food, expensive bike parts, and restaurant meals when I'm too lazy and tired to cook. I'm saving and investing lots, which I somehow think rationalizes any bad fiscal behavior.

I've always been amazed by the tales of former-millionaires who went broke because they spend more than they make. How can someone plow through $10 million? It's easy -- just as easy as it is for someone making $30,000 to go broke just living a little extravagantly in an expensive city.

But money isn't really the point of this, right? It's the acquisition of stuff to take care of problems that don't need money to solve. Paying someone to tell you how to live your life or solve your small insignificant issues, such as a cluttered closet, seems extravagant, wasteful, and stupid.

I'm one to talk -- I have a room in my apartment dedicated to "my stuff", being five bicycles, books, and my computer. But, that room is everything, and despite its appearances, I don't feel encumbered by what I own because I use it all. Well, the books are something of an albatross -- anyone who has helped me move knows how many books I own and how heavy they make a box. But yeah, that's not the issue here, either.

The issue is getting out of the trap of trying to create value in one's life by the purchase of things. That's something we all have to reckon with, but unfortunately, something only few of us are cognizant of.

Bartlett CX

33rd at Bartlett out of 50 starters. Eh.

I had an awesome start and spent the first lap in the top 15, then started sliding backward. The course was deceptively hard due to the recent rains that made the grassy/muddy sections just tacky. Most flat courses I can roll in my 46, maybe downshift to the 39 for a climb. Here, I was in my 39 from the start and all too often found myself riding in the 39x23 or 39x25 on a flat section.

By the third lap, I was in a group with teammate Al Thom, Flatlandia's Ted Burger and Martin from the Pony Shop. We were pacing each other pretty good, but at the penultimate lap, Ted and Martin surged past me in the back whirlpool section and I couldn't bridge up. On the final lap, behind me about 10 seconds back, Jason Alvarado was coming up and I couldn't pull away to get any safe distance on him. Since we couldn't get the guys in front and because there was no one behind us, we were playing some cat-and-mouse to the finish line. He gapped me on the run-up about 200 yards before the finish and I had to chase back on.

My race came down to a sprint finish and Jason finished just two feet ahead. While I'm not entirely happy with 33rd, I worked hard for it. These CCC fields are getting fast and faster, which is awesome. Lots of superstrong dudes from road and MTB are coming over and it's making these races just really competitive. It's humbling for sure and I know where I need to make up the difference.

Me being the optimistic sort, I had registered to do the 1/2/3. After the 3 race, I decided that I'd had enough of racing so I took myself out. I want to do the double, but on a day that I don't completely tear myself up in the earlier race.

After I ate some cookies, Sean and I tried to find some decent roads to ride to get some extra miles in. We just went and did an out and back because everything else was too busy with traffic or didn't have shoulders. I guess suburbs riding is hit and miss.

The Upcoming Slog

'Cross season is nearly halfway over. I've got seven races in the legs and about ten more left to do. It's exciting stuff and for the first time since '05, I've really had the ability and resources to dedicate to the discipline. More so now than back then, as I don't have to work nights in a restaurant while going to school full time.

The years between were either passed-up because of the demands of graduate school or financial issues. Working part-time and without steady income really kills any discretionary spending such as amateur bike racing. 2006 was dedicated to school, 2007 I was too poor and I cracked a rib, and 2008 I was really poor. Those three years in between I just rode lots and learned to love fast group rides with friends more than racing, at least with regards to the road. You can't really casually simulate a 'cross race, but you can always pretend you're on a last-ditch heartattack breakaway in Paris-Roubaix as you streak toward the county line.

I suppose I should figure out what the point of this post is. I think I went into it thinking about base miles and cold misty silent mornings. Or maybe it was a reminisce about some races long ago that I entered, did well in, and in which earned just a pair of socks or ill-fitting hat.

I'm already thinking ahead to spring with lots of travel to Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin for hilly road stuff. I'm also planning the purchase of modern mountain bike to contend the WORS series on. The racing emphasis is on the dirt these days, but I still love the road -- only endurance circuit stuff, though. More Double Loops, too.

OVCX Cyclocross Weekend

The OVCX Darkhorse/UDF/Biowheels Cincinnati three-day weekend are the races I look forward to every year. The highlight of my calendar, if not that I'm targeting them, because I'm necessarily not, it's just that I relish the chance to race in front of my parents and friends from back home in Cincinnati. Even if I earn mediocre results, as I tend to do in these Cat. 2/3 races. It's also a nostalgia thing -- my first 'cross race ever was at Harbin Park -- and back then I did pretty decent, earning a 7th place (out of 15...'cross wasn't so popular then).

Chris, Dave and I left Chicago Thursday evening in the pouring rain -- rain that would soak Friday's course in Devou Park in Northern Kentucky. Speaking of fond memories and nostalgia: Devou Park was the place I always took my lady friends to appreciate the view of Cincinnati's skyline. Or something like that.

At the course, we parked next to Greg Heck from xXx-Athletico, hung out for a bit, then got changed into the kit to warm up. Chris and I rode up a few hills, but didn't bother going out onto the course due to the ridiculously muddy conditions. Every single bit of the grass sections of the course had been torn to shreds by the earlier races -- and the rain that was continuing to fall was making things worse. But, since cyclocross cherishes those muddy days and races, the mud was something to relish and enjoy.

I had a decent start and tried to stay ahead of the pack as it surged down the muddy embankments and off-camber sections. There was a ton of running because things were so slick that it was impossible to ride; I crashed five or six times, about once per lap, often at a near walking pace. It was slow-going, technical, and tough. I passed my teammates about halfway through the race -- Dave dropped far back with a rolled tubular, Chris was 30 seconds behind. I got 29th place, the best result of the weekend.

Chris drove me over to my dad's house after the race and I celebrated my grandmother's birthday with her at Bella Luna. Everyone from the race went to a burrito party, hung out with Molly Cameron, and drank Burger beer. Though dinner with my grandma is always a good time, I'll admit that I was a little jealous.

Saturday the skies were clear and the air cool for the second race of the weekend at Sunset Park in Middletown. Sunset Park is a small, tight course that is deceptively long -- the organizers pack a ton of course in. The race started on an uphill climb and entered into the park on a wooden ramp. Descending down the grass, one entered into a sand volleyball court with a 180 at the end. See my video of the pros riding through the sand here. Then the course hit a series of switchback off-camber sections followed by a nice muddy section behind the fieldhouse. There was a lot going on -- and it required lots of accelerations followed by hard braking and turning. On and off, on and off.

I felt good going into this race, I was warmed-up, but about halfway through the race, about three laps in, I started sliding backward. Chris passed me first, then Dave a lap later. I couldn't maintain contact and in the last lap I lost six places. I just didn't have it. A jour sans, something we all get every so often. 41st out of 55 finishers.

That night, we all went down to Mainstrasse in Covington for a mediocre meal at Cock & Bull, followed by Goldsprints at the Strasse Haus. In a match with Chris, he started whaling on my arm while Mike Chewning shoved money in my face. Not surprisingly, I lost the sprint.

We woke up Sunday to some serious cold -- a reminder that winter's on its way, as if cyclocross season wasn't enough. The group got to the race and we were all complaining and crabbing. Dave was sore, Chris was hungover. I actually felt good, albeit just tired from racing and serious post-race hang-out sessioning. The three of us warmed up and I chugged a Coke, my preferred pre-race drink.

I managed to snag a call up to the front of the start line, which is not only intimidating, knowing there's 80 racers behind you, but that I totally don't deserve it. I'll take it every time, if only to get me off the pavement faster and onto the dirt and away from any stupid crashes.

At the whistle I sprinted and was fifth place going into the grass. At this point I was passed by most, if not all the Cat 2 guys, and I settled into something of a steady rhythm punctuated by the awful climb toward the finish line and sandpits. Someone said that no other 1/4 mile takes so much out of ones' self -- and that's entirely true. The grass sucked the will and speed from me, but as it did for everyone else. The rest of the course was a great time, with some power sections, a short, hard climb and that amazing descent into the back section of the course. Four laps to go, I crashed on a corner and Katsu passed by me, yelling encouragements.

At the end I outsprinted one guy but was unable to get past the five other riders just seconds ahead. My loss, their gain.

I managed to finish 48 out of 63 finishers, and likely 70 some starters. Definitely not my best result, but one I feel like I put everything into.

Hopkins Park CX

Setting up a 'cross race is hard work. Setting up a 'cross race in the pouring rain with soaking wet feet, frozen hands, and an empty stomach is even harder.

But it's fun and totally worth the reward of seeing 400 racers tear around on the track that you had a hand in assembling and then coming up to you afterward to give thanks for the good times. I deserve little credit -- I showed up, staked the lines, and rolled out tape -- but others worked much harder, chief among them Tobie from North Central Cyclery, Chris Jensen and Coach Bob Meinig.

After we set the course up on Saturday night, we rolled over to Pagliai's Pizza, which was staffed only by the cook and a server/delivery driver. I walked in to hear a customer berate the cook for taking too long to get his food to his family. We didn't wait as long -- the fact we offered the cook some of our beers probably spurred our pizza along.

Josh's parents let us crash and we all marveled at Josh's dad's collection of war memorabilia. Asleep by 11, up at 6, we were back out on the race course to finish off taping the back stretch and assemble the starting grid.

At 11, it was my time to race. Guaranteeing myself a bad start on the 2.1 mile course, the maximum allowed under USAC rules, I lined up on the left side of the grid where I would be pinched in the first hard left corner 100 feet from the line. And yes, I got stuck behind the pack and then was stuck behind a group of guys who were afraid to pass teammate Kevin Clark, who was dragging 30 feet of course tape from his rear wheel.

After Kevin pulled over, me, Paolo, Ernie from Pony Shop, and a few other guys all were lumped together. I passed Paolo on the back half of the course with three to go and eventually it was just me, trying to bridge up to Ernie. I tried making my move in the curvy section just before the start/finish, which was stupid. It was too late at that point, so I came in solo -- 25/51. Midpack hero.

This weekend has me and the crew in Cincinnati for three days of hardcore UCI racing. My mom's promised pizza.

Half Acre Opens a Store

Click here.

We’ve been getting a ton of questions about the store and upcoming changes.

Here is a general overview and some quick answers.

Our goal with the store and thought behind building a production brewery right in the middle of a busy neighborhood was to make it a place where people could connect with our brewery, the process and those making the beer they drink.

It will also allow us some flexibility. To be more specific:

The Half Acre store is not a bar and will not serve food. We will sell our beer to-go and the beer & spirits of brewers and distillers we want to support. We will have six draft lines that will allow for sampling and the purchase of growlers (1/2 gallon jugs) to-go. We’ll also have a soda that we’ve made on draft as much as time allows. You can buy our beer in 6packs, 22oz bottles, growlers, 1/2bbl kegs and 1/6th bbl kegs. We’ll also sell Half Acre merchandise to outfit your entire neighborhood.

Enjoying what we do very much and doing our best to continually offer new / different beer, we will have things available here that might not be available at other locations. Not everything we brew lands in bars, stores and restaurants – it’s time consuming and expensive to develop visual identities and distribution paths. The store will allow us to share some of the things that usually don't make it out of the brewery.

Basically, the store will grant us some flexibility to readily offer you Half Acre Beer in as many forms possible in the freshest state imaginable.

We will open the week of Oct 5, 2009. We’ll be gearing things up slowly, so some things might not be available right away, but keep your pants on – we’re on it. We will offer formal tours Friday’s at 5:00pm and will add Saturday’s in the coming months. People can go out to the brewery at any time to see the machine at work. During regular working hours it will be like being at the zoo, watching us work in our native habitat kind of vibe. However at tour times we will chat it up and answer any questions anyone might have.

This should be awesome. See you here.

Cheers,

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL