Raul...

photo from http://fatmarc.com/
the header from FATMARC'S page
I think that this shot is from the sand pit at Rockburn Cross

in the white and red is DCMTB's Costa Rican Import Raul
since joining the team Raul has been waiting for a nickname... sometimes these things take time... they can not be forced... they tend to happen by accident rather than by intention
we still have no nickname for raul... maybe our circle of riders does not have an individual with the inherent skill of dubbing people with an appropriate moniker

I met Raul while racing the Shenandoah Mountain 100 a few years back
after the race we talked... he chased me down via email... I invited him to join the team
he seemed to fit the bill... a passionate cyclist with a family and a career living just outside of Washington DC

interestingly enough Raul was a good fit for my brother
Raul and my brother Marc are both scientists working at NIH
my brother Marc sold Raul his old Surly cyclocross bike... Raul did his first cyclocross race and was hooked
they started riding, training, and driving out to races together
then next season Raul took to the Men's Master's A and held his own

funny... within the team there are little dynamics
people use others as markers or challenges
several of us had chosen Raul as a position to hang with on the cross course
when he lined up with the A's I lost my opportunity to try and race with him
my brother had told me he was strong... then in each race when I saw him hanging on my brother's wheel or racing within two slots of my brother I realized I was out classed

GREAT SEASON RAUL!