Email from Iraq

Jon Cross sent this along to us from Iraq:

Hey Crispy, hello from Fallujah.
First things first- I’m safe and it looks like we’ll remain that way for a while. We’ve been here for 6 weeks and have done OK. We’ve taken a couple knocks, gotten into some hellacious fights, and we’ll be coming home without a couple of our boys, but all things considered, we’ve been doing well. On a kind of odd note that you may find interesting- I don’t care for the issued eye protection we use. They are these cheap ass sunglasses that provide ballistic protection from shrapnel etc… but they are not that great. Anywho, I mentioned this to my dad and I ended up with a care package a few weeks ago that had the oddest set of Rudy Project lenses I’ve ever seen. I didn’t know that Rudy Project even made ballistic eye pro, but I’ve been rocking a pair of Ekynox S with ballistic lenses made out of a bulletproof polycarbonate for a couple weeks now and they fucking rock. Basically they are just Rudy’s- they are clear, don’t scratch, and don’t fog up, but have the added bonus of being able to stop flying bits of metal from killing or blinding you. The next time you talk to your guys at Rudy Project make sure and let them know that I raced with their glasses for 5 years and now I’m using them in Iraq- customer for life!

But moving on. My dad sent me the iceman results and some stuff from collegiate nats. When I left for CA last year I honestly wasn’t sure that I would race again, at least not seriously. I will always ride, but I think I needed this break from the racing scene to reevaluate my priorities and really find that will and drive to train again. To make a long story short, I’m coming back. It will be a while before I’m ready, but I’m coming back dammit. The XC race bike project I’ve always had kicking around in my head will be a reality in May, and in July I’m planning a 3 week road trip for CO, NM and UT- the mother of all training camps. After that and a few weeks on the road bike I think I may be ready to start making an appearance again, but I won’t show up until I am ready to win. I’m thinking Iceman as a target race for next season, and I’m reasonably sure that I can get a late entry with one of those “best excuse” letters.

For me, XC, CX, and maybe some DH only though, no more bullshit road races with a bunch of gram counting self infatuated Euro-tools. It’s time to get back to the real roots of this sport, what I loved in the beginning, XC racing. I’m thinking Bloomer, Stony, and Ft Custer, dirt plastered on sweaty legs and lungs that ache and burn and that smile that just won’t leave your face in spite of the ache running up and down your legs. I’m remembering a sprint finish at the 24 hours of Boyne and kamikaze DH shuttles on a piece of shit hardtail in NC, missing the start at the bloomer xc and blitzing up through a playground onto the trail to take the holeshot and the win anyway. I’m thinking of the good days, the old days, the all or nothing days where you don’t show up to place, you show up to win and you don’t quit until you’re there. I never realized how much I loved it until I was taken so far away from it. It’s been 13 months since my last race, but I can’t wait to come home to start again with a blank resume and a clean slate. Thanks for reading my long ass sleep deprived starved rant and I hope one of you guys will be able to help me out with a ride for May. Good times to come bro, guaranteed. I have to get rolling, busy times here as always. I’ll be able to check me email every few days here so keep in touch bro. -JC