Jeremy Dunn Reveals an Unholy New Team
There was a new team out there this year. Now I’m not talking about the Rapha-FOCUS-Whoosies or the Cannondale-World-Presented-by-the-Longest-Name-Ever-Whatsits either. Those guys are cool and all but they only go to the really big races and shine like the really big stars that they are. I’m talking about something a bit more local, something that you see at those races that end up on the grounds of High Schools in Oregon and Washington (Well, the truth of that matter is that even the big races with the big cats end up in those spots every once in a while).
Online adventure boutique Poler stepped into the racing scene this past season by providing kits and helping wrangle bikes for what was formerly known as the Eddy Merkins (best name ever?). This wasn’t as much of a hostile takeover as it seems or sounds like since the Merkins were mostly racing in what could be best described as holy skinsuits -we are not talking about something blessed by a priest, we are talking about skinsuits so ancient that they could be considered flagrant.
The connection I have had with these guys over the past couple years comes mostly in the form of awe. Well, I guess it would be shock and awe if we really had to get down to it. You know this team. I am sure you have one wherever you live. Every time they come around be it on a cross course or even or a mountain bike course in the middle of the night (true story) you sort of step back a bit and draw your bike in closer to you so that it too is not hurt in the sheer fury that is this crew.
Sure, they might not win, that would be MASHSF’s Walton who does most of the winning, especially at this race (and after a flat or two no less) but winning in this case seems as though it may diminish their style. And I say this with the best intentions.
I met these guys through my friend Kyle. He couldn’t make it to this race in Rainer, Washington because the weekend falls on the anniversary of his marriage -an amazing reason to miss a race because I’ve met his wife and she pretty much rules. Landon was there; he likes to Shred. Landon also likes to go to school to become a doctor. The Furniss Brothers were there, they definitely like to shred. Jake has awesome taste in movies and a tshirt with wild horses on it while Ethan makes sweet drawings and photos and anything else cool he can get his hands on. And then there is James: James comes not from the land down Under (that would be Australia) but from the land above (that would be Canada.) He can tail whip his cross bike in ways I’ve never seen before, there are rumors that he may hold some sort of DH title somewhere, and he builds motorcycles by hand, real motorcycles. And Greg? Well, he’s the photogenic one and besides being a really nice guy he’s the one that is somehow always looking at the camera when he goes by. How does he do that?
Every year I toy with the thought of participating in the Single Speed races. It is how I came to this sport in the first place. Sure, the tires were fatter and the courses stretched out over farmlands and hillsides of what is known as the WORS series, but the sentiment was the same: Ride Your Face Off, Have a Good Time. But, then again if I jumped in this race I would get killed by these guys and I would not get to watch the Merkins turned Poler race.
So thanks guys for shredding the gnar.
A few final thoughts:
1) That guy in the red and black “Team Beer” kit? That’s Tony Pereira. Also shredding.
2) If anyone has any thoughts as to what, or why this green rock came into existence, I am all ears. Weird.
3) Maybe it also seems weird to talk about a single-speed crew on a ten speed (tenspeed?) tribute, but really, it’s not that weird. The sentiment is the same no matter how much weight your gearbox carries.
