Pete Webber blew me away this AM with his surprise to me this AM at the Colorado Cross Classic course at the Boulder Reservoir. He had the M & C mantra, "Hup hup, butterup!" die-cut and sprayed all over the race course today. He let Aiden and I go nuts as well with chalk and stencils around the venue to help motivate the racers...and motivate me to get back to health!

HUP HUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Photo by Frank Overton

Shotty getting it done East Coast style training hard for 'cross. Giddy up!

I don't even know where to begin with this...with the exception that I now truly know 'cross is universal! Truly global.  From Portland to Diegem and on to [CLASSIFIED CITY], Iraq. We all love it so. And so how this all came to be? Let me tell ya...

I get an amazing amount of emails a day from readers. It still blows me away. I try to answer every single one as this is one giant brother/sister hood of folks who simply want to play in the mud. You have to keep up those connections, yo! Keep on sending 'em!!

And so it was with Mr. Norton. Lance Corporal John Norton, United States Marine Corps. A simple email to talk about cross equipment, frames, tires...all the goodness. And of course we got our geek on in an exchange of great e-mails between he and I. At some point it occurred to me: this home boy is in the service. And a few exchanges later, John is in I-R-A-Q!!!! And so, without haste, a package was bundled up and shipped to John as I wanted him to have a bit of U.S. cross love surrounding him. A little of the hup hup for a guy who is clearly no buttercup. And with that in mind I was impulsed to do a '5 Questions With...' episode with our crossing brethren. The following is a unclassified and unaltered set of answers from John, and I am so proud to have had this exchange with him to share with you all. 

John, just know we are thinking about you and your fellow Marines over there. Get back home. Stay healthy. And cross on. We'll try and keep ya entertained!

1) LCpl Norton! Welcome to Mud and Cowbells man! First, know that this entire M & C community is super proud of you and want you safe and home soon to tear it up on the 'cross bike! But first, tell us a bit about you and your job in Iraq!
Hayo the BIG question, what do I do? Besides sleep, eat, sleep and eat, I am truck (MRAP) gunner,  I have the best seat in the house, paired up with my second wife a beautiful M2 named Betty for when shit gets hot. Our mission is to ROLL DEEP and provide security on the streets of Iraq from point A to point B, while at the same time making sure the package does not get jacked up or lost and time to time scare the living shit out of people who want to fuck with us. Nothing like a loaded M2 pointed at your dome.

2) That is some SICK lightweight ride you've got there in that picture you sent me. Kidding (you can pummel me when you see me). Tell us about your 'cross ride here in the States. I 'hear' through the grapevines (even all the way from Iraq) that something new and scandium is coming to you. Do tell...
If I tell you, I might just have to kill you! I do not know who your informant is but their time is short. I will be rocking a sexy Rock Lobster Team Scandium steed.

3) What's the deal with training, man? Can you jump on that trusty steed and get some hot laps in when you're not on duty? Do you need to moto-pace behind a Hum-V?
That trusty steed is more like a death trap, I think it would do more use as a battering ram! I’m going to pour lighter fluid all over it and ride it for a sick photo op. Training: It all starts with an Oreo Sand Protein Shake, let me explain the steps. Take one complete row of double stuff Oreos, two 32oz G-rade packets, one scoop of muscle milk, and a bottle of water, mix it up and BANG! Oreo Sand Protein Shake. For the daily train it is up to my body, but I do anything from 3 - 4 mile runs,  push-ups, pull-ups, life fitness machine, and variations of core workouts.

4) Any chance that "Hup Hup, buttercup" could replace the primal "hoo-rah!" of the Marine? Who do I need to send a shirt to up the chain of command?
I would love to say thank you in advance. Some folks have started to call me buttercup! I think the “Hup Hup, buttercup” as a war chant sounds much more intimidating, as I pass little Iraqi children and grown-ups a like I will shout “Hup Hup, buttercup.Now go and check out mudandcowbells.com biatch!"

5) Bart Wellens or Sven Nys? C'mon Norton! Who's your guy?
Sven Nys of course! 

This made my Sunday morning. Check the 'ol e-mail and I see a note from one of my dear friends, Scott, with this picture attached. He just railed out the Louisville Ionman. Now, while I personally sink when I enter water, I am impressed with anyone who can manage nailing out an Ironman without having one of those moments where all systems come apart....body mind and spirit crushed until you turn into Colonel Kurtz somewhere in mile 20 of the last lag of the 26.2. 

Anyways, Scott's a hard man from the KY and I am proud of him and his whole family supporting him. 

Scott, you're no buttercup. 

It was like 6:25 this AM as I threw on the ‘backback-o-barriers’ and took my sluggish, half-sleepy, non-‘morning meeting’ body (you all know what the morning is right?) down to Amante. I was convinced it’d be me and maybe two other hard cores out there beating the snot out of each other in these pre-season days.

And then…like a mirage…as I rolled into the meet-up spot, my peeps were all there. Laid out in front of me. Family. Nearly 30 of us there today…the hard workin’ stiffs who need the juice before going into the coal mines for the day. The excitement was in the air….conversations of gear, re-uniting with friends haven’t seen since last season. Cross is here and the people need their cross.

We hit up Elks for a couple of deep sessions. The engine felt pretty damn good and the early morning training is he;ping out a lot. My body is fresher and I am getting a much higher quality depth in the legs than years prior.

Oh, and the equipment dudes are rolling on this year: unbelievable. People have their cross machines DIALED in. For many, it is their pride and joy of the stable. Sound familiar?

Digital celluloid:

We all had sleep in our eyes…

One of MANY Ridley’s out there. WAY more than I’ve seen in year’s past.

Part of the crew…along with another variant of the port-o-barriers!

DK

The Working Man’s Crew.

Brian’s Ibis. It has gold bottle mount bolts.

More carbon bling. The Time Cross Machine.

Ridley X-Fire Exhibit A

Ridley X-Fire Exhibit B

Ridley X-Night Exhibits A and B. Boing!

Ironically, the Working Man’s Wednesday Worlds intersected with a long standing Wednesday AM road group ride…and my man and boss-man Walter Knapp is part of that throw down. Note he sponsored this RAD Panache kit (see the Lijit Logos??).

And LASTLY, spotted in the Back Woods of Maine. One of the woodsman up there was spotted in an M & C lid!

I LOVE it! readers like my hombre Steve are proudly rocking the M & C goodness. Says Steve:

“First I did nonsensical intervals that combined deep grass, practice starts and running. Then I bought chili cheese fritos, a Monster energy drink and an awesome cx hat. Mix it all together, throw in some Deftones on the headphones, and somehow it's working out just right. Thanks for making a great website.”

This defines the Mud and Cowbells experience.

My dearest Buttercups. The season is nearly here and Lordie knows you should be stylin' some 'cross specific clothing! I've got a small limited run of T's and FlexFit hats and as I am busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest these days, I really can't ship this stuff all over the sphere. So if'n you're from the Boulder area and you want to hook up, I can pass on the goods! email me or use the Contact Me on my About page if interested. First come first serve until I get these puppies out! Note, these are not available on the Cafe Press store as they were done by Anthem Branding. See below...

FlexFit "infield" style hats all the kids are wearing this fall. Flat brim style in Black and Blue (seen here). Stitched in 'cross guy' in the same color as the hat (e.g. blue above), Hup Hup Buttercup and mudandcowbells.com stitched in white. I have S/M and L/XL. $20

These are soft cotton, fitted-style T's in Chocolate Brown, Slate Blue and Black. Chest has what you see above with a small mudandcowbells.com vertically on the lower left side of the shirt. So don't wear it tucked in! I have various sizes from S to XL in each. E-mail me in advance to ask me what size and I'll put it away for you. $20