Base36 is in its third year of operation and has seen significant improvements each year. The 2009 season will see all riders add to their points accumulated during the 2008 season to upgrade a category. Look for aggressive riding from all Base36 riders all throughout the New England and mid-Atlantic race calendar as well as some select NRC events. 2009 will be the best season yet.

	Jeff Dixon - Patriarch of Base36 Cycling Cat 3
Age: 45 Height/Weight: 5'11''/170 Day Job: IT Consultant Interests: Family, Cycling, Skiing Best day on a bike: Every day on a bike qualifies as a “best day” but a few stand out: — Riding up (and back down) Mt. Humphries in Flagstaff, AZ with Ralph. It was a late spring day in the mid 70s – we climbed for about 90 minutes to around 10,000 feet and ripped down 12 miles of some of the sweetest single-track I have ever seen. — Riding the Bradbury Mountain Enduro for the first time with my son. He was only 10 years old and mixed it up with the adults for 15 miles of brutal single-track. I was amazed to see a kid of that age push themselves so hard for so long. He finished solidly in the middle of the field. — The 2008 Keith Berger Memorial Criterium. It was a hot day filled with attacks from the start. Base36 put in an aggressive performance launching several large attacks. The race was all together for the finishing lap and a big sprint out of the last corner. I dug as deep as I could and squeaked by my teammate, Chris, before the line. He did not notice (probably because I was going so fast) and actually protested the results, just to ultimately be able to watch his defeat on video. I will enjoy being able the rib him about that day for years to come. Worst day on a bike: Grillz Memorial MTB Race sometime in the mid-90s. I was recovering from a bad chest cold but decided to do the race anyhow. I started out hard and started to fade by the time we finished the first lap. By the end of lap two, I was in a full bonk and every racer had passed me. During the last lap, I tried to maintain motivation by thinking about the large bowl of chili that I planned on having after the finish – unfortunately, by the time I finished, the finish area was already being broken down and the chili was gone… 2009 Goals: I will be focused on upgrading to Category 2 during the 2009 season, so that is my all important goal. I will be focused mostly on criteriums with long sprint finishes where I hope to throw down a big enough sprint to quickly complete the job. I will also be focused on riding in a support role for other teammates working toward upgrade as well. I look forward to laying it all down to support podium finishes for other Base36 riders. Palmares (career): — 1st Scarborough Crit Series — 1st Widowmaker Challenge — 1st Specialized Eastern Cup — 2nd Lake George Challenge — 2nd Maine Sport Runoff — 3rd Casco Bay 'cross — 3rd Peerless Insurance Criterium — 3rd Hingham Criterium — 3rd Mystic Velo Criterium — 5th Silver City Flyer — 6th Nutmeg Criterium — 7th Keith Berger Memorial Criterium — 9th Rick Newhouse Memorial Criterium — 10th New Britain Criterium — 10th Whaling City Cyclone
	Kirk "The Fonge" Fongemie Cat 3
Age: 34 Height/Weight: 5'6''/145 Day Job: Fireproofing and waterproofing contractor Interests: cycling, skiing, traveling, CROSS BABY! and making fun of Chris and Ralph (I always have plenty of ammunition) Best day on a bike: Showing up late at the South Mountain Hillclimb in Phoenix, AZ (yes, sweet desert climbing bliss) and setting the Cat. 3 record for the fastest ascent ever. Worst day on a bike: The second stage of the Summit Center Classic (3 day stage race in Flagstaff, AZ). 102 miles of pure, sweet hell with an average elevation of 6000 feet before you even start climbing and temperatures in the 90’s all day long. I never knew that my foot, wrist, shoulders and other various parts could hurt so badly until I rode all 102 miles at race pace. Prior to this race, I think the longest race I had entered was 65 miles. When the mileage goes past 80, you have no idea how your body will react. 2009 Goals: I PLAN ON NOT GETTING FAT(TER). Palmares(career): -- 1st Working Man’s Stage Race -- 1st South Mountain Hillclimb -- 1st Haverhill Crit -- 1st Saco Crit -- 1st Black Bear Triathlon -- 1st Wild Bear Duathlon -- 2nd Jamestown RR -- 2nd Greensboro Cyclocross -- 3rd Congress Yarnell RR -- 3rd Central NH RR -- 3rd McDowell Mtn Circuit Race -- 4th Mt. Lemmon Hillclimb -- 5th Great Falls Crit -- Porky Gulch Classic – 5th, 9th, and 3rd overall -- 6th Colby Triathlon -- 7th Tucson Bicycle Classic Stage Race
	Ben "The Butcher" Forbes Cat 3
Age: 35 soon to be 36 (04/30/73) Height/Weight: 6'2''/170 Day Job: Butcher Interests: Besides the obvious i love the beach. I love being in the ocean and body surfing big waves. If i had more time i would love to learn to surf. Best day on a bike: Honestly every time i get on in a great day. But winning the Auburn Road Race in my first year of racing was really cool. Worst day on a bike: That would have to be this one winter ride i did when my whole bike got covered in ice and my shifters literally froze up because of the ice build up. That was a miserable time. 2009 Goals: This will be my third year of racing. My goal is to hone my racing tactics and efficiency. Overall the Goal is to continue to enjoy the journey of racing and upgrade to a Cat 2 by the end of the season. Palmares: — 1st Auburn R.R. (2006) — 2nd Great Falls Crit (2006) — 2nd Jamestown R.R. — 3rd Saco Crit
	Chad "Slightly Taller Than Levi" Jolin Cat 3
Age: 28 Height/Weight: 5'7''/153 Day Job: Systems Analyst Interests: Just about anything that keeps the heart pumping. Hiking or Biking rounds out the seasons in Maine pretty nicely. I enjoy woodworking and belief I have the heart of an inventor. Best day on a bike: All of them. Best of the best was when I finished my first century from Arlington, MA to Cape Elizabeth, ME. I had great weather, the route was exciting and new. My longest ride at that point was about 50 miles. I had no idea what I was doing, so I planned for a 12-13 mph average with food in my pack and spare everything in case of the worse. Just in case my backups for my backup failed, I had my cellphone turned off so the battery would be topped off for a 3 hour call to the appropriate person to pick me up. I think I even brought a serious jacket in case of tornado or ice storms. The weather was about 80 degrees with no sighs of rain, winds or clouds. I remember the feeling at abour mile 70 when I sat down for a snack: nap time. I fought it and kept my legs moving. My average was somewhere about 16 mph, but the feeling is what I loved the most about this ride. I felt, exhausted. Not the type of tired you get from pulling an all nighter, but the type that makes you somehow crave milk and yet at the same time want to nap more than your grandparents after playing with kids all day. I was exhausted and I was hooked on cycling. Worst day on a bike: During Stage 4 of the Fitchburg stage race, which is a criterium, I was about 6th position on the inside line on the last corner of the last lap. My heart was pounding and I could hear people screaming at each other trying to hang on for dear life to the wheels in front of them. I felt really powerful and smooth that day. It was just one of those days where you push on the pedals and your bike lunges forward. Anyway, the guy behind me edged to the inside and shot right up next to me because of an apparent lack of breaking expertise. He kept pushing me to the curb until I finally found my tires wedged between curb and asphalt. I slowed to a stop and when I clipped back in, someone yelled “HEY!” just in time for me to feel like the earth shook. I flew off my bike, did a head over heals deal and landed on my back. Two riders failed to take the crashing sounds as warning signals and tried to bike over me. I had an imprint of a chainring on my lower abdomen and some footprints on my back. The medical tent said it was a to look for a guy wearing a size 10. 2009 Goals: Cause some legs to burn at Fitchburg and Green Mountain Stage Races.
	Jamey "Goes Hard All the Time" Jones Cat 4
Age: 37 Height/Weight: 6'0'' / 180 Day Job: President of Jones Express Inc. Interests: Travel, Family, Cycling Best day on a bike: I started racing on my own in 2007 after losing about 100 pounds, just about any day on my bike is a good day. These are some of my better best days. I would have to say riding in the 2007 Mount Washington Newton's Revenge, placing first in the 2007 Porky Gulch Stage Race intermediate class. Then in 2008, my first year with Base36 Cycling, placing 2nd in the Turtle Pond Road Race. Not to mention the many fast and fun group rides. Worst day on a bike: 2008 portsmouth crit, placing 42nd!! What a bad day!! 2009 Goals: This is my second year of racing and I hope to race smarter, learn from past year mistakes, not to crash, and move up to a Cat 3. Palmares: — 1st Porky Gulch Stage Race intermediate category 2007 — 2nd Turtle Pond Road Race 2008 — 6th Porky Gulch Stage Race elite category 2008 — 10th Lake Sunapee Road Race 2008
	Ralph "Ali" Karam Cat 3
Age: 40 Height/Weight: 5'8'' / 160 Day Job: Computer System Engineer Interests: skiing in deep powder through tight trees, mountain biking in Sedona AZ, food, and beer. It works for Belgians it must be good for cyclists Best day on a bike: Pending profound reflection. Worst day on a bike: My first year racing; during the Cat 4/5 Green Mtn Stage race. Stage 2 up App gap. I was riding a triple chainring and still had to get off the bike for a few minutes. Major embarrassment. 2009 Goals: - To continue to develop the team and improve our standing the in the cycling community by riding hard and being aggressive, clean riders. - To reach Cat 2 - For all of us to keep the rubber side down Palmares: — 4th Lake Sunapee
	Chris "Flamer" Laflamme Cat 3
Age: 24 Height/Weight: 5'9''/154 (right now, we are looking for 149 by May...sorry Ali) Day Job: Business Analyst for a transfer agent Interests: Guitar, philosophy, finding various ways to woo the Lady, all things cycling, chocolate chips, mountain biking, sucking less at web design, making fun of Ralph. Best day on a bike: Hilltowns last year was a pretty good day but there were a couple Team Base36 training rides last year in the White Mountains what were some of the best times I've had on a bike: — I took a half day from work to ride our Evan's, Pinkham, Hurricane loop. These rides are obscene throw-downs. At the top of Pinkham notch when I stopped so the group could gather again, instead of stopping, Ralph, Jeff, & Jurgen dropped the hammer on the descent causing me and Kirk to take the next 15-20 minutes to claw our way back to the group, catching back on just a little before the final climb of the day; Hurricane Mountain. Thanks for that guys... —All of the times riding in NH with Jurgen trying to drop his heavy ass on Pinkham notch. It's as close to boxing on a bicycle as you can get. We have the power files to prove it. — The 2007 12 Hours of Bradbury was a lot of fun too and was a 'day on a bike' in the most literal sense. Worst day on a bike: There have been oh so many but the worst was probably going out on what should have been a 2 hour ride with Dan Vaillancourt in the late fall a couple years back. The 2 hour ride turned into 5 hours and since Dan rides like a moped and I, 1) had never done a ride that long before and 2) wasn't eating & drinking as I should have been, I bonked as hard as I had ever bonked before on THREE separate occasions each time losing forever a significant portion of my mental capacity. 2009 Goals: — My primary early season goal is to pay back Jurgen for his work for me at GMSR last year and get him some results to upgrade to a 2. That shouldn't be much longer than mid-April. — I have Fitchburg in my sights this year and would like to put in a good ride there as well as at GMSR as a Cat 2. — Never get dropped by Jurgen again. Ever. Never ever. — Get people to stop calling me Flamer (which is a rather unfortunate nickname) and get them to call me 'Arrow', a replacement nickname that I have chosen for myself. Palmares: — 1st Tour of the Hilltowns — 1st Camden Snow Bowl (MTB) — 1st Fryeburg, ME ITT — 2nd Cyclonauts Road Race — 2nd DownEast ‘cross) — 9th GMSR Stage 1 (ITT) — 2nd GMSR Stage 2 (CR) — 3rd GMSR Stage 3 (RR) — 3rd GMSR GC — 4th Shedd Park ‘cross) — 5th Norwell Circuit Race — 7th Saco Crit — 7th Housatonic Hills — 8th Keith Berger Crit
	Ryan "Smiles" Littlefield Cat 4
Age: 29 Height/Weight: 5'10'' / all muscle Day Job: Plumbing & Heating Contractor Interests: Environmental issues, baked goods and coffee Best day on a bike: The 12 Hours of Bradbury Mountain bike race 2008 and 2007 totally the most fun I have had on a bike. The inaugural race in 2007 was fantastic then in 2008 with some minor course changes and a larger turnout the race got more competitive but still maintained a very relaxed and social mountain bike fest sort of feeling from the participants to the spectators. Racing with and against friends on what is said to be the best ten miles of single track in New England was memorable because of its sections of exhilarating single track and the challenge of competing in an endurance event. Worst day on a bike: Late summer of 2002 a friend and I went to Sunday Rivers mountain bike park. We bought lift passes and rented Kona Stinky downhill specific mountain bikes as we had done earlier in the summer with fantastic results. This trip we were lucky to have the privilege of renting the last two available Stinkys one a large and the other a small, my friend being 6ft plus insisted he ride the large bike and with lots of convincing from the rental shop attendant and serious hesitation on my part we both signed rental waivers and hit the slopes. The first run started from the south Ridge quad a short winding single track thru a glade and cris crossing the lower North Peak lift line. We cruised this run trying to get the feel for the unfamiliar bikes they seemed to handle fairly well making burmed turns and hitting several 2-3 foot rollers and 1-2 foot drops. The next run was from the top of North Peak the terrain having more pronounced rock and root obstacles and a much steeper grade, a trail that was an absolute blast on our previous trip was kicking my butt. The short wheelbase on the Stinky created a very unstable down hilling projectile as I proceeded to get thrown off from lines and my bicycle. Each run from here on ended in a trip to the rental shop, two broken chains three flat tires a broken rear derailleur. After a day of having the combined most mechanicals of any ride I have been on to this day “much profanity” personally throwing my rental helmet into the woods after a hard high-speed crash caused by perfectly timed chain suck and being accused of abusing the equipment by the rental shop attendant we both learned bloody and bruised shin souvenirs should not require so much aggravation to obtain. 2009 Goals: Upgrade to cat3 before Yarmouth Clam Fest Results: — 1st cat 4 Downeast Cyclocross — 2nd Expert Division Cross in The Glen Cyclocross Series — 2nd Single Speed Division Maine Mountain Bike point series — 2nd cat 4/5 Saco crit — 2nd cat 5 Turtle Pond RR — 3rd Story Land crit stage two of the Porkey’s Gulch Stage Race — 3rd cat 5 Sunapee RR — 3rd 2 man open Division 12 hours of Bradbury Mountain Mtb race — 4th cat 4/5 Auburn RR
	Jurgen "Chug-a-Lug" Nebelung Cat 3
Age: Unknown Height/Weight: As tall and heavey as necessary to kick your ass Day Job: Punching babies Interests: Push-ups and hookers Best day on a bike: Dropping Chris Worst day on a bike: Getting dropped by Chris while he wasn't even trying or paying attention and fumbling with his iPod to turn up his Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston playlist. I still get sad every time I hear "I Will Always Love You". 2009 Goals: Battenkill. Grant's Tomb. Fitchburg. Perfect my soufle recipe. Results: