2009 Cross Crusade #1

Alpenrose Dairy: Portland Oregon

Sunday October 04, 2009

1,438 intrepid riders participated in yesterday’s season opener for the Cross Crusade yesterday at Alpenrose Dairy, nearly 200 more than competed last year, making it likely the largest ‘cross race (by participation) in the world. Unfortunately, I guess I didn’t pay the gods of luck enough, as I was placed in the DFL row of the “random” call up.

I lined up in the 35+ A race, which ran 2 minutes behind the A field for an hour. (Note: Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks raced in the A group today). I had hoped for a better starting position but alas it wasn’t in the cards. I was in the back of a 60 man train. The starting gun went off and I finally was able to get clicked in and get rolling as the lead group of riders were already rounding the first asphalt corner of the course. I put the hammer down (probably a bit to early in hindsight) and tried to pass as many guys as possible before the course skinnied down to a single track downhill behind the famous Alpenrose velodrome. There were of course still plenty of guys up ahead of me going into the single track through the trees on the backside of the 2.3 mile course. When I finally made it to the straightaway alongside the parking lot I see teammate of mine coming back at me (there is a u turn further down the course)… “Damn it, am I really that far back still” I thought to myself? I managed to fight my way up a few more places and ended up settling in to a groove with a HUP united rider. The two of us battled it out and sucked on each others wheel for then next 4 laps. On my 6th lap coming out of the parking lot again I see Trebon and Wicks powering through looking like they would overtake me in a matter of moments… Oh crap – I better pick it up so as not to cut my race short… Alas, I put the hammer down only to be passed by the Kona twins going into the velodrome on their final (7th lap).

In all seriousness, it was a bumpy fast difficult race for me and I can’t be to hard on myself for moving up 40 spots from the start. Plus my 21st place finish was better than my 30th place finish from last year at the same venue. Alpenrose has never been particularly kind to me. Ironically I’ll be there for the 3rd time in a week this Wednesday night for the next edition of Alpenrose blind date mid week cross series. (Single Speed this time though).
DP

My almost top 10

Cross Crusade #3
Rainier Oregon
Sunday, October 19, 2008

Well I thought I did it... As of last night, the results from the race showed me in 10th place (my best ever in an A race (cross crusade or otherwise). As of one day later, the results have been revised and it looks like I've been bumped down to 12th. Oh well, still my best placing in a cross crusade race. Just not as impressive as a top 10.

Enough of that, on to the race. It was out in Rainer Oregon, a small town about 45-60 miles west of Portland. For yet another weekend, we enjoyed freakishly sunny weather for race #3 of the Cross Crusade series. It was another big day - over 1100 competitors for the event.

It started out cold and then got rapidly warmer as the 2:50 race approached. I couldn't figure out what to wear - long sleeve skin suit or short sleeve jersey. I finally went with the jersey and was glad that I did as it was warm and there was a huge climb.

More about the course (and the climb). It was a really fast course and long by 'cross standards 2.3 miles per lap. I did 8 laps which equaled abit over 18 miles in 1:07. Most cross races are in the neighborhood of 12-14.

I had a pretty good start (no call up but still relatively close to the front). Race start and we are off. All 70 or so of us struggling to get pole position as we take a sharp left turn up the hill and onto the 'real' course. Up the hill to the top, a sharp left into the single track: bunny hop, skip, jump, barely holding on over the bumps and jumps. Then down the hill fast past the tent and into the meadow. Over the first barrier, through the woods and back on to the school grounds where we hit the 6 pack. After that it is a quick downhill which leads to the bottom of the the hill.

The hill is the game changer. The race is won or lost based on this hill. It starts at the lowest point of the course and goes all the way to the top. Fans on both sides, screaming, clanging cowbells. A wall of sound and encouragement. I pick the less traveled line and pass a couple of riders and power up to the top past the OBRA tent. This trend continues on each lap (my hill training apparently has been paying off) and I gain position as the race continues.

I feel my pace pick up on each lap, but on lap 7 I start feeling the tell tale signs of my legs cramping up. I start using all my mental & physical tricks to keep my mind (and quads) from cramping into a massive charlie horse. I go past he OBRA tent and hear 1 more lap. I can do one more lap...

I throw down the hammer and push through the last lap blowing through a couple more guys and getting passed by a couple. I finish in what apparently is 12th place, my best crusade A+ race so far.

Alpenrose: Cross Crusade #1

Thanks Kalin for the picture (I'm in the middle)

The first Cross Crusade race came and went in 'perfect' cross conditions. Rain, mud, puddles. Excellent! The forecast called for it to be partly sunny, thankfully, we never saw it.

But first... The day began with normal weekend duties - breakfast, nagging my daughter to do her homework, house cleaning, etc. My daughter had a classmate's birthday party at the SW Community Center which is very convenient since it was only a bit more than a mile from Alpenrose. So, after 'dropping the kids off at the pool' (literally, not figuratively), I rode off to Alpenrose to get registered and warmed up.

When I got there, it wasn't raining, but the course still looked slick but not to bad. I warmed up for a bit and tried to get the skinny on the course from my team members that were done racing. The course turned out to be very similar to the ones in years past.

At about 2:30 I decided to head to the starting area. Big mistake, there was already a huge group lined up. I typical Dan fashion I took my space at the back and waited. It was about this time when the rain started coming down.

The starting whistle went off and I was off with the group. I managed to pick up quite a few places until I hit the single track when my wheel went one way and my handlebars went the other (loose stem). I banged it back in place and was back. As I rode by the Cyclepath tent I called out for some tools for the pit. Bill obliged and met me there on the next lap. (Thanks Bill)

The rest of the race consisted of me trying my hardest to move up from pretty much dead last as the conditions degraded more and more. Each lap getting more slippery than the previous. I crashed once (slow motion going around a corner). I ended up completing 7 laps and seemed to be getting faster with each lap. I managed to pick off some riders that wanted to beat but definitely did not end up where I wanted to be. I finished at 30th place (out of 78 guys). Not bad, but not fantastic. Definately some work to do for next week (such as getting a better starting place).

The race was way more fun than the race last weekend. The race last week was so hot and dry. The weather was definately a fun factor this week.

On a side note, this race broke last season's record. 1,267 racers showed up to compete. Awesome. This could be a national record I would think.

PS - if you click on my name in the OBRA results, it is not me... There is another Dan Porter out in OBRA land...I wish I could see his picture.

Not Me: http://app.obra.org/results/racer/8426 (the two results: Alpenrose & Barlow are mine though)

Me: http://app.obra.org/results/racer/4754

Kruger's Kermesse Farm Crit Series: Race #3

I did my first 'cross' race of the season this past weekend. In actuality, it wasn't a cross race it was a Farm Criterium or "Kermesse". Basically a dirt crit on gravel and dirt roads in and around Kruger's farm on Sauvie's Island. It was the 3rd and final race in the series (I missed the first 2). The only thing that really made it 'cross' like was that I was on my cross bike, it gave me 'cross BAR points and it was on dirt. There were no barriers, run ups or even changes in tempo. It was basically full on 100% for 60 minutes.

There's me in the middle (3rd from the left)

I raced in the Master A category and ended up doing fairly well. I led for some of the race and then was pushed back to 3rd then 4th place as my energy levels started dipping. I rode alone for a couple of laps just trying to stay ahead of the main pack of riders. My saving grace came when Sue Butler (local female racer extrodenaire) came up (the women As ride at the same time as the men in this particular series). I jumped on her wheel and basically rode with her (trading pulling duties) until the end of the race. This helped put me back in 3rd place (final result) however I was not able to catch up with #1 & #2. I'm pretty happy with the 3rd place finish, though, it's not really as impressive as it seems as the field was way smaller than a normal race. It was a good practice race though and gave me the confidence that I can push a high output for the full A race.

After the race was over, there was a ultra team relay. Cyclepath fielded a team so I did lap. We ended up in 2nd to River City. We had them at the beginning, but alas it wasn't meant to be. Close, but no cigar.

Simon (in the blue & white stripes) jamming to the band

The family came out and watched, but left after my race so I got to do a warm down riding home. All in all a great day.

Hillsboro Stadium - Cross Crusade #7

Cross Crusade race #7

November 18, 2007
Hillsboro Stadium, OR

Masters 35+ A race

We asked for rain, We.Got.Rain.

The Portland area finally started getting some rain this week so the ground was fully saturated by race time. I woke up early on Sunday to the patter patter of rain on our roof and new it was going to be a race of epic proportions.

After spending the morning playing with the kids I loaded up the car with the bikes and gear. I arrived at the course at about 12:00 for my 2:00 race. It had continued to rain all afternoon and there was little chance that it would let up.

I set up my trainer and tried to hide under the rear door of my Subaru. Thankfully, a neighbor with a pop up tent invited me under their shelter. I gladly obliged. After setting up my bike under their tent I grabbed my Single Speed (pit bike) and rode over to the vendor area for registration and a cup of coffee courtesy of Chris King.

Before heading back to the car, I watched a bit of the B race and at it's completion I decided to do a preride on the course - Because of the conditions, I opted to ride the pit bike. It was a good thing, because it was so muddy, starting with my A bike covered in mud would have been a bit of a disadvantage. At the completion of 1 lap I was covered in mud. A team mate of mine saw me and asked how my race went... I promptly informed him that I had only prerode the course. Epic.

Back to the car and tent. I warmed up for about 15 minutes then decided to race around the parking lot a bit. Not sure if this was a good idea as I was soaked by the time 2:00 rolled around.

The Hillsboro Stadium course has always been mostly flat. The course designers use the parking lot as well as the periphery areas of the stadium to their fullest potential. There were two sets of double barriers — one set placed before a micro hill and another along a wide open section. There were two - I hesitate to call them puddles, maybe bogs is a better term that were only semi rideable depending on your line and the line of the guys a head of you. I managed to ride both of them some of the time. Towards the end of the race I gave up trying to ride the biggest 'bog' and ended up running through the shin deep 'water'. There were portions of the course where I was scared to blink, as every time I shut my eyes I smeared a glaze of mud over my eyeballs... Yes, that feels as bad as it sounds. There were large portions of the course I raced by braile.

I have no idea how I did - Somewhere between 15th and 20th I think. Apparently the officials are having a hard time determining placement as well as all of us were basically indistinguishable mud men by the end of the race.UPDATE: 11/20/07 Looks like the official results are in and I got 17th place out of 46+ riders. I did 6 laps. The top riders (1=9th place did 7 laps). Next year I need to figure out how to bridge to these guys.

I was VERY cold after the race was over. It took me a good 30 minutes to get out of my muddy clothes, rinse my body off, rinse off my bike (sort of) and get into something warm and dry. Driving home I had the heater on full blast, and my toes and fingers weren't truly warm until I took a hot shower at home.

Estacada Cross

Cross Crusade #6 and SSCXWC
Estacada Timberpark
November 11, 2008

A race finish area

I had my best race of the season this past weekend, finishing up at 17th place (broke the top 20). The results themselves don't really do my race justice as they weren't much higher than any of my other ones this season, but my style of racing, my overall strength and my in general overall attitude were all better.

The course at Estacada consisted of a couple of grass bowls, single track, pavement, a run up and a set of barriers. The total course was approximately 2.3 miles long and we (The A+ group) hammered out seven laps.

Going down one of the bowls

Although I wasn't racing at the front of the pack, I was able to hold my own and pick off racers in my 'race within a race'. It felt good and I can't wait for districts this coming weekend in Hillsboro.

Additionally, this was the inaugural weekend of the SSCXWC (Single Speed Cyclocross World Championship) which also took place out at Estacada. I didn't race, but I did spectate. This was great fun and I recommend that any fan of 'cross, single speeds and or beer come next year (hopefully it will be in PDX again). Here's a great write up over at Cyclocross Magazine.

No one really took the SSCXWC too seriously, but it was loaded with talented riders - pro as well as local heros. The highlight was the reverse call up at the beginning of the race which put all the really fast guys at the back of the 100+ pack. As for the winner, Adam Craig (Giant) was just about to win, when he sat up to take a beer hand-up 20 feet from the finish line. He was probably thinking twice about that mandatory tattoo, since he already got one for winning the Single Speed Mountain Bike World Championship a few months ago in Scotland. Former local hero, and now national superstar Barry Wicks (Kona) came by and put his arms up in victory. His winnings include the afformentioned mandatory tattoo, a golden speedo with rainbow stripes sewn on, and a custom Vanilla single speed frame.

Local fast gal (and 2006 Women's 35-39 national cross champion) Wendy Williams (River City Bikes) won the female SS championship and for her troubles got the tattoo, the speedo and a custom Ahearne single speed frameset.

Halloween Cross: The aftermath

Cross Crusade race #4
October 28, 2007
Astoria, Oregon
35+ A category

The weather was sunny and mild and lots of people turned out in costume. As usual, the Halloween race feature lots of craziness, wild, silly costumes, and of course beer handups. It also included a lap of silence for Brett Jarolimek at noon. I wasn't sure if I was going to ride it or watch it. I opted to jump onto the tail end to ride it and I'm glad I did. It was a great tribute to the loss of one of 'the tribe'. Bike portland.org has a nice piece on it. Check it out.

The venue was the Clatsop County Fairgrounds in Astoria, OR. Each lap had at least ten 180s, the bulk of which were contained in a section of the course that wound through four side-by-side animal barns. There were a couple of hills, some pavement, some gravel, some soft soil, some grass, lots of turns, and very little mud. The course also weaved through the a big barn a couple of times (It's fun riding through buildings). There was but a single dismount per lap and it was through the six pack barriers up a short incline that dumped onto the finishing pavement.


The start was a bit sketchy. We had 50 yards (maybe) of pavement then a wide 180 lefty on grass and into the barn. I had a good start and was with the top 10 group going in. Unfortunately, that didn't quite last as long as I had hoped... I ended up doing 8 of the 1.5 mile laps, with each lap feeling like I was losing ground. I felt like I was continuously getting passed , but I think I actually was passing and then getting passed by the same guys over and over again. The course didn't really favor my strengths - the numerous 180s mentioned above required one to slow down and speed up repetitively...Basically doing short intervals. It felt like the windsprints we used to do during my wrestling days.

I ended up in 22nd place. I wish I could say that I was placing higher than that, but I'm not. It's just a blow to my ego after placing so high last year - It's a big step up going from one category to the next, and I guess this year is a 'building' year. I'm hoping to crack the top 20 (15 maybe?) before the end of the season, but I've got some serious work to do!

PS - the look I was going for was castaway pirate. Not Genie, Fire guy or "dude, whatever you are"

Halloween Cross

I'm really looking forward to this weekends race, It's one of my favorite of the year and I am glad that I:
a) opted to do it
b) am bringing my family along.

Actually, we are all heading out on Saturday to spend (what looks to be) a beautiful fall day at the beach. The kids of course are most excited about staying at a hotel with a swimming pool...

This is a great race at a new venue. The costumes are clever, the beer flows (beer handups anyone?), the vibe is happy. I hope that the light hearted atmosphere of the race can help take the weight of this past week off of everyones shoulders.

I love to see the clever costumes - I'm dressing up as a pirate. It's always fun to see the two extremes - those that go all out on a costume and can barely even ride a bike with all their accessories, and those that cleverly create a costume that allows them to still ride (granted, we all wear 'borderline super hero costumes everyday, don't we). I always try to have a happy medium. (Hopefully) clever but not so goofy that I can't still ride ok.

So what are you dressing up as?


PS: There will apparently be a silent lap prior to the single speed race in honor/respect of Brett. I'm really glad that this is happening.

Hornings Hideout Race Report

Cross Crusade #2
Single Speed Category
Hornings Hideout
North Plains, Oregon
October 14, 2007

Do to an active 'social calendar' (two birthdays for two kids starting at 2:30) I wasn't able to race in my regular category (35+ A). Instead I opted to break out the 29er and ride in the single speed category. It was a beautiful fall day - warm and dry. Probably the last one of these this year.

Hornings Hideout is one of my favorite courses (at least it was last year). It was the race last year that really put me in the running for the series and gave me the confidence to really push myself the rest of the crusade. It is not a mountain bike course as some declare it to be, however it definitely suits those of us with mountain bike skills. There is no pavement and all the really fast stretches are on gravel paths and roads. the rest of the course is made up of single track, dirt trails, etc.

The start climbs out of the amphitheater bowl (they do concerts there) and joined the course after a few hundred yards. My nerves had gotten the best of me as I was waiting in the lineup and I pulled a total rookie maneuver at the start by not being able to click in to my pedal. This unfortunately cost me the good starting position going up the hill that I had.

After the initial climb, the first half of the course trended down and traversed a bumpy meadow that was slick with wet grass (it was here that I crashed for thankfully the first and only time), gravel road, buffed trail, and more bumpy meadow. At the far side of the course, the hills began. First up was the “run up,” and immediately following were three short steep terraces. Then began a series of hills interspersed with brief descents through some fairly nice trails. The final bit of climbing went up a gravel road to the top of the course. The last bit went up to the finish line went though a double set of barriers and past the officials/announcers tent.

Through the bumpy meadow - note dirt (crash mark) on my left leg

As I mentioned earlier my first lap was pretty pitiful. I started badly and then slid out on on a corner. Each one of these missteps cost me places and required that I crawl and fight my way back towards the front. I never quite made it, but at least finished on the winners lap (7 laps). My final placing was 17th (though I think I actually placed a couple of places higher based on others I finished with...) out of 78 riders. Not to bad, but not nearly what I had been hoping for (I was really shooting for a top 10).

I've been racing fixed gear & single speed mountain bikes for the last couple of years. Often against the same group of guys (weirdos). This course really handed me my a$$ on a platter where I was really wishing for a few lower gears. Kudos to the guys that race single speed week after week.

On a side note, the following video (about 7 minutes long) is pretty cool. It was shot by racer Scott Barker with a reverse camera mounted on his helmet. It really gives some great perspective on the course (and a cross race in general). Best of all, I get some pretty good face time at the 3:12 time mark. You can see me get passed, fall back, speed up again approach from behind, chase for awhile and then pass. (I'm wearing a black & blue Cyclepath Jersey, black shorts with a blue stripe and a black helmet). Enjoy

Cross Crusade press release — records broken!

Like everyone else in the Cross Crusade Blogosphere, I am publishing the official Cross Crusade Press Release regarding the record breaking first race in the series.
_________________

For Immediate Release: October 10, 2007
Contact: Candi Murray
Phone: 503-706-3133

Oregon Bicycle Racing Association announces record breaking attendance at cyclocross event.

River City Bicycles Cross Crusade Event Breaks Record

Portland, Oregon- The Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) announced today that 1,078 cyclocross racers descended onto Alpenrose Dairy on Sunday, October 7, 2007 for the 1st race of the Cross Crusade cyclocross racing series. Breaking last year’s record of over 750 racers, the event again established itself as the largest one-day cyclocross race in North America and solidified its designation as the largest participatory cyclocross bike racing series in the world. In 2006, the first race of the series attracted over 750 riders.

The men’s elite race climaxed with battle a between Shannon Skerritt of Vanilla Bicycles-Stumptown Coffee and Erik Tonkin of Kona/YourKey.com with Shannon taking an inside line right after the last set of barriers to secure the win. On the elite women’s side, Wendy Williams of River City Bicycles took the win over Kristi Berg of Redline Bicycles.

Promoter Brad Ross said, “We are excited at the success of the race series.” Brad continued by saying, “We are also proud of that the U.S. Grand Prix of Cyclocross has again chosen our series as the finale for the series. We have truly become one of the hotbeds of cyclocross in the world.” Kenji Sugahara, Assistant Director of OBRA, said of the series, “Brad and Club Vivo has made cyclocross accessible to everyone in the community, and have helped take Portland’s racing onto the international stage.”

The long-running success of the River City Bicycles Cross Crusade - this is its 16th year - has firmly established the Northwest as the country’s most popular region for cyclocross. Each round of the Cross Crusade offers 16 classes of competition, from elite men and women to masters and junior categories. Races vary from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the class. The series, sanctioned by the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, will pay out more than $20,000 in prize money and merchandise.

Cyclocross bike racing is a specialized form of cycling competition, one that requires riders to race on a closed-loop circuit, over grass, pavement, gravel, and mud, with barriers and steep run-ups mixed in for additional challenges. The pace is frenetic, with little time to rest and less opportunity for “slipstreaming,” as in road races.

The series will continue on October 14th at Horning’s Hideout in North Plains, Oregon. Racing at Horning’s Hideout starts at 9 a.m. with Beginners and Masters 50+ and continues all day, with the Category A Men and Masters Category A 35+ race at 2 p.m.

Following Horning’s Hideout, the remaining River City Cross Crusade schedule is as follows: Race 3 – October 21, Rainier High School; Race 4 - October 28, Halloween Cross Festival, Clatsop County Fairgrounds; Race 5 - November 4, Barton Park; Race 6 - November 11, World Single Speed CX Championship, Estacada Timber Park; Race 7 – November 18, Hillsboro Stadium; and United States Grand Prix on Cyclocross 5&6 – December 1-2, Portland International Raceway.

The Cross Crusade is organized and promoted by Club Vivo, 4409 SW Dosch Road, Portland, OR 97201, 503-806-6943. For complete information on the River City Cross Crusade, visit www.crosscrusade.com. Learn more about the Cross Crusade and all types of bicycle racing in Oregon at www.obra.org, site of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association.

The Oregon Bicycle Racing Association is the official bicycle racing organization in Oregon and is responsible for issuing permits for bicycle races. The major responsibilities of the organization are to ensure the ongoing safety and development of the sport. With a membership of over 3,000 annual members, Oregon has the highest number of racers per capita in the United States and is second only to California in the number of cycling events. In addition, Oregon was ranked 3rd in the number of amateur racers behind Colorado and California. (Velonews 2006)

Fixed gear for 'cross training?

I've been riding my fixed gear alot this fall (Mainly because this fall has started out so rainy and my fixed gear is my rain bike). I typically ride it all winter and into the spring to prepare for Tabor and then hang it up for a few months during the summer and fall to prep for cyclocross. Riding it only occasionally on severe rain days. Anyway, this year I've been riding it quite a bit and the question came to mind - is this helping or hurting my 'cross? I know it has made me a strong climber and it helps me learn to suffer, but does spinning at a high cadence (downhill) and a slow cadence (up hill) help or hurt?

Only time will tell I guess.

Cross Crusade #1: Alpenrose Dairy

Cross Crusade #1
Alpenrose Dairy
October 7, 2007


The 2007 Cross Crusade kicked off yesterday at Alpenrose Dairy. Apparently 1078 people raced , reportedly the largest single gathering of cross racers anywhere in world (this is total unsubstantiated rumor that I read on the internets, but I'm going with it)

After a morning of race prep that consisted of: Making pancakes, picking up groceries at the local market and playing "dragon" and "pirate" at the local playground with the kids, I was ready to race! I left the house at 12:15 for the 2:00 race and got to the venue with just enough time to register and ride around the neighborhood for a warm up.

The course was a challenging mix of bumpy downhills, tight turns, staircases, runups and other obstacles. It was also quite a bit drier than last week at Barlow which made the course waaay faster. As an example, last week in 60 minutes I clocked 8 miles on the cyclometer. This week I hit 14.

My field consisted of 67 guys - I did 7 laps and ended up in 21st place. Although not as impressive sounding of a result as last week, it was actually a better one. The field was much tougher and larger than last week, so my placing was actually higher as a % of total racers.

Interestingly enough, I placed 21st last year at Alpenrose in the Bs. I feel much better about this placing as opposed to how I felt about my result last year.

Next week is Hornings - one of my favorite courses. I'll be riding the single speed category on my Soma Juice 29er vs Master As.

A note on equipment - The Stans Notubes system saved my wheels again at least a couple of times, though I was running way to low of pressure for as fast of a course.

dp

Battle at Barlow

'Battle at Barlow'

Sunday September 30, 2007

Sam Barlow High School

Gresham Oregon

Sunday was my first cross race of the season as well as my first “A” race (35 plus class). I was pretty anxious as this was an important race to see how I would do in this step up. Let me just say that conditions were epic. Portland got an inch or so of rain on Friday. It started raining again late on Saturday evening and continued at a steady pace all day on Sunday. By the 2:00 race after a couple hundred riders had gone through, things were sloppy and rutted. It’s over 24 hours after I completed the race and I am still picking dirt out of my eyes. It was a definite slog, and I never thought that I could actually put the pedal down and stoke the old engine up.

In typical Dan style I got a pretty poor start. At the start line, I was mid way back, wet to the core, cold and not very warmed up. That being said, at the starting gun I took off as fast as I could and managed to catch up and hang off the back end of the top 10-15 riders for the first lap. After this, it was pure survival. The mud was so deep and runny that there were times where it was almost axle deep in some of the ruts. This race was less about speed and skill and more about picking a good line. I managed to stay up right for the race – This is as much a testament to the tubeless NoTubes Michelin Muds system that I’ve been running since last season as it was to my bike handling skills. I was running about 38 PSI. I probably should have dropped it down to 30, but lesson learned I guess.

Back to the race. Each lap was a challenge – the grassy field, the river of mud flowing down and around the corners of the single track, the rutted out trail that changed with each lap, the rail road tie climb, the blackberry brambles and the mud. The ooey, gooey, sloppy mud. This race was a battle between me the course and less about me and any of the other guys I was racing against. That being said, I completed 6 laps in the hour giving me a 14^th place finish out of a field of 35 guys. My placing surprised me a bit, gives me some confidence and let’s me know that I am ‘in the game’.

We forgot the camera, so if you want to see me in the mud, you’ll have to look here.

See you next week at Alpenrose!

Master As vs. Single Speed

I put cross tires on my mountain 29er a week ago and have been putting some miles on it (Forest Park, Tabor, Commuting, etc.). I loved the bike before, but am really loving it now. Skinny tires are fun & fast. The confidence of being upright and using disc brakes is so liberating. I feel like I’m pretty capable of at descending in the dirt on the cross bike, but when I do the same descents on the 29er, I absolutely slay them. I’m riding a 36x18, but need to test out 36x16 which I will try to swap out tonight for a ride on Thursday...

Which makes me wonder if I should plan on racing SS this year? Here is what my schedule is looking like right now.

Sept 30th: Battle at Barlow - Master As
Oct 4th: Alpenrose (Cross Crusade #1) – Master A’s
Oct 14th: Horning’s Hideout*: Single Speed
Oct 21st: Rainer High School: undecided. May take a by
Oct 28th: Astoria Fairgrounds: undecided: May take a by unless the family wants to make a weekend out of it…
November 4th: Barton Park: Master As
November 11th Estacada/ World Single Speed CX championships…: Undecided on which to race. SS might be more fun to watch
November 18th: Hillsboro Stadium: Master As
December 1st: PIR/ USGP of Cyclocross #5: Single Speed?
December 2nd: PIR/ USGP of Cyclocross #6: Single Speed?

* I won at Hornings last year in the Bs. Supposedly the course will be mixed up a bit from last year, but still, there is no pavement, so definitely a mtn SS course.

'cross season is underway

Wow, it's cyclocross season already. I've been getting as prepared as I can by logging as many miles as possible on the 'cross bike via Forest Park and Mount Tabor. I've also been running (and running stairs) when I get the chance.

I'm excited to start but very nervous about the whole prospect of racing with the As. I feel like I am in pretty good shape, but pretty good just doesn't cut it with the big guys...

Also been thinking about what I should do about a pit bike. I'd love to have another bike to keep in the pit (and to use as a road bike the rest of the year). I go back and forth on whether or not I should get another standard 'cross bike or whether it should be a disc brake cross bike. I'd love to have a disc brake bike...

2007 Cross Crusade Schedule Posted!

Summer hasn't even officially begun and the 2007 cross crusade schedule has been posted!

http://www.crosscrusade.com/schedule/2007/index.html

looks like a great mix of old and new venues.

Yippee!

Oregon State Cyclocross Championship

Cross Crusade #6
Oregon State Cyclo-cross Championship
November 12, 2006
Estacada Timber Park

Short & Sweet - This race was an important race for a variety of reasons:
1) Series Finale
2) Double Points
3) Oregon State Championship
4) I was going into the race @ 3rd place in the series (based on points)


I pre-rode the course, warmed up on my wind trainer and was ready. The start of the race was on a wide hard packed dirt trail. I was called up again so I got to start on the front of the line. At the gun I took off as fast as I could as we hit the mud & grass and slippery corners. Through out the first lap I lead most of it and came through at the end of the first & second laps at the lead. I started to fade a bit by the third lap but managed to hang on and again traded between 1st & 2nd on the final 2 laps.


I finished up in second place, stood on the podium, and got myself a medal.



better yet, with the double points I received for placing high, I believe I won the series... I'll find out for sure this weekend at the awards ceremony/party. Regardless, my wife & kids stepped up and baked me a cake!

what's up with my hair?

Guess I'll be racing A next year.

Barton Park

Cross Crusade #5
Barton Park
Clackamas, Oregon
November 5th, 2006

Remember, Remember the 5th of November (V For Vendetta)

Barton Park (actually a Clackamas County gravel quarry) welcomed the 5th Cross Crusade race in the Cross Crusade Series (this coming weekend is the 6th & Final in the series). After 3 days of HEAVY rain, Barton Park was an absolute mess (perfect 'cross weather).

This was an interesting race as it was the first race of the series that had callups (basically they call the top 10 racers in the series and put them out in front) I was called up in the 4th position, so at least going into the season I was in 4th place)

Start of the race - that's me, 4th from the lead

So, that at least started me in a good position, unfortunately, I pulled a total rookie and couldn't get my foot clipped in (a problem that plagued me through out the race). When I finally clipped in, I was down in about 12th place. I quickly sprinted as close to the front as I could and entering the tricky bits I was in around 5th place. Through out the first two laps I managed to move up to about 3rd place and was hoping to move up further - Unfortunately after a runup, I (once again) had problems clipping in. As I struggled I took a wide corner and hit a hub deep puddle of mud, went over the bars and managed to jam a ton of soupy mud/dirt into my right side STI shifter. After frantically picking out mud (to disengage my rear brake) I was back in the race - now holding about 5th place. Unfortunately, the dirt in my STI prevented me from shifting out of the low gear I had been in, so the anytime there was a long straightaway, I was spinning like mad to keep up.


I held on as much as possible and finished the race in 7th place. Not bad all things considered.

btw: All of you out there that have kids, my wonderful wife Megan is an RD - Check out her new website: www.dietakids.com

Halloween Cross Festival at the Flying M Ranch

Flying M Ranch
Sunday, October 29 2006
Yamhill Oregon

Coffins, Kegs & Costumes, Oh My!
Sunday, the Cross Crusade Series continued its march toward mayhem with it's annual 'cross race & Halloween festival out at the Flying M Ranch in Yamhill. This is the most fun race to spectate and participate in of the year. So much, that I felt I couldn't miss it even after the "incident". The beer handups flowed (I didn't partake, but probably should have to ease the pain) and the goofy costumes showed that Portland’s ‘cross scene is really all about having fun.

Check out the bike...

After last weeks win at Hornings I felt that I had something to prove, so I threw caution to the wind and decided to race even though I wasn't yet healed (see the write up of "incident" that occurred on Wednesday), plus, this event is just so much fun racing against Bees, skeletons, Batman, naked guy, etc. So with a newly purchased helmet, a bunch of ibuprofen and a costume, I headed out to Flying M to partake in the festivities!

The start of the Bs

I warmed up on my wind trainer for awhile (Once again I neglected to preride) before the race then headed to the start area. The race had been pushed back by 30 minutes, but that didn't start the Bs from lining up anyhow, so there I was faced with the decision to quit warming up or line up. I wisely chose to line up and got a first line spot (which as the time progressed got more and more squeezed). Finally, the race started and I took off - as much like a rocket as a shirtless injured man on a cool October day can. I was in the lead group of about 5 guys as we powered through the first lap of the 1.4 mile course which included such features as a coffin to jump, the 6 pack barriers, tight loamy single track switch backs, a really long gravel road climb and two brutal bumpy downhills. Those downhills did something to me to break my spirit. My damaged body started dreading them with each subsequent lap… My right wrist (taped up) and shoulder (3 ibuprofens & 1/2 a vicadin) screamed at me with each and every bump.

By the third lap I was uncomfortable, by the 6th lap I was barely surviving. After crossing the finish line at the completion of the 6th lap, I heard final lap which seemed to give me a bit more energy ("I'm almost done"). And I rode the last lap as fast as I possibly could. I finished in 14th place - Not overly spectacular considering the previoius weeks finish, but I'll take it.

All in all a fun experience - but man, it was hard! 1.4 mile course which included such features as a coffin to jump, the 6 pack barriers, tight loamy single track switch backs, a really long gravel road climb and two brutal bumpy downhills.

The end of the race

Rockin it at Hornings Hideout

Cross Crusade #3
October 22 2006
Hornings Hideout

After a pretty hard early part of the week training since the last race (Hillsboro Stadium) as well as trying as my hardest to overcome a cold, I took a couple of easy days (Thursday off and Friday as purely a recovery ride). After a good night sleep on Friday I woke up Saturday morning feeling pretty good. Unfortunately I spent the majority of Saturday afternoon fighting some sort of nasty lower intestinal bug as I am sure my poor family can attest (Thanks Leo…). Anyway, I went to bed Saturday evening hoping that I would feel a few degrees better on Sunday which I fortunately did. I woke up, ate some breakfast, drank some coffee popped some tums, loaded up the Eurovan with the bike and family and headed out to Hornings Hideout.

Pre race

Talk about a cool place. About 35 minutes outside of Portland on some private land (Horning Maybe?) a secret little oasis down in a canyon with cabins, two playgrounds, a stocked trout lake, and of course some sweet trails whipping around the facility and in and out of the woods. I got a half-assed pre-ride on the course but at least was able to check out the major tricky parts of the course - the massive runup, the twisty ribbon of downhill single track and the off camber slippery corner that seemed to create a victim every few minutes. This course was tailor made for someone comfortable on the dirt as there wasn't a stitch of pavement on the entire course!

Knowing my weakness of poor starts and taking a page from the Patrick Wilder playbook, I lined up early and started at the front line. The starting gun went off and I took off at full throttle making it out of the mass of riders early on (75 starters). I was with the front group going over the 6 pack of barriers and I managed to push/elbow my way up to the top 5 guys going into the first double track climb and subsequent downhill. At the massive runup I pushed my way to the front of the pack. At the top of runup the trail turned into a small sliver of single track that whipped down the hill. I was out at the front of the pack and thus was able to avoid what I am sure was a bottleneck. Down the hill, around the corner (and through the cheering crowd, who like a bunch of NASCAR fans were drunk and hoping for a crash (Thankfully, I didn't oblige). The course continued to wind around the facility with the lap completing at the start area. I came in first and won the first lap prime (a bottle of wine)

Leading coming out of the barriers, note guy crashing on my right

Am I taking this seriously?

My 'cross fans

I managed to increase my lead over the rest of the top guys by about 30 seconds going into the second lap. Actually, I was able to stay in front of the pack for the next 5 laps and finished a total of 6 winning my first B race of the season.

At the finish line

Congrats Dad!

Next up is the Halloween Cross festival which is also going to be mountain bike skill friendly. I'm looking forward to it!

As for "the system", the system (Stans Notubes rims and tubeless tires) worked flawlessly - I was able to run the tires at 38 psi and had plenty of traction and stability.

A few members of Team Cyclepath