Friday, December 20, 2013

Alley Cross, Episode Two.

SSCX love.

Last Sunday Team Metropolis attended (and some of us actually participated in) the second Alley 'Cross race of the fall 2013 season at Overlook Park in North Portland.  What's this Alley 'Cross thing you ask? Well, it's sort of a hybrid of a standard alley cat race and a regular cyclocross race. It starts with the entire field (there is only one category) putting their bikes in a designated start location, then convening a short distance away to receive instructions.

The course awaits.
In this case those instructions were "go to the Dog Bowl". You may not know it by that name, but the Dog Bowl is the unofficial dog park located off N Willamette Ave between approximately Killingsworth and Ainsworth, where the road makes a big curve above a sizable depression in the bluffs below. There the racers would receive the location of the actual "cross" part of the race, where they were to do 4 laps of the course and return to the start, which in this case, would also act as the finish.
The racers receive their instructions.
But first, the racers need to get to their bikes. It's common in many alley cat races to utilize a "Le Mans start" named after the French automobile race. This means at the "go" signal, the racers run the short distance to their bikes (or cars) and mount up before starting the course. It makes for an exciting though unpredictable start to to the event.
And they're off!
 Sadly, I had more pressing concerns after the race start and was unable to participate or spectate further. I am told good times were had by all. Part of the fun lies in the fact that there is no designated course, and racers are required to rely on their knowledge of the city streets as much as their speed and bike handling skills.
Shenanigans.
Alley Cross 3 is scheduled for January 11th, at Creston Park in South East Portland. for details check out their Facebook page.
Ho ho ho indeed.
Thanks to Kristina Nash for the photos.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

'Cross Crusade Halloween


Sorry I dropped the ball on the blogular activities back in October, but I'm gonna try to make up for it with some recap posts now.  Let's see where we? Ah, yes. The last race I covered was Heron Lakes, so up next is the 2 day Bend Halloween 'cross extravaganza. Team Metropolis fielded a fairly small contingent, half of whom didn't arrive in time to race on Saturday. I myself had planned to race at least one day, but discovered upon waking on Saturday that I wasn't feeling so hot and bowed out of racing for the weekend. I likewise passed on taking pictures on Saturday, so we'll fast forward to Sunday, which is the costume day anyway.
Sand? Rocks? Sage brush? Must be Bend.
Cross in Bend is a whole different animal than West of the Cascades. The 'Cross Crusaders did a typically stellar job in designing the course, combining loose off camber, thick grassy sections, deep sand, two runups and a purpose built flyover ramp.
Dr. Hymans writing a prescription for dirt.


Crappy picture of the flyover. The Deschutes Brewery is in the background.
Sr. Chilidog blending into the background.
The Gnarwhal passing a convict on the inside.
The nastier of two runups. Really loose sand.

The Great Pumpkin rising from the pumpkin patch? Nope, just a costumed rider at the top of the runup.