Battle at Barlow Photo Slideshow
Monday, September 29, 2008 at 6:51AM | in photos of the week Since when did cyclocross get so hot? I mean, there was more dust and sweat than mud and rain. This felt like a mid-July mountain bike race, which is okay until you remember that your cyclocross bike doesn’t have any water bottle holders.
But we smelled good.
In true cyclocross form, riders and spectators – we remind ourselves that the riders are usually spectators and the spectators are usually riders –- came out in full form, slathered in sunblock, and ran themselves silly on a course that included a set of stairs built for giants. Each step felt like a leap over a fence.
For the first time this season, some of the pdxcross elves raced. As we predicted, we rode unremarkably, landing just about in the middle of our respective classes. Since we’re riding as Beginners and as Slow Old Men, we’re unlikely to land lucrative contracts with big-name European sponsors (this month). I guess we’ll keep making pictures in a kind of serious way and take the riding as a strangely painful pastime. Huh.
My favorite quote from the day came just as my Master C group was about to take off. One guy looked at me and said: “You know what I like about this group? I like that tomorrow morning, we’re all going to a job. So we can’t crash and burn, can we?” There was some crashing, but no burning in the Master C. In the Master B race, some poor guy left some teeth on the trail, just after draining his body of oxygen on the Steps-for-Giants runup. Ouch. That would be a crash and a burn, I guess.
My favorite exchange for the day happened about lap four during the Master C race:
Slow Old Man #1: “Geez, man, I have a sore back that’s slowing me down.”
Slow Old Man #2: “I’ve got news for you, pal. We’re so old we’ve ALL got sore backs. Just ride and shut up, will ya?”
-torsten
Reader Comments (10)
It was a super terrific race. Hard and technical. Man I look old.
The Dirt Rag guy.
That was tons of fun. I'm in picture 7, and gasping for breath.
Was I the only one who noticed a $20 bill sitting among the 5-barriers? I was wondering if it was yet another tricky little puzzle by the race designers. What's it worth it to you to go over those barriers well? ;)
You guys are showing the ART in the world of CROSS and the thing that makes it ART is not just the black and white which forces us to focus on what we are looking in in dark/light, but you are making us look at life and how each moment is creation.
thanks much!
ron
[...] Northerly parts of the West the cyclocross season is in full swing. Reading this and looking at this makes me very envious. Earlier this year I planned to ride my ass off through the Summer to be in [...]
these pictures are amazing! I hope photography is more than just a hobby. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome photography! What equipment was used?
thanks, Scott. We use a variety of digital SLRs...nikon or canon.
I hope you will be creating a 2008 CCX Photo book at the end of the year. I am sure there would be several companies that would gladly suppoort your amazing effort. Your photos are more than worthy and should be viewed by all. Keep up the good work!!!
+1 4 an '08 CCX photo book. but really pulling for a well-placed gallery display :-)...some nice 16x20's please :-)
How can I get copies of pictures?