LIOTR PDX > LAX Stage 4 Photos
LIOTR PDX > LAX Stage 3 Photos
LIOTR PDX > LAX Stage 2 Photos
LIOTR PDX > LAX Stage 1 Photos
More Fazio Farms CX from Jeff Curtes
Photographer and Speedvagen cross racer Jeff Curtes snapped some great photos of me during this past weekend's Fazio Farms CX race. The course is a really flat and rutted farmland that features three steep climbs and descents that have been created by the farm construction equipment. It makes for a really cool course visually as you get to ride in and around the construction equipment. It's also tough as hell but a lot of fun. Thanks Jeff!
Fazio Farms CX Race
Me hitting the first barrier on lap #1.
Ironclad Cycling knows how to put on a CX race. This course is unique and challenging in that the climbs and descents on the otherwise flat farmland were built by dump trucks and backhoes. And they are steep. This race happens twice a year usually and it is a completely different ballgame once the rain starts. I was feeling good today and I ended up taking the win - not sure which was tougher, the dusty washboard or the legion of hecklers at the top of the climbs. Big props to my wife Lu for grabbing some really awesome shots.
I was sitting in 2nd on the first lap, then I chose my moment on the bumpy washboard and attacked. The move stuck.
If that isn't called heckle hill, it should be. Those guys were brutal up there!
Me climbing solo.
What other race has you riding under the construction equipment that built the course?
The large rock piles provided some cool scenery, but those rocks were also all over the course. Lots of flats, tubulars were a good choice on this course.
Me climbing somewhere towards the end. I had a good lead but was terrified of a flat.
You can't quite tell from the photo but this was a monster descent. Don't freak out, don't touch the brakes, just hang on!
That descent then shot you right up this hill at about 30mph. A 180 turn at the top took a bit of skill.
Once I was done racing I grabbed the camera and got a few shots of the next group of racers.
Bridge Of The Gods Ride
This is hands down one of my favorite rides in the Portland area, and my last big solo training ride before the PDX > LAX ride. BoG is a 110+ mile loop through Washington and over the steel grate of the Bridge Of The Gods. On the way back you're treated to one of the most beautiful roads in Oregon, the Old Columbia River Highway. On this occasion I rode over something sharp and slashed both of my sidewalls, so the last 70 miles were done at a snail's pace. So I took the opportunity to grab these photos, eat a cheeseburger, and generally just enjoy the hell out of the day.
Richard Sachs + House Industries Cyclocross Exhibition
Whenever I'm in NYC I always try to swing by the Rapha Cycle Club for a well-made coffee and a brush up on my cycling history. They've currently got a great Richard Sachs + House Industries cyclocross exhibition going on with tons of ephemera and unique House-designed souvineers on display. Richard's personal backup race bike is the star of the show, and it is a beautiful sight indeed. I especially love the hand-painted Cole race wheels. If you're in the area don't sleep on this great little exhibit. It'll be on display until September 21st. More details on the Rapha blog.
#crossishere
If you race enough cross, sooner or later you're going to go down. There's a little more blood in summer cross because there's no slippery layer of mud to cushion your fall.
Regardless of how you feel about early season cyclocross, it is a fact of life (at least in Portland). I'd race cross year round if they'd let me, so I couldn't be happier. Summer cross is a different beast than the typical raining, freezing, muddy mess we get in the fall. It's much faster due to dry ground, but to me it no less fun. More photos to come throughout the (now very long) cross season in Portland.
Grand Prix Ryan Tonkin race #1 at David Douglas Park in Vancouver, WA
Grand Prix Ryan Tonkin race #1 at David Douglas Park in Vancouver, WA
Grand Prix Ryan Tonkin race #1 at David Douglas Park in Vancouver, WA
Cross training on Leif Erickson trail in Forest Park
Keizer Rapids CX series. Very dry, hot and lots of singletrack. The course will not look this in a couple months time!
Stay tuned, LIOTR frame stickers coming to the store very soon!