Cyclocross 2012

Another cyclocross season is at an end for Team Slow.

We killed some mud at the Blind Date Series, Cross Crusade Series, and the Tina Brubaker Grand Prix.

Props to the Peeps that pedals through dust and slop.

• Ben Salzberg
• Chris McGraw
• Erinne Goodell
• Kristin Bott
• Tomas Quinones
• Joey French
• Nathan Frost
• Kirk Paulsen

Klaus the Punisher took MANY photos this year. Check them out!

• Alpenrose Cross Crusade
• Rainier High School Cross Crusade
• Canby Cross
• Portland International Raceway Cross Crusade
• Barton Park Cross Crusade
• Hillsboro Fair Grounds Cross Crusade
• Winter Cross

Mt Tabor Series Race 2

Ah, another day in Portland shrouded in mystery. Will it rain? Will it shine? Will hail pummel our spectacled faces as we screech between reservoirs on an extinct volcano?

We lucked out and had a really nice and sunny day in PDX to make for some excellent racing conditions.

Team Slow (again) had the largest team showing at the Mt Tabor series and even earned a shout out from the announcer about “Team Slow’s Enthusiasm for their team-mates” during the Cat5 race.

Most of the team raced the Fixed-gear category with mucho gusto, while our “punisher”, Klaus, was the sole Slowie in the Cat5 race that gave it all his muscular might.

Cheers to the Slowies for another great nice of racing on the volcano!

• Ben Salzberg
• Erinne Goodell
• John Fritz
• Tomas Quinones
• Nathan Frost
• Ryan Good
• Klaus Ochs

The team wrapped up the evening with eats and drinks at our awesome sponsor, Migration Brewing.

OBRA Results

Ben’s Pictures on Flickr

Short Track Racing: Race 1

The weather wasn’t looking very good for Team Slow as dark clouds and constant over-cast loomed over their helmeted heads. Rain had been threatening Portland all day and a rather large storm front from the south had been making its way toward the race venue.

Luck holds out. We are only peppered with the occasional drop and chilled winds during the race.

Cheers to our team for putting on their best efforts:

• Ben Salzberg
• Kristin Bott
• Ed Groth
• John Fritz
• Nathan Frost
• Erinne Goodell
• Tomas Quinones
• Chris McCraw

Portland Racing

OBRA Results

Mt Tabor Series: Race 1

It was glorious weather all day to make for perfect racing conditions on the volcano.

Team Slow was well represented in this race and we all look forward to the rest of the series.

• Kristin Bott – Fixed gear
• Ben Salzberg – Fixed gear
• Klaus Ochs – Cat 5
• John Fritz – Fixed gear
• Tomas Quinones – Fixed gear
• Ryan Good – Fixed gear
• Nate Frost – Fixed gear
• Erinne Goodell – Fixed gear

The Mt Tabor Series

OBRA Results

A special shout out goes to our cheerleaders: Joey, Beth, Theo and John Howe. Thanks for all the support!

Blind Date #3: Gloppy Mud edition

(This was written last weekend regarding Blind Date on 10/12/11. We’re Slow, of course.)

I’m was much more enamored with Alpenrose’s Blind Date series this past week. For one thing, we didn’t get torrential rain dumped on us this week. But there’s more to it than that. It’s a great event to look forward to mid-work week. I can ride there in 45 minutes from my workplace–a nice, hefty warm up. It has smaller fields than Cross Crusade, and I can easily manage to start at the front of the line without feeling like I might be run over by the faster ladies, ’cause they’ll just shoot ahead of me before the first turn. It’s relatively un-hilly. Women start at 6pm, and so far we have raced largely in daylight. Maybe it’s something borne of sexism (ooh, ladies can’t race in the dark!–they’d be too afraid!). But at this point I’ll take it, because the later races look harrowing. Riding in the dark is one thing. Trying to ride fast in the mud in the dark seems crazy/stupid. My helmet off to those racers–Ed and Joey, I’m looking at you two.

The day had been dry and (thank goddess) that trend continued through all the races. But amazingly, the course was still full of sections of goopy, wet, 2″ thick mud. Hooray! It was the sort of mud you just have to plow into and spin through. Mud that splats chunks onto your legs and back and face. Mud that really sticks to your bike. My brakes were invisible through the accumulated mud and straw by the end.

The course was fun, short and relatively easy compared to the previous Sunday’s race at Rainier H.S. In true Slow style I was pulled early, and I was sad I didn’t get one more lap.

Sunshine and slippery hills: Heiser Farms and Rainier

It was a good weekend for cyclocross. A brief write-up of Heiser Farms (GMPC #3) and Rainier (Cross Crusades #2) is below.

Grand Prix Molly Cameron #3: Heiser Farms

Saturday (just) after noon, Ed and Tomas and Kristin loaded up and drove out to Dayton, where Heiser Farms hosted the third race in the newly-minted Grand Prix Molly Cameron. By the grace of Google, we managed to not get completely lost in new-to-us country (downside of riding most places: you don’t know highways) and arrived with just enough time for Kristin to get registered and get ready.

The women’s beginner field was tiny – seven racers – so, with six of her best friends, Kristin headed off while Ed, Tomas, and Rob cheered along the course. Rob had raced in the morning, and Ed was up with the singlespeeders at 3 or so.

The course was a good one – not muddy throughout, but some slippery spots on top of hard-packed dirt. A mudpit. Some number of run-ups, sudden steepness after a turn or after deep mud. Singletrack descents, rutted and bumpy dirt trails, and some long stretches along fields in the warm (welcome) sun. Three sets of barriers.

After about 45 minutes, the women’s fields saw the checkered flag; Tomas and Rob met KBott at the finish line to re-pin her number – this time for the singlespeed field. A few minutes later, off they all headed – men’s B’s and singlespeed – 23 men and 2 ladies. With no crashes and a heck of a lot of going, Ed and Kristin did Slow proud (with Tomas and Rob as cheering section), both finishing strong in the back half.

Results: Heiser Farms CX / GPMC #3
Kristin Bott, Women’s Beginner, 4/7
Ed Groth, Singlespeed, 21/25
Kristin Bott, Singlespeed, 25/25

Cross Crusade #2 : Rainier

Sunday morning, it was up and at ’em! – and off to Rainier for another Crusade. We helped the BTA with the Kiddie Kross race (home to the toughest kids and best faces) and then did our best on a pretty beastly course.

There was mud, and there were nasty tree roots that ate speed and threatened to take your bike. Off-camber here, slippery here, mud there, barriers. Bouncy bumpy rutty dirt grass rocks gravel. And, oh yes — something about a hill. A muddy gravel road turns to asphalt, which is nice, but – a long, hard, steep, soul-crushing hill.

Cheers for everyone who made it up that pile of misery. Cheers to running cheering section who jogged next to struggling riders. Well done to everyone for getting out there and doing what’s difficult.

And – a formal welcome to Suzy Renn, the latest addition to our women’s division. We’re excited to have more ladies on bikes, and add more awesome to our team.

Results: Rainier / Cross Crusade #2
Suzy Renn, Master’s Women B 35+, 15/21
Kristin Bott, Beginner Women, 31/59
Erinne Goodell, Women’s B, 41/41
Ed Groth, Singlespeed, 59/73

Blind Date #2 – Slip’n’Slide edition

“This is the first wet Blind Date we’ve had…”

…that’s the announcer, slightly flummoxed, slightly apologetic – to the Men’s Beginner and Women’s fields last night. Apologizing why? We were huddled at the start line, freezing on our bikes, in the pouring rain. Not northwest-style emo rain, the gentle apathetic spit-spit of Portland winters – no, this was your New England, your Midwest, your Serious Rainstorm.

And off we went. Into the mud + darkness and (relatively) torrential rain. My teeth were chattering, I was drenched with mud and various dairy-materials I’d rather not think about, everything about me was soaked before the first turn.

Whine whine whine I’m cold, wet, muddy, cold, waaaahhh…

Mid-whine, and about 1/4 of the way through my first lap, I remembered – I used to race road in the midwest. I once rode the slowest crit in collegiate history in sleet/snow/rain. I should maybe stop complaining? Riiiiight.

Once I got over myself, I had a great race. The mud was sloppy, and I definitely did some chickenshit riding – but the course was easier than Sunday (and the crowds smaller). I met Erinne (Women’s B) after the race (see shots of her in action here and here) and we were both covered in mud (and etc) to the point of hilarity – we cheered on Ben as he headed off for the Master’s C 35+ race, then ducked into the ladies room to clean up and change into dry things. (see Ben airborne here)

Ed and Chris lined up with the singlespeed and Men’s B’s – at a point of darkness I consider to be insane for racing, seeing as how you’re going quickly, on mud, around other people, and you’re all in a big damn hurry. They did great, though.

Ed had a bit of a gravity event: “On the second lap I highsided on the downhill flipped over the bike unclipped and rolled down the hill. My light fell off. I had to run back up in the mud to pick everything up. I started taking corners super easy. Leaders began flying by in the road section before the barriers.” …hell, slow or fast, I’m still amazed that anybody’s out there. But, somehow, because he respects the officials, he kept his number clean. — after his tumble, Ed elected (smartly, I’d say) to call it a night and go home in one piece.

Chris may have evolved night vision? – as he was taking it all fast and furious and racing really well, overtaking folks in the dark. Braver than I.

Results, Team Slow, Blind Date @ the Dairy #2:
Ben Salzberg, Master’s C 35+, 60/68
Christopher Ryan, Singlespeed, 16/35
Ed Groth, Singlespeed, went home in one piece! (DNF)
Erinne Goodell, Women’s B, 20/23
Kristin Bott, Beginner Women, 7/22

See you this weekend – we’ll be out Saturday and Sunday – and next Wednesday, too. GO SLOW!

Team Slow ladies on Crusade: Alpenrose

Beth, Erinne and Kristin stormed the Alpenrose Dairy on Sunday, October 2, the opening day of the 2011 Cyclocross Crusade (the largest participatory cyclocross race series in the world). Over 1,500 registered racers in all categories came out to race and the start fields got pretty crowded.

The day began dry and overcast. About 40 minutes before the combined womens’ race the skies opened and it stated raining, turning a tacky course into a slick, muddy one and forcing many racers to adjust their approach — and expectations. Still, the Women Of Slow handle their bikes confidently and with aplomb during a soggy 45-minute outing, and finished strong.

Beth (Master Women 45+) summits the run-up:

Beth on the run-up! (Master's Women 45+)

Erinne (B Women U-35), coming through the flat, twisty “Unicorn” barrier section with a huge smile:

"...it's so fun!" she says

Kristin (Beginner Women) looking oh-so-focused:

in search of mud-snack (and people to chase)

(Photos by C. Eppinger and K. Blume, used with permission)

Results are posted here:  http://obra.org/events/19722/results

Next up: Blind Date CX and more Cross Crusades. Let’s hear it for MUD!

when sponsors love us

Team Slow held its first team meeting of the fall at Pacific Pie last night.
When we got there, we found a table waiting Just For Us:

Have I mentioned I love this place?

Best bets:
Sampler plate of assorted mini pasties (little vegetable-filled savory hand-pies)
Wandering Aengus hard cider
Blackberry pie for dessert
OMG Yum!

Short Track Racing at PIR 2011 Wrap-up

Imagine a race course with singletrack through sometimes narrowly-spaced cottonwood trees, wide-open grassy plains, and in the middle of it all, a crown jewel of a motocross course with ten-foot-tall berms and not one, but THREE rhythm sections zig-zagging lengthwise back and forth through the center of the whole thing. Now imagine dozens and dozens of mountain bikes and their riders zig-zagging all over this crazy course, whose exact layout changes every single week. Dust and cottonwood tufts fly everywhere as racers skid their way around the course, and spectators line the perimeter shouting encouragement and even ringing a random cowbell or three. In short, it’s organized mayhem — and a helluva lot of fun.

This is the short-track xc course at Portland International Raceway, and for the last eight weeks, members of Team Slow have pitted themselves and their bikes against it in the Portland Short-Track xc series.

At the end of the series, consistency was rewarded when Kristin made the series overall podium in the Womens’ Singlespeed category:

Adding to the Team Slow Designer Jewelry Collection, Beth and Erinne went out to Westview HS on Saturday, July 30 to race in the OBRA State short-track xc Championships. Both made their respective podiums on a tough, bumpy course with highs in the mid-80’s:

At a post-race gathering on the closing night of the PIR series, Kristin made the astute observation that, between the three women, Team Slow had won itself an entire ladies’ short-track podium, 1-2-3, just like that! Maybe at some point we’ll have a glamor shot taken…

Super-huge thanks to everyone who raced, and to all our friends, spouses and significant others who came a cheered us on nearly every week of the series! Special thanks, too, to Ed, Tomas, and Erinne for helping Kristin and Beth manage the Kiddie races every week. A great way to begin each evening of racing.

It’s been a wacky, wild and fun season of short-track racing! Stay tuned for cyclocross, set to begin in mere weeks! GO SLOW!