Early Oregon (Dusty) Cross

What is "early Oregon cross" besides the name that I gave that folder full of photos? It is a lot of things and then, just when you think you have it figured out you head back out there and it blows your mind in its randomness. It can be anything. That is what it is. Sometimes it is wet. Which is usually what most people come to expect from Oregon. Generally speaking you would be right. Excepting for the fact that August is our best month of the year.

This year it was... (and I'm speaking specifically about the Double Cross weekend - whenever that was).

Dry - like, really dry. Teeth sticking to your lips dry. You can not really see it here but Cindy looks like she needs to brush her toofs. Her tusks. Which is not really the case if you know Cindy because she has impeccably white teeth. If jealousy were a color it wouldn't be green it would be white teeth. Not just white either. White teeth. Smiling white teeth.

Moving on, take a look at the grass. Is this Oregon grass? Where are we, Arizona? Does Arizona have grass? I chuckled to myself during this race out in the gorge. Actually chuckled to myself. As I was trying to lick any sort of moisture off of my boot-leather lips (usually they're so moist) I watched a tumbleweed trip its way across the course. A fucking tumble weed. Then continued my race, forgetting about it until just right now. Aren't tumble weeds just about the saddest thing you have ever seen. In the movies, at least the Western style ones they represent a lot of downer things. Death. Destruction. Thirst. The empty loneliness of the open range on a good day. One does not want to see these during a cyclocross race. That time when your spirits are already low, when you are looking for anything to hold on to. To get you through the next 15 minutes. A tumbleweed is not that thing. 

Had Cool Bikes - Ibis. Moots. FOCUS. More FOCUS. Ridley. Speedvagans galore. A bike that A. Tuck crashed his face off while riding. There was something else in there too. I can't remember. Something dark and mysterious. Something that I made a mental note of to look up later and didn't. An old Guerciotti? Maybe that was it. A Surly? That was definitely not it. Ahhh. I've got it. Dark and Mysterious. All the way from the PNW. Tonic.

Also Had Single Speeds - Why is Sam wearing the OBRA Points Leader Jersey? I only ask that as a question because I didn't know that there was one. There was one? Apparently there is one. I mean, I can see that there is one, but what does it mean? Of all the points possible he has the most? Kind of an interesting concept, I'll look into this more and get back to you. Brett was there too. I like this guy. He races hard and smiles a lot (when not racing hard). Plus, look at that logo matchup. The baselayer directly complimenting the stinging scorpion positioned near the collar. Genius.

Sam is the Tiniest Sprinter (and he's funny!)

Mountain Bike Courses - I'm not really going to even justify this one with much of a response. Let us just go on to say that this was the Short Track State Championship course. But, what happens when you have Mountain Bike Courses? Mountain bikers win (see below).