Three Men and a Motordome

Don't worry we didn't really make another of those aweful movies!
I'm a little slow to getting around to race reports but hopefully it'll just remind everyone of the fun that was had a few weeks ago. What could be better than spending Halloween weekend in Astoria with three dudes?

At least the trash got packed out



Seriously it was an amazing weekend and my first time out to Halloween Cross in Astoria(I still miss the days of the Flying M Ranch).
I had the winning number on Saturday, the last number to be called up to start, which meant a six pack of beer. Because of this, I have little to report on for Saturday.



It also meant I missed the boys all cuddled in Grandma's Attic watching cartoons.
Sunday was really all that mattered anyways.
We woke up and cooked breakfast:



Damian's costume turned out to be useful throughout the day, not just for food but beer and cameras too.
After eating, the rest of us got our costumes together and boy did we look good!



The race was fun, there were human barriers and a robot running around the course cheering everyone on.



Besides all the usual and unusual shennanigans, John from Team Beer managed to fall on his bike and put his knee into his carbon wheel. It was like the shot heard round the world. The crowd was stunned and the damage was impressive.



As the sun set, the zombies came out and it was time to get the hell out of Astoria

Mini Motordome debuts in sputtering effort

The Checka, now known as Mini Motordome, hauled two tired fools out to Alpenrose for the first race since crushing(empty beer cans) in Durango at the SSWC. For two laps all was right with the world, but the day's heat and work had worn Bobby thin and he tweeted me to inform of his withdrawal, and set his sights on training for next week while vowing to quit smoking(do you see what I just did Bobby?). I was semi killing it and passed some peeps comming off the back, but after dropping a chain seven times, I just wanted to hang out with Bobby.

But all was not lost, as good times were had running to the start with 10 seconds to spare, spending 30 minutes messing with MM's headlights, seeing a lot of friendly faces out there enjoying themselves, and informing Bobby of a vegan burrito truck he somehow didn't know of yet.

Well, the wheel slippage has been solved, I hope. And for the first race ever for my night's trusty sidekick, he figured a lot out and was all smiles afterward. He rode great in Durango, so he'll do well in cross. After some serious road miles and possibly running freewheels, next week is looking up.

Blind Date!

Blind Date! at Alpenrose.

What could be more romantic than spending the evening under the lights at Alpenrose? How about spending the evening at Alpenrose riding through the mud with a few hundred other people? The Blind Date starts Wednesday September 23rd at 5 PM. at the Alpenrose Dairy in Portland, Oregon. This four week series will be contested on lit courses in the dark and is fully sanctioned by the Oregon Bike Racing Association.

This will be a cyclocross course with grass, meadow, dirt, gravel, asphalt, run ups, barriers and quick changes in direction. The course will be properly illuminated for cyclocross racing, but not floodlit like PGE park at night. Feel free to use a bike light and or helmet light if you want supplemental lighting. The toddler cross and kiddie cross at 5 pm will be on easier sections of the course.

Schedule

5:00 pm Kiddie cross (no parents on course) and Toddler Cross. (parents may run along)
5:10 pm Juniors. (30 minute race)
6:00 pm Category C men and women. (45 minute race)
6:50 pm Category B, Men and Women. and Single Speed (45 minute race)
7:45 pm Category A Men and Women. (1 hr. race)

I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE DARK YET!!!