pdxcross

Trying to get fast on the cyclocross course is hard enough. Throw in a marriage and two full-time jobs, and you’ve got a whole new level of complexity – one that has forced a lot of people to make some hard choices.

Now, just for kicks, add a baby. Go ahead. Stir that baby, say a one-year-old boy, into the mix and see what happens.

That’s the recipe for Rhonda and Erik and their boy Gus during this year’s cross season. Somehow, they seem to hold it together. That’s not completely true, because it’s just one of those jobs that can’t be done with uninterrupted grace. Anyone who’s raised a kid knows that there are moments where the grace peals away.

But they’re managing to raise a kid who smiles almost all the time. Rhonda holds down a job as a science writer for the Forest Service. Erik owns and manages Sellwood Cycle Repair without always being a jerk. They run a pre-season cyclocross clinic that’s so popular that it takes over Alpenrose three evenings in September. They frequently house aspiring as well as world-class cyclists in their home, and Erik continues to mentor young hopefuls. We don’t think we’re exaggerating when we say that this couple is one of the reasons Portland is a center of cyclocross in the US. On top of all that, these new parents go really, really fast on bikes, riding with the country’s best — they’ve both represented the US in international competition in Europe, too. It doesn’t seem likely, does it?

We just had to see what that looked like, so we tagged along for a day at the races with the young family as they rode the race at PIR and a week later in Hillsboro.

The three arrive at PIR together. Rhonda grabs her two Vanilla bikes and puts one in the pit, then she warms up. Erik juggles Gus on one arm and bags full of clothes, two bikes, and a bunch of food on other appendages. While the rest of his competitors are warming up on trainers and taking practice laps and stretching and focusing on themselves in the thorough way of experienced racers, Erik walks the course with Gus in his arms, interrupted frequently by people who admire his boy, want a little advice on the course or their equipment, or just say hello. Gus and Erik play a game called “Let’s stick our tongues out.”

At the start of the women’s race, Erik brings Gus to the line. The boy wants some time in Mom’s arms, and yelps a bit when it’s time to back off and let the women’s race begin.  Then Erik continues his course wandering, cheering when Rhonda races by, and taking a little time to stretch while Gus climbs over his back.

Rhonda’s race goes fine, but not great. She doesn’t spend much time mulling it over, though. While the other women warm down, Rhonda dashes for the Kona tent, pulls off the muddiest and wettest of her clothes and pulls on a few layers of fleece. Just ten meters away, Erik dresses with Gus at his feet. Gel packets tucked into a short. Chunk of cheese stick in Gus’ mouth. Arms into the skinsuit. Put Gus’ hat back on. Stretch a hamstring. Keep Gus from leaving the relatively dry ground under the tent. Pull on some bike shoes. Put Gus’ hat back on, again. Helmet on. Another cheese stick for the boy, and it’s time to pass him to Rhonda.

Once Erik’s race finishes, he lashes and stashes their bikes on the car while Rhonda feeds Gus. Then Rhonda drives home while Erik extends the workout by riding home. It’s dark by the time Rhonda cleans her bike. Gus is in his Pjs and soup is almost done by the time Erik gets home. Everyone is tired, but the lack of a nap has Gus wired into some yelping and age-appropriate fussiness well past his, and his parent’s, bedtime.

The race at the Washington County Fairgrounds the following weekend is another matter. Erik decides not to race, but instead rides to the course. Friendly neighbors Mindy and Jessica agreed to take care of Gus.

“It was the first race I’ve gone to this year where I didn’t bring Gus,” says Rhonda. “I warmed up on my trainer next to the car, I pre-rode the whole course, I even scouted for the big holes in the thick mud of the rodeo arena. It was really nice to be just me.”

The women’s race has the crowd going nuts. Three women fight their way through the mud and grass.  Neighbors Mindy and Jessica show a knack for perfect timing, bringing Gus to the finish just as his muddy mother crosses the line ahead of her competitors. Sacha White may best capture the mood of the crowd at that moment: “When Rhonda came across that finish line first, well, that was just sweet. Really, really sweet.”

During Saturday of this coming weekend’s US Gran Prix of Cyclcross at PIR, Gus goes for a play date with Mindy and Jessica (where do we order neighbors like these?), while Rhonda and Erik go on a play date with some of the nation’s fastest cyclocrossers. On Sunday, Gus will be at the races, in the care of a babysitter.

“There were several times during the season when I wondered if it’s really worth the effort,” says Rhonda one evening after Gus is asleep and before she heads downstairs to do an interval workout on the trainer. “But we’ve chosen not to do athletics as our sole purpose. We’re just living life and we’re at the stage in our lives when we want to have a child. We still enjoy pushing ourselves in races, though.”

Just another fast family in the city of muddy bike riders.

-torsten

Rolling around on the weekends, racing and photographing cyclocross is really great fun. We could not ask for a better way to spend autumn weekends.

Immediately publishing a book about it is not as fun. The creative process of editing and designing is fantastic, but the details, scheduling and general business-ness of it is not. In fact, it’s why I am writing this post at 3:30 AM…checking my FedEx tracking number like it’s my investment portfolio (if i actually had an investment portfolio).

Some updates about the book:

– It is extremely unlikely that the book will be here in time for Sunday night’s party. The people printing the book just could not get it here it by then. It’s locked up in a FedEx truck out by the airport. I just went to the facility. I could almost smell the book…We will have it for sure on Monday. Then again, we were supposed to have it for sure on Friday.

– Due to circumstances beyond our control there might be an additional cost from the printer. This will cause the book to go up in price by a few bucks. We hope to avoid it, but wanted to give you advance warning that the cost might change slightly. We won’t know until we hold the proof copies in our grubby little hands.

- If the proofs are perfect, you will be able to order copies on Monday at some point in the afternoon. If the reproduction or printing is off it will delay it a few days. This might push it past the date that guarantees pre-Christmas delivery. Again, we really hope to avoid this, but it is out of our control.

We’re not happy about these updates either, trust me. But, we wanted to be transparent about the process and let you know what’s going on.

Thank you for your understanding and patience,

pdxcross

Sauvie Island served up a living Norman Rockwell painting on Sunday - autumn colors, a pumpkin patch, the corn maze, a bonfire, fresh produce and the general frolicking of the young and the young at heart alike.  Slightly off script, there was also a dead rat. As one of the more unique obstacles of the year, the extremely dead rodent provided great entertainment for those cheering as riders repeatedly ran over the carcass. It also got more “ewwww” and “disgusting” comments than even last week’s corral of animal waste stew. What a sport. Try adding a rat carcass to a basketball game or golf or table tennis - the reaction would be drastically different. We are not weak of heart or stomach or nose. 

But, we are tired. 

Nobody from pdxcross raced this weekend, but we felt like we did. Among our small band of photo-makers we had three illnesses, a knee injury and a gaggle of family members irritated at even the mention of cyclocross.

We just completed a two week marathon getting Dirty Pictures ready for print. Thank god for Deb, the pdxcross designer. Her creativity and general willingness not to strangle us are counted among her greatest attributes. Book updates to come next week.

So while the racers made swift laps through the fields and down the gravel roads, Sunday felt a cool down lap for us. A cold, foggy morning gave way to a gorgeous sunny day perfect for for laying in the leaves, eating frites and sipping a cold one. It was a nice little recovery before we slip into a holidaze and then hit the USGP for one last hoorah. 

Have a nice Thanksgiving. 

This must be what the bull feels like during the bull riding event in a rodeo: slipping and sliding through deep mud with an unwelcome weight clinging to your back.

But this was just another day, the final day, of the Cross Crusade series, and we were all there voluntarily, humping our way through the animal-waste-tainted mud without prodding or coersion. We were, we told ourselves over and over, having a good time. In fact, we paid money to do it.

And that’s what it looked like. As the ethereal morning fog gave way to plain old cheery sunshine, it revealed a whole buttload of people smiling like kids in a mud puddle.

There was racing, too. Maybe more than any other event of the season, the gathering at Washington County Fairground served up a heaping bowl of killer racing. It seemed like each group had at least a few people who were trying to end the season with a burst of competitiveness. The men’s Hot Shit racers fought like true heroes to a mud-slinging sprint that we’re still a little breathless about. The women’s Hot Shit race, in which three really, really fast women clawed their way over the course to an exciting finish. When Rhonda crossed the line to give her little boy a muddy hug, there were smiles all around.

We do love this weird sport and the lovely people who do it…even when they are covered in poo.

- torsten

We’re excited to announce we are publishing a book in December. The book will celebrate the 2008 cyclocross season and the sport that hundreds of mostly sane people think is a good way to spend a Sunday and think about the other six days.

We hope that you would like a copy.

Heidi Swift has kindly offered to collaborate with us by penning an essay for Dirty Pictures. It may mention whiskey, it may not — we’re not sure yet. But, we know it is gonna be great.

Her deadline is Wednesday. So is yours. ”My deadline?”, you ask with a raised eyebrow.

Yep, your deadline. Here’s an opportunity to be quoted in the book. Allow us to explain:

We would love for you to send us your thoughts about cyclocross. The comments we have received from you via the website and in person have amused, surprised and delighted us. We would like to include that spirit in our book. For example:

—What does cyclocross (and/or the season of cyclocross) mean to you? And, can you describe it in one sentence? —What was the best sound bite/comment you heard at the races this year? —How do you feel when you are in a race? Update: What’s the funniest thing you have heard screamed out during a race?

Share them with us. We understand this is short notice, but this book has come together quickly and unexpectedly. We may use some of your quotes in the book to complement the voice and dimension of the experience of cyclocross this season. While there are no guarantees of inclusion, we want to give you the opportunity if you would like it. If so, please email your thoughts to pdxcross@gmail.com by this coming Wednesday (November 19) night (9pm).

And, here’s what to expect about the book:

Dirty Pictures, Volume One will be 120 pages filled with black and white photos (some you have seen before, many you have not) printed on premium silk finish paper. There will be a softcover and hardcover option.

The softcover will cost $45 (plus shipping) and the hardcover will cost $65 (plus shipping). Both will look sweet on your coffee table.

One important note: Dirty Pictures is not available to purchase just yet. We’re still in production. In fact we just finished shooting in Hillsboro, and are proofing pictures as we post this. But, there will be a proof copy available to view at the Cross Crusade Season End Celebration on December 7th and at that time we’ll have all the details on how to order Dirty Pictures, Volume One. We’ll be there celebrating with you.

And as a heads up, in order to receive your copy for Christmas, you will need to order by December 9th (for ground shipping) or December 15th (for next day air). We’ll remind you of this when when we see you at the party on the 7th.

Planning ahead, we’re hoping to host a little shindig early next year with some beer, books and lots of sharpies so you can write fun things in friends’ books such as, “Stay sweet; see you next fall.” or “BFF, don’t ever change!”. You get the idea.

Oh, and one more thing (yes, thanks for hanging here through this long post): If you DO NOT want your photograph to be published in Dirty Pictures, please let us know asap. We want everyone to feel comfortable with this project and with us so please shoot an email to pdxcross@gmail.com and let us know.

Thanks. It’s been an honor spending Sundays with you.