Tim LaBarge

On your mark…

© Tim LaBarge 2008

Cyclocross season is still a few weeks away here in the Pacific Northwest, but judging from the look in Leo’s eyes, he’s ready to hear the race director say “Go!”. This past weekend was the first in a series of races out at Kruger’s Farm on Sauvie Island. No barriers, no run ups, but plenty of bumps and texture on the course.

© Tim LaBarge 2007

Last year’s Kruger’s Kermesse was fast, dry and dusty. And then as the dry autumn turned toward winter, there were complaints from the hardcore crossers that the season was slipping by too quickly without enough rain and mud.

© Tim LaBarge 2007

© Tim LaBarge 2007

I don’t think any of those folks would argue that mud and rain were missing from the last race of the year. For me this sport is about entering the rainy season with one final burst of energy. It’s about racing hard, then having a cold beer and watching the really good racers that follow. The weather is what it is. I bet on the third lap trudging through the mud in the November chill, a few of the mud lovers were daydreaming about those warm, dry fall afternoons.

© Tim LaBarge 2007

© Tim LaBarge 2007

This entry was posted on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 9:17 pm. It is filed under assignments, cycling, family, sports and tagged with cross crusade, cycling, cyclocross, journalist, kermesse, krugers, oregon, photographer, photojournalist, portland, tim labarge. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.