Month: September 2021

Lined up for the Open 45+ field at 7:15 pm. First time doing this race, and doing CX racing at night. Race starts in the Folsom rodeo arena (bright overhead lights), goes around in circles on the dirt, heads up a short steep climb and then flat pavement above arena in the dark, dipping back onto the dirt with some welcome strung lights and heckle hollow, a quick descent followed by a quick down and up where they have a DJ, handups and all out party and plenty of good natured heckling. From there you go past the arena to a grass field with dim lights strung up to provide some visibility, looping back to arena for more dirt circles, barriers and start of next lap. Basically a power course with a little mountain biking thrown in. Field went out fast and I rode near the front. Made a wrong

My last outdoor race was in February of 2020, some 19 months ago. After everything settled down just a bit, I signed up for the Mare Island Pedalfest, billed as an urban-cross race. All videos and pictures of previous versions seemed to indicate a lot of warehouses, former lawns, stairs, and broken asphalt. That seems accurate.

The travel was interesting because one week before I left the Netherlands changed their policy on allowing Americans into their country…but I (and the other athletes) got an exemption from the Dutch Olympic committee to enter without quarantine. We needed vaccination and recent negative test (we also needed a negative test to return, and it’s free in Holland and ez to schedule).