A Capital Weekend of Cyclocross

By now BIKEIOWA has an idea of the course they'll stake out in Des Moine's Stone Park. Some features will be very familiar -- for example, those pine trees that slap your face every lap -- some features might be totally new. Guaranteed, though, line up at Capital City Cross Saturday and you'll find artifacts of races past, ruts in parts of the park we aren't even using, lines etched into the oddest spots.

​Stone Park is home to BIKEIOWA's Renegade Cross, the biggest regular cyclocross practice in Iowa. Between 50 and 150 riders meet at the park to ride a different course each week. That makes it the most ridden 'cross course in the state other than maybe Jingle Cross at the Johnson County Fairground. And it means BIKEIOWA gets a lot of chances to try things out and get it right.

Mystery by BIKEIOWA

This Saturday will be more than a practice race. When the lap cards, sponsor banners, and port-o-pottys appear you know the race is on. And when racers from Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, and across Iowa hear "Capital City Cross" they know where they'll want to be.

Register at USACycling, check for the latest at BIKEIOWA, or get nostalgic with our blog from 2017, Capital City Cross is Back. If you can make a weekend of it, check out Relaycross Sunday afternoon.
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Relaycross in support of the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry

Last year's Relaycross raised three truckloads of food donations for the homeless.

Relaycross is simple: 2 hours of racing with 4 teammates tagging in and out to pile on as many laps as possible before time runs out.  The team with the most laps wins.  

The race takes place at Mullets, former home of the beloved Oakley Night Cap and long time sponsor of BIKEIOWA. Relaycross is as serious or leisurely as you want.  You can race all out or at a conversational pace.  It's all for a good cause.

From BIKEIOWA:

"Payouts?  Yep.  High fives, pride and good karma to everyone that enters.

"Pre registration and online fees?  Nope! Day of only.

"Do I need a license you ask? Hell no!  This is a charity race people.  So please grab your donations and join us on September 16th at Mullets. Registration opens at 12:00pm and closes at 1:00pm."

This year Relaycross will be racing for the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry.
The Urban Bicycle Food Ministry is a grass-roots non-profit organization that feeds the homeless in Des Moines. Check out Relaycross at BIKEIOWA.

Because otherwise 'cross can be so damned serious.

Relaycross photos courtesy of BIKEIOWA