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A   Local   Weekend   with   Creekside   &   Bobbers   Cross

10/27/2019

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photo by CRANDIC Racing
“I prefer technical races so I really enjoyed the wooded section by the creek and the slalom through the ditch," said Spin Devo's Caelyn Bailey. "The long sandpit feature was good too. And the barn was cute.”
Caelyn could only be talking about Creekside ReUnion at Coralville's Creekside Cross cyclocross course, the first of two races coming up November 2 & 3 in the Iowa City area. The second race, Bobbers Cross, is at Bobbers Grill on Scales Point in North Liberty. The two very local races could otherwise hardly be any different.
"I've only done Bobbers once," explained Jim Bethea of Iowa City Cycling Club. "I don't remember much other than a massive sand pit and the possibility of riding into the lake if you weren't paying attention. It is a big contrast to Creekside in that there isn't much elevation gain.
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photo by CRANDIC Racing
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by CRANDIC Racing
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photo by CRANDIC Racing
"​I like the hills at Creekside. It is the hilliest course in Iowa outside of Jingle and that helps me a bit. The sand pit can be dicey if it doesn't rain. The ability to ride the sand and hills can be a difference maker on that course."
"In general, the course at Creekside is very difficult," said Brooke Bailey, Caelyn's mom and Spin Devo coach. "It may be too hard for juniors. Maybe an abbreviated course for juniors is a good idea, cutting out the top of the climb. As a coach, I like to see the technical features for the kids. How else are they going to learn, and who wants a grass criterium, really? Any junior that wants to do a full course could race category."
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
"The course at Creekside will continue to evolve," said Race Director for both races, Nick Sobocinski. "We plan to use less of the terraces and focus more on the barnyard area.  The big run up of years past is gone. We'll use less of the flat ball field area by concessions as well.  Restrooms and water will be available, but the concessions stand will be closed. Goosetown Racing and Iowa City Cyclocross Club will collaborate to put on the event." Three time sponsor ReUnion Brewery is right down the street from Coralville Creekside Cross.
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"For Bobbers we are just excited to be back after cancelling last year due to flooding.  The course will remain pretty much the same as years past." Both races are part of the Iowa Cyclocross Series.
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
"I've helped set up Bobbers for the past seven years," said Chad Mittelstadt of Corridor Devo. "I like Bobbers since it is a smaller venue with all the amenities one would want, like good food and drinks provided by a friendly staff. Not to mention the scenic view of the reservoir, assuming the weather is nice.
"The course itself is surprising. While relatively flat, it has a mix of terrain and features that challenge even the best racers like the sand pit and the uphill 4x4s. At the same time it's not too intimidating, so many novices use Bobbers as their first real race experience, like I did a few years back. Coming through the patio each lap with your friends and family cheering makes it easier to get that last lap in."


"It's   not   too   intimidating,   so   many novices   use   Bobbers   as their   first   real   race experience."

"Last but not least are the folks who make the race happen every year.  Geoff's Bike and Ski staff are great folks.  Their kid's race with lots of candy is a family favorite.  Who else has some sort of goofy race like tandem skis? Those features plus the end-of-the-day raffle drawing make it better than any other race day.  Their logo is 'the best little cross race in Johnson County,' and I don't disagree."
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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photo by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
Again, two very different races, but with another common thread: lately both have been lightening rods for bad weather. As Bethea recalled, "My biggest memory of Creekside is that it is usually the coldest cross race not called Frosty Cross."
Floods ended any hope of racing Bobbers Cross last year, instead leading to two days of muddy racing at Creekside. In years past Bobbers has been muddly as well. Race either or both, but be prepared.
"Bobbers was my first cross race ever," said Olivia Croskey of Johnson County Flyers. "It was pouring rain and muddy as hell. Everyone said, 'this is ‘cross.' I was thinking, whaaaa??? It was so hard! I came in last and I hate/loved it. But here we are, season three of cyclocross, and I think it is probably the race I am most excited about doing!"
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The weather forecasts look good so far, unless we get a lot of snow Thursday. Keep an eye on them here:
Creekside Cross 10-day forecast
Bobbers Cross 10-day forecast

Wait . . .   No   Masters   Women ? ! ? !

This year Creekside Cross and Bobbers Cross became the second and third races in the Iowa Cyclocross Series to drop Masters Women from their race schedules. (Dirty Wooden Shoe quit offering Masters Women races in 2016.)
This is especially unfortunate as Masters Women have had a great year in Iowa so far, even outnumbering Women 1/2/3 at most races. Rather than ignore that momentum, the IACX Series should embrace and reflect it.
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photo by CRANDIC Racing
Growing the sport we love means making spaces for others who love it too. Beyond any argument about numbers or fairness, remember that in addition to the women already racing Masters, over half of Iowa's 1/2/3s and many 4/5s are age 35 or above. In years to come the option to race Masters may be key to keeping those women in the sport.
I'm a 55-year-old man. Ask me how I know.​
​​
​-John Stonebarger, CRANDIC Racing Club

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So   Fun   It's   Frightening

10/21/2019

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“Spooky Cross stood out from all the other races last year," said Luke Arens of Corridor Devo. "It was a fun, warm, and fast race. I loved the long off-camber early in the race because usually races don’t have challenging off-cambers like that.” 
“Last year was my first year but definitely not my last time racing Spooky Cross. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun race that will help you grow your skill but also is not impossibly hard.”
​Another relative newcomer, Kimberly Breuer of Waterloo, agreed: "My first cyclocross race was actually Spooky Cross two years ago! I had never raced anything before, I don't know a lot about bikes, and my back wheel came off in the practice lap. I still had enough fun that I came back again."
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photos by Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com/)
Last year, when Spooky moved to its new venue Altoona Campus, Kimberly was not disappointed. "The venue and atmosphere of this race are both really spectator- and beginner-friendly. The course has a nice variety of terrain with flat sections, long uphills, wide open sections, and some weaving through a wooded area. ​
"There was a more challenging part of the course that had an off-camber dirt section that turned immediately into a steep hill. I fell off my bike on that section, somehow landed on my feet, and someone yelled 'great dismount!'
"I did not dress up or race the Costume Race, but I had a blast watching it. Some guy pulled a beer trailer behind his bike on the course, which was great."
This second year at Altoona Campus will build on the success of 2018. "Last year was a bit of a scramble to get things in place and a course put together," said Race Director Justin Guiter.  "This year we were able to get the course mowed in a lot earlier, which was great to do get some laps with a mower. From the feedback we received we decided to keep a lot of the same course with some slight changes for Saturday and Sunday. ​
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"We added 'Cooper's Climb,'  a short punchy climb through an eerie tree section. You may recall 'Gopher Hole Hill' from last year. We added that in following 'Cooper's Climb,' but not to worry, we tamed it down a bit."
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Some plans for the course are still up in the air for now. "On Friday we learned road construction would close the north (main) entrance to the Altoona Campus for about two weeks," explained Guiter. "All the traffic to the Campus would be routed to the west entrance. That was a bit problematic as we used the west entrance road as part of the course. We had to get a little creative with the course design and change up a few things from last year, including the installation of a bridge across the creek that dissects the course.
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"As of now we have three courses in the books. The road construction is moving quickly and hopeful the north entrance of the Altoona Campus will be open for the race weekend. But if it is not, we have our plan in place."
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That infamous off-camber-to-climb section from Saturday last year? It'll be back. ​"The run-up from Saturday will be more of a true run up than last year. It will be a definite challenge to ride this year. I'm excited to see if anyone can."​
Spooky Cross is next weekend, October 26 & 27, at the Altoona Campus. That's just over an hour and a half from Iowa City, about two from Cedar Rapids. Registration is at USA Cycling.
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Spooky Cross is a fundraiser for JDRF.

Nothing   Says   Cyclocross   like   a   Halloween   Costume

Save some energy if you race Saturday morning, or get a good warm up if you race later, because at 1:30 Saturday it's game on for the third annual Spooky Cross Costume Race.
"The Costume Race will have the same format as last year with a shortened course and two laps," explained Guiter. "There are three criteria our judges will be looking at in crowning the winner:  1) Your finishing position in the race,  2) Your costume, and 3) Theatrics (your character). 
"This will be the third year of the Costume Race and I'm anxious to see if our returning two-time winner will take it again this year. I'm not sure on the algorithm the judges have for determining the winner, but I'm sure it's quite complex." 
BIKEIOWA's Jason Scholbrock offered some advice for newcomers to the Costume Race: "Make it fun, make it clever (see Vance Fletcher last year), and make certain you can ride your bike in it.
"Josh Rice from Lincoln won the first two Costume Races and rightfully so... in 2018 he rode a cargo bike disguised as a beer truck a la Smokey and the Bandit, complete with a hefty stash of cold Busch Lights which were consumed on the steep run-up. 
"Oh, and I am very much looking forward to it. The Costume Race is the highlight of every Iowa cyclocross season!" 
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Plenty   New   at   The   Grand

10/10/2019

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photos courtesy of Angy Snoop (angysnoop.smugmug.com)
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"The Grand is a great race," said Scott Shelman of Sugar Bottom Bikes. "It was my favorite course last year.
"It’s not your typical open field grass course, with its almost single track feel through the wooded area, and not as much sand as you would think for being at a sand volleyball place.
​"It’s a good mix of power and bike handling, with lots of acceleration areas in the twistys and a few long straight power sections on the opposite side."

Challenging   but   not   scary

"I have only done a few cyclo-cross races," said Angy Snoop, "and The Grand was a perfect beginner course: pretty flat and not too technical.​"
"I'm a big wuss and fear anything but flat riding, but this course had enough to keep it challenging -- a board on the uphill to ride over, short up/down hills to the levy, sand pit, long start/finish straight stretch -- and not scare me away from trying.
​"The sand was intimidating, but I was determined to try my best and ride it.  I didn't succeed every time, but I was proud of trying and making it.
​​"The tight corners were tough to manage, but I wasn't going fast to begin with, so it didn't slow me down like it may have faster riders.
"The Grand is also great for spectators as it's in a small area so they can see you all over the place!"
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So   What's   new   this   year?

This will be the third edition of The Grand, but the first presented by the Phoenix Syndicate. Race Director James Armstead explained: "We are a whole new team this year all from different groups and different experiences. We are really excited about this group coming together to make something really awesome this year. We aren't trying to reinvent the wheel, but we found some new great partners to work with who really want to support the community and grow their brands!
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It turns out there is plenty new about the race this year. "There has been some great work going on within the local Juniors scene, and we wanted to do our part. To help grow the next generation of racers as much as we can, we created the Garmen Partners Junior Fund, which will allow anyone racing in our Junior races to race for free.
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"Stealing a page from Trek Cup, we are going go try and have a decent party area for people to hang out and experience cyclocross even if they aren't racing. We will have free beer, music, and of course awesome cyclocross.
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"The venue is going to be better than ever this year. We've been out at the course the last few months making sure we can create the best course ever  this year and we will be changing a few of the staple features to allow us to grow and expand the course in a different way. Expect a little more sand, a bit more of a flowy course, and maybe a new opportunity to get off your bike ;).

Expect   a   little   more   sand,   a   bit   more   of   a   flowy   course,   and   maybe   a   new   opportunity   to   get   off   your   bike.

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"The changes to the course will also allow us to open up the middle part where the food trucks were last year. We are going to have a few teams have tents there, some food, music, and will hopefully create a really awesome community compound for everyone to come together and have a great time together. 
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"We are working through ideas for how the course will change day to day, although we aren't 100% sure we are going to "just flip the course" this year. Nothing is off the table!"
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Womens'   clinic   Friday   evening

To start out the weekend of racing the Phoenix Syndicate is offering a free women's clinic Friday afternoon. "This idea came out of conversations with people while I was on the BikeIowa team," explained Armstead. "We just never got around to coordinating it all. One of the Phoenix Syndicate's foundations was to make sure we had 30% of our team be women at all times, and with that more and more of our focus has been around how to grow that group and ensure women have a safe place to come learn and experience the sport of cycling.
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"The clinic will be a general walk through the course for anyone who is entirely new and wants to ensure they can ride/run all of the obstacles without getting hurt, or even for those who haven't raced in a few years who just want to have a quick look at the course while getting back into it all. Hopefully we see a good turnout!​"
The Grand is Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20 at The Sands Volleyball Club in Des Moines. Registration is on BikeReg.com.
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