Sports Cyclocross - 2019 season

KillRamsey

Hall of Famer
Location
Hood River, OR
Name
Kyle
A place to put shots from the (now underway) 2019 cyclocross race season. Wife and I are both racing this year (last year she was preggers), as is our 10 yr old as an official Juniors numbered / scored racer, for the first time ever. No more "kiddie cross" for her, going in little circles. Now they throw her at the full adult course for half an hour.

Some shots from this past weekend on a farm in Dayton, OR.

Yours truly, pre-race. Photo by daughter.
48826644623_4d820948ee_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY5819P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Wife caught me goofing off for the teammates in the tent as I rode past.
48826644298_ea1fe92838_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY5841P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

The infamus Shoe Stealing Mud Bog! Most people rode it fine, although it got deep and slippery in spots, so there were very few crashes or missing shoes this time. Hit it fast and stay straight...
48827191947_4a22a2be4e_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX6950 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Teammate trucking past
48826659058_c215d7d46a_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7009P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

48827190642_12017ec193_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY5936p by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Daughter survived the bog
48827041066_f2b5cbc393_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7030P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

She also survived the "run up," which was pretty hairy for little kids!
48826665353_28f1d273f4_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY6065 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
 
Another weekend, another race. This was the second of two race days, where they pretty much just reverse the course direction on Sunday. Many people do both days, and a fair number do 2 or even 3 races Each Day… which is nuts. I did my 1 race on Sunday, I tried much harder than usual, and I was a little sore Monday.

I took both bodies and a total of 4 lenses. I didn’t really ever “click” into a groove, and I don’t think I created any Art, but I got shots. And a lot of those moments mean something to me, but I’m aiming for Art, dangit.

I wasn’t able to say to the wife “hey use THIS camera (xe3, 35 f1.4, s.s. set at 1/1000, everything else on auto) while I’m racing, it’s set up for you,” and so she grabbed the other one (xt1, rokinon 12mm manual focus). She did ok, but that’s a wiiiiiide lens. Me, on my way to decent finish (16/57):


48870928012_1a40103792_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7546P by gordopuggy, on Flickr


Teammates. Well, one actual, and one who races for “the other team in town” but who only hangs out with us. He likes to pretend he’s not on our team, but we all know the truth.

48870208998_0baf3d2e5d_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7557P by gordopuggy, on Flickr


This was fun. The kids like to “hand up” food to racers as they go by, or try for high fives. The guy coming is The Black Knight, a character that slips into races midway through, and if you can tag him on the back, he gives you a playing card that can be redeemed for prizes. This 1-2 was caught with the XT1 and rokinon 12, about 2 seconds (?) apart.

48870928087_a4f259c05e_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7569 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

I got the timing right!

48870733791_0e9af422e3_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7570P by gordopuggy, on Flickr


Daughter remounting after carrying her bike over the barriers. And a proper flying remount, too – jumping up onto the saddle from behind while the bike is rolling.

48870950797_2081b113ca_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7602P by gordopuggy, on Flickr


Personal favorite shot, maybe because the teammate in it is also a friend, and my boss’s boss. This is the kind of town where your boss and your dentist are both racing cyclocross with you.

48870756841_fe5575d9e1_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY7226P by gordopuggy, on Flickr


Kim, on her way to winning her very difficult category. Saturday she got 2nd in it.

48870231338_acf6244170_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY7269 by gordopuggy, on Flickr


Wife – flying mount after barriers, on her way to winning her category by almost a full minute as well. Daughter cheering her on from the left side.

48870230818_fc1b604dbe_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX7847 by gordopuggy, on Flickr


Our best friends here in town have been wanting to try this out. He did 1 race last year, loved it, found a used bike. She and I split a used bike, she rides it to work everyday and has come to team practices. Sunday was her first actual race. She was so nervous, but she made it through in one piece. Family hug at the finish line…

48870762011_85dc9f8ccf_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX8179P by gordopuggy, on Flickr


Like I said, no Art, but moments I care about. Gotta go back to races where I shot well, look at the pics and the gear selection, get back into the right head space before this coming Sunday.
 
This weekend's race was the one that's closest to home for us (our team), so we reliably have a ton of folks show up who are rare. Last year for this race we got hail and lightning, so the womens' main category race got canceled. Dry yesterday, and sometimes even warm.

I made pictures I liked a lot better this weekend. Not to self: XE3 + 35, and XT1 + 50-230. Throw the 23 OR the rokinon in the bag for something wider, but not both. This works.

The wife got me approaching the big run-up in the woods on my second lap, when I'd figured out that just aiming for the less-crowded right lane was faster. I passed a good chunk of people doing this during the race. That little spec suffering on the bottom right is me.
48899675056_854b417cd2_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY7599P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

The 35 f1.4 is a magical lens. Never doubt it.
48899142518_2b409f81f0_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY7636P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Daughter managed to get in 3 laps on the full course!
48899673801_f22616db29_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX8299 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

A mountain biking kid showed up and won the 17-18 yr old Juniors category on a heavy full-suspension bike, because he was FAST, and culd jump / clear a lot of things we all had to get off and run over. Kid had skill.
48899140728_8f35ef3412_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX8321P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

There was sand. SO MUCH SAND.
48899672596_6245976a90_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY7867P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

And good socks.
48899872237_7a7613347c_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY7896P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

48899669096_64400c197b_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY7969P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

So much sand.
48899666031_dc8ac8b005_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX8525P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Wife destroyed a lot of people in the sand, and won her category again.
48899133108_4816dbbf96_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX8575P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Ok, the two shots I liked most, of these two ladies who keep coming in 1-2 in a VERY competitive category, Womens Masters 50+:
48899865367_68917cd2ba_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX8596P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

48899664756_a6240b489a_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRX8600P by gordopuggy, on Flickr
 
I watch the Global Cycling Network YT channel a lot. They talk a fair bit about the differences and similarities between cross and gravel bikes. Some of the top CX riders have mad skills. Blew my mind watching a cross rider bunny hop a 24 inch barrier without even slowing down. I tried bunny hopping a 4" tree branch on my 40 pound fat bike and nearly face planted myself. LOL ...
 
There was an entire folder on one of the sd cards I missed. Not too many shots on it, but some I'm really glad I got.

This a good one to pixel peep, for the performance of the XE3 and 23 f2 in a sporting setting.
48909545556_c8af740710_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY8010P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

The wife, post-race. The kids' faces in the background....
48909545431_06d11547e5_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY8018P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Weaponized dog butt. (Cyclocross is militantly Not Serious.)
48909544981_293831ddd1_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY8095P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

And a photo a friend got of me getting tangled up in a teammate's crash, with yet another of us running around the mess. I trusted he'd make the corner, so I rode close, and I paid for that when he went down and I had nowhere to go but into him. I wound up staying ahead of the guy on the ground, but could never quite reel in the guy running around us, finishing 1 place behind him, 10 seconds back.
48909749852_62e43b6384_b.jpg
Not my photo
by gordopuggy, on Flickr
 
FIrst of all, did I not post pics from the Halloween Weekend races in Bend?!

48986036763_134616d69b_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY9911 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

48986607696_1b4284ed40_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY9940 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

48986051953_13f41f6f44_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY0187 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

It was two days of racing - one dressed normally, and Sunday all over again in costumes. There were so many crashes, the course was risky as hell. I had a blast.
 
Second of all, I did not race this Sunday. Wife and daughter did, as always, but I had an odd mix of laziness and malaise about my recent shots. I haven't felt like I got anything really good in a few races. Maybe that's just an excuse to skip the hardest, most uphill course all year, but I took that excuse and opted to just photograph my butt off all day.

New approach: I decided against 2 bodies. I just brought the X-E3 this time, and that’s partly because I cannot figure out why all my XT1 pics are coming out with a pronounced magenta cast that I can’t seem to white balance away. I’ve been manually wb’ing for years now, yet this problem is suddenly upon me. I’m pretty stumped, will have to try Auto WB again (gasp) and see if it goes away.

Anywho, It was the XE3, mostly with the 23 f2 + XC 50-230. But I also brought the Rokinon 12 (barely used it) and the 56 (which got me some good shots). Weather was cold fog until about 11am, then warm and full sun. I liked a lot more of these shots than past weeks, so mission accomplished? I also felt lazy and guilty, so next weekend it’s back on.

FOG...
49019986282_775a31c9e6_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY0730 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49019986172_b6d5eccb12_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY0722 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49019794216_968d7cba5a_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY0797 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

NOT FOG:
49014666501_f2ebe5595f_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY0988P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49019273168_e21479e419_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY1043 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

How you're supposed to do it... Come railing in at the barriers full speed, swing over the bike for the last stretch, and fly off at the last second to run over them.
49019802111_b7008597e9_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY1300 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49019287023_e7da10bd7b_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY1558 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

The hills were so bad. And the little Juniors had to ride / walk them all.
49019803076_fcc11d4e2c_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY1191 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49019994922_8233f9efef_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY0811 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49019996467_9a163ef4ea_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY1132 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
 
Just 1 weekend race left after this. Yesterday was fun. I "sucked my chain," meaning the chain derailed off the front cogs and got wedged between the frame and front cog. It was so badly lodged I had to flip the bike over, shift the front derailleur to move it over, then pull HARD to get it dislodged, then thread it back on. I lost a solid 60 seconds, helpless as ~25 people I'd just worked hard to pass came streaming by me. I thought I'd just loaf (aka, pout) for the last 3 laps, but my pride wouldn't let me coast behind slower people for long. I clawed my way back to 21st out of ~50, vs the ~10th place I might have gotten otherwise. And still, I loved it.

49051849347_f0dc305faa_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY2160P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49051634826_797db0b715_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY2213P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49051633106_37e31d3ae8_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY2406P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49051632741_d0c0bbeb14_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY2439P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49051632541_2b7374c36b_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY2461P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49051845132_843545b762_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY2469P by gordopuggy, on Flickr

49051845062_2b2cb8b3c0_b.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
KBRY2472 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
 
Back
Top