is always exciting with the cyclocross season in full swing and special events demanding our attention. This past weekend was the Cyclocross Single Speed World Championships (cxsswc ) at Portland International Raceway and it did not disappoint. Team Portland Bicycle Tours – We brought the tour bus (witch happens to be the best cyclocross station imaginable) and rolled in early to set up our pop-up training station. Everyone raced well in the morning, and we continued the day watching the other racers beat away at the course as we waited for the championship. Steady showers for a few days leading up to the races, the course was peanut-butter mud. The rain held off for the morning races but started up about 1 pm and continued to drizzle all night. Yakima brought a huge geodesic dome dubbed “the thunder dome” and there was even a Black Sabbath cover band rocking the night.

The course got re-directed to run through the dome and we cheered from the sidelines with raincoats and home brews in hand. After the final race, there was a the final event in a week long bout between the two cities of Seattle and San Francisco to see who would get to host next years CXSSWC.

After  a debate night, waiting to see who the woman’s winner of the championship’s choice city was, and a 5 round mud wrestling gladiator competition. It was decided that Seattle would host next years event. With all the costumes, debauchery, and wild antics going on, I could not help but think about how bizarre this would all seem to a visitor from another land, who might not understand the history and context of such an occasion.