The theme of the summer around here boiled down to this: how do we bring the fun back to cyclocross? After a few months of hand-wringing, I’ve learned from your messages and emails that many of you never lost it. But I’m greedy and want that energy to help lure back everyone who once toed the line of a cyclocross race and has moved on to other pursuits. I want the sport at the grassroots level to be rediscovered, to create ‘second wave cyclocross.’ Those of you who never left, who continue to embody the evil spirit of cyclocross, you are our role models and our beacons in this quest to reclaim the joyous ridiculousness thinly veiled by a muddy veneer of seriousness.
As a constituent of the no-longer-racing-cyclocross contingent, I am going to try my best to rejoin the fray. To find that hint of fun in what can easily devolve into an overly serious obsession. I want to take a little from column A and a little from column B. We can take the racing seriously and still have some fun on the way. That’s the central idea, and it reminds me of one of the many unfinished photo books I’ve started: “Serious Belgian Men in Silly Hats.” It’s the duality of sport (the Jungian thing)1.
In a fortuitous bout of kismet, two recent podcasts (one I hosted and the other I produced) helped get me excited for the fun and challenges of the upcoming season.
For Cyclocross Radio, I chatted with Chad Cheeney who is the co-founder of Durango Devo and the cycling coach at Fort Lewis College. Chad’s main goal for his development team, and his coaching, is to have fun while challenging yourself to try hard things and be adventurous. From improvisational practice sessions to hosting a short track biathlon and backyard tracklocross races, Chad’s ethos is addictive and inspirational.
And over on Groadio, Wide Angle Podium’s gravel racing podcast, Amanda chatted with Dave Pryor, the promoter who organized the legendary Philadelphia Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships and the final two editions of Bilenky Junkyard Cross. Dave is another guy whose ethos is built on having fun and delivering challenging courses. The episode is focused on the story behind the cancellation of the 2026 Pennsylvania Grinduro and the ever-changing nature of organizing large cycling events, but Dave also tells some great stories about Junkyard Cross and Single-Speed Worlds that motivated me to re-up my Vimeo subscription so that my 2011 Bicycle Film Festival entry is once again viewable.
You can listen to the Groadio ep on the Wide Angle Podium site. It’s also available on all podcast apps and here:
And here is my Bilenky Junkyard Cross video, that Dave mentions at the end of the episode, for those who may not have been following CXHAIRS 15 years ago.
I was going to link the Full Metal Jacket scene I’m referencing, here, “You write Born to Kill on your helmet and you wear a peace button?”, but it may not be appropriate for all readers. Search for Full Metal Jacket and peace button. You’ll find it. OR just watch the movie. May be my favorite Kubrick. The first half performance by R. Lee Ermey invents an entire drill sergeant archetype that has become the default mode for the role.
Its almost Cross Time