2015 Anza Crossing

If the FBI, or the CIA, or the Department of Homeland Security, or the Mossad, or even some local coppers were to pick you up off the street (for no good reason), run you through a series of torturous sessions and then, to make matters worse, charge you for the privilege, you would sue, am I right? You would call up the ACLU and claim "cruel and unusual punishment". So why do the organizers of cyclocross races get let off the hook?

Because you are having fun?

Are you?

This may not have been the first time SoCal Cross has visited the Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park, in Riverside, but it was the first time I had ever been to the hillside above the Santa Ana River and, right off, I could see why they chose to come back here. The hillside allowed them to inflict all kinds of personal suffering. The sand, the barriers, the gopher holes, they were the proverbial icing on the cake. The real substance, the bamboo under the fingernails, was that hillside; no matter how much speed you might manage to pick up heading down the grassy slope, you were guaranteed to loose all your momentum in the turn at the bottom. The turn that swung you right back up the hill. I have to admit, that stuff was great from my perspective - the straining muscles, the grimaced faces, the curses, the heckles from those around me, the sound from frames ready to break in half, all that made for some terrific viewing. Because of that, because I want to watch again next weekend, or two, don't look this way for assistance in finding a good lawyer.

Congratulations to Ron Lawson, victor in the First Timers race, Brody McDonald (Jr. Boys 15-18), Tydeman Newman (Jr. Boys 9-14), Kylyn McDonald (Jr. Girls 15-18), Ashley Lopez (Jr. Girls 9-14), Nolan Allinson (Youth Boys 6-9), Sofia Lawson (Youth Girls 6-9), Carey Downs (Masters Men 55+), Dean Ferrandini (Masters Men 65+), AJ Sura (Masters Women 35+/45+/55+ CX 1-4), Daniel Perez (Masters Men 35+ CX 4-5), Victor Avila (Men C), Adam Roberts (Masters Men 35+ B), Bill Harris (Masters Men 45+ B), Nicole Brandt (Elite Women).

All right then, the Flickr album contains one hundred eleven photos, much like the ones shown here, representative of the seven times that number taken during the day. If you don't see what, or who, you were looking for in the album, let me know and I will see what I can find. If you see a photo you like, feel free to download it (credit where credit due, of course). You can also contact me via email and I will gladly send a full size jpeg file of the image. As usual, I don't charge for photos, but do appreciate it when someone purchases a copy of the annual (link at top of page). Until next time, good riding.