2018 Turkey Trot Cross: Race of the Falling Leaves

Once again Thanksgiving weekend saw the annual Turkey Trot Cross return to Verdugo Park in Glendale on Sunday. I think the first time I came to Verdugo to cover the Turkey Trot Cross I likened it to a circus, as the action, the colors, the sounds swirled all around me and where ever I looked. While the comparison may be as apt today as it was then it became time to move on to something new, something more classic in nature. After all, why can't southern California have a race of the falling leaves and, of all the venues on the SoCal Prestige Series tour, Verdugo Park with its massive, and majestic, Sycamores, Oaks and Redwoods, may be the most appropriate reflection of the name.

Naturally enough, leaves were not the only things dropping. The proverbial flag dropped at the start of each race, the sun dropped lower in the sky, hands dropped to brakes on some of those steep-pitched descents, riders got dropped left and right by whoever was in front at the time, some even dropped to the ground, big old piece-of-pie-hats dropped from heads and were then devoured by hungry podium finishers who did not quite make it over to the street taco grill in time to slake that grumble in their bellies.

Perennially, it seems, Turkey Trot Cross is the most popular race on the calendar, from a spectating standpoint, if not also from the vantage of the racers themselves. There seems to be more hooting and hollering, more heckling, more hand-ups (pumpkin pie, naturally, being on the menu this weekend), more people speeding or struggling around the course at any given time. Part of that may be Verdugo Park's central location, its proximity to The City, adjacent residential neighborhoods, and curled around a popular and much used weekend bike route. Part may be its location on the calendar, at a time when everyone already has "party" on the mind. 

Anyway... What a fun day:

crowded house

Mr. Robert Paganini

awaiting the start of kiddie cross

Mike had his hands full

spectators watch in awe as first place in the push bike race clears the first set of hurdles

you know the story here

Diana S. dives into that turn around those big ol' sycamore trees

Bummed not to get a single respectable shot of McKenzie Melcher -

she had a hella good race, all the way to 1st place

Molly Cameron / Brandon Gritters

Greg G., clear of that dusty alley begins to weave around the trees

Nic Beechan (Trek Test Team) Men's Elite A winner

Brandon Gritters, 3rd Men's Elite A

A trio of SWAT's lead out the women's single speed race