Disclaimer: Cross is for crazies. I like having an off-season. A lot.

So, Boulder cyclists love cross. Save the hotbeds on the northern parts of both coasts we’ve got about as many nuts as anywhere else. By mid-July people are already talking about getting out the cross bike (an issue that goes hand in hand with a local racing schedule that starts when you’re more likely to have snow than sun). The best thing about all this is the Wednesday AM cross ride. Getting going for an 8am start at the downtown Amante is a struggle for me but apparently not for most. There were probably 80-90 people out there today - and I guess that’s normal these days.

A pretty prompt roll out a few minutes past the hour and we head to one of the city parks for the first “race”. The ride leader (in a state of limbo apparently - email Pete@imba.com if you want to take over “responsibility”) designs a quick course, we all do a slow lap to get it down and then everybody lines up across a field and preps for the charge to turn 1. God help any poor pedestrian out walking their dog when they look up and see us heading straight at ‘em with a cloud of dust behind (we’re actually pretty considerate and give people a bit of a heads up). 20 minutes or so later the race is over, we all regroup and then head to park 2 for another dig. Some of the people who actually have jobs and can’t put off going in until a bit later head home after race 1 but there was still a solid 50+ rider group at the second session this morning. Impressive - or a bit telling about Boulder. Regardless, I’m home by 11 and done for the day…not bad. Except for those damn standing starts I have to do this afternoon…ugh…10.3 days to go.