Venue

Venues come and go.  Races, practice spots, secret rendezvous.   clinics. 

Fitness,  legs, drive, motivation falters at times.

Personalities, the souls of the sport, move on, move away, retire, die.

I can't will my bike onward, when chain suck has set in.  That my pedal has failed.
I can only run to the pit, when my tire is rolled off the rim.  and despite how tough I am, my seized up leg cramp,  I just can't pedal anymore.

This year there is no clinic at Belmont Plateau.  This is not a rant about how its wrong, or stupid that it is not happening there.   Its not like that,  not at all.   Its not a right or wrong thing.
as much as I want things,  my wants don't make it happen,  despite my sincerity, the depth of love of this sport that is in my soul.

I'd like to see the UCI CX season start off  Sunday September 8th. @ Granogue.   A one day race.  Full on, attracting the top names of cx to a plot of land just outside of Wilmington DE.   Granogue with The Best Damn Lil' Belgians Race,  75 cat 4 women in the grid.   I'd like to feel awe and admiration of watching the skill, speed, and talent of the Elites.

and Saturday Sept. 7th, would be a National day of CX clinics,  around the US.  and , I'd drive to Granogue, spend the day learning.  Meeting and mingling with the pros, checking out new bikes, treads.  Taste a good beer,  maybe a lap or two of pre-riding the course.   Feeling those pre-season jitters, pre-Granogue jitters.  and I'd pay a fee, that would go to a good cause.

What makes me strong, is my desire, to challenge,  to concede, to make friends with foes, to ride at the front sometimes, and say, make a small hand gesture, "right here, through the brush".

We did not lose Belmont Plateau.   Just because a cross clinic is not able to happen this year.
I understand why It can't happen.   I support cancelling it.  Not allowing it. 
my common sense, it's says to me "this is a public park, with rules, and obligations, of safety, sharing, and maintaining its beauty".   I, like all others need to respect and follow these rules.

I am surprised at how fast things have moved forward, in CX here in phila.  We went from an unorganized underground, word of mouth brother/sisterhood,  to a...

...that in one short month, how much we moved forward, with soon a legit practice spot in the park.  
I have a feeling, and hope, that a clinic will be back, that grass track will reappear on Monday nights.

We have to educate, explain and show what the needs of our sport are.   We need to earn trust.  We need to protect the land.  To not leave a mark.   Cyclocross is strange. 

I remember a couple of years back.  A very cold, wet Beacon CX race.   Riding my hardest with numb, blocks of wood feet.  of trying to shift with mannequin hands.  Sitting in a car wrapped in a towel,  afterwards, shaking for a long period of time.   and I loved it.

I don't know what's up the road, how all this will work out,  but moments change, and I'll be riding into them.

Cheers and thanks to all,  dlowe.

"Cheers!"

one of the first cx race photos I took,  I stayed late hanging out at Granogue, wondered up to the top of the hill to say thanks and good-bye.   Used Dennis Smith's camera and got a picture.