A common sight at Barton Park
Do you like gravel pits? Well, you should race at Barton Park! Located about 20 miles southeast of Portland, this is one of the best courses for cross, if you can keep your tires inflated.
Thanks to the sharp and abundant rocks on the course, flatting is a common occurrence throughout the day. For those that don’t keep spare wheels in the pit area, it can mean the end to your race pretty quickly. Luckily, Shimano provides neutral wheels for those that find themselves with a flat, which is pretty great when you’re out there having a good time.
The weather on Sunday looked like it was going to be pretty nasty, but wouldn’t you know it, it was almost summer-like. The clouds rolled over and the temperatures hit a pretty warm 70 degrees. Our rain dances were for nothing it would seem.
Embrace the mud!
But! The mud was pretty great. The course contained a number of thick spots, as well as some really deep puddles. On the backside of the course, directly after a series of three barriers, a foot-deep puddle forced riders to commit to getting dirty. No one escaped this race with a dry rear end, or face full of mud. Come to think of it, I think there’s still some mud lodged in my ears.
The 2.1 mile course is mostly flat, which makes for a really fast race. Two steep run-ups tested the endurance of everyone, even the fastest racers like our own Shannon Skerritt. Overall, the speeds were high throughout the day, and it made for great spectating.
Fast pace, furious pedaling, mud all up over your face.
With Barton Park come and gone, we’re now looking down the barrel of two remaining races. Those with points are focused, while the rest of us are just happy to get muddy, heckle our friends, and enjoy the fall weather in Oregon.
Will we see you at Hillsboro this Sunday?
More photos can be seen at our Flickr page.
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Brenna kicked ass at Barton.