Bike Gallery mud lovers wrap up another successful cyclocross season.

The Bike Gallery employee team - made up of Bike Gallery staffers and their families - just wrapped up another great cyclocross season. This year's cross season started out with a dry and sunny spell through mid November, resulting in races held in exceptionally balmy conditions, but ultimately Oregon fall weather kicked in full force and racers got the rain and mud that they had been craving for all season.

This year, Bike Gallery staffers could be seen racing their bikes in almost every category, from the Juniors to the 50-plussers, from the Clydesdale to the Singlespeed classes, and from the Beginners to the big dogs in the Cat A Men and Women. And like the last couple years, the strong contingent of cross fanatics at our Hollywood store yielded another set of podium finishers.

Pete Zlatnik - Hollywood Service Manager - took third place overall in the heavily contested Singlespeed category of the prestigious Cross Crusade Series. Hollywood Assistant Manager - and perennial Portland cyclocross phenomenon - Shannon Skerritt topped it off by winning the overall Cross Crusade title in the Men Cat A. Yep, at age 36, Shannon is still "numero uno" around here!

But in cyclocross, the podium shots tell only a small part of the picture. More than a dozen "minor gods" among our staff came out every week to have fun on their bikes while racing against their buddies. Our trophy for the most committed team member goes without doubt to Julian Roden, the 11-year old son of Beaverton sales staffer Eric Roden.

Throughout the season, Julian defended the Bike Gallery colors in the Junior Men category, and finished 3rd in the District Championships held at Hillsboro Stadium in freezing rain and knee-deep mud. Now there is a role model for all us winter riders!

On a very sad note, the 2007 season will also be remembered as the last season during which we enjoyed the presence in our team of late Hollywood sale staffer Brett Jarolimek. On October 22 - just one day after he scored his best cyclocross result ever, taking 3rd place in the Cross Crusade race at Rainier High School - Brett was killed in a traffic collision in North Portland.

Brett will be remembered as one of our most passionate and talented cross and mountain bike racers. His warm smile and gentle demeanor always accompanied him, on and off the course. We miss and love him much, and for that we'll keep on racing. Here is to a great 2008 season!

Photos courtesy of David Anderson, Tyrone Long, Canis Studio and VeloPhoto.