Patrick Croasdaile

Link: https://vimeo.com/187608600

Cascade Locks Cross Crusade, wow!

A great venue, epic weather, plenty of beverage to go around, and the best
company anyone (in bike racing) could ask for.

Like a lot of y’all, I’m not from these parts. In spite of that, for the
past 6 years I’ve done my utmost to get to know the region, and in the
process, get away from inner PDX as much as possible (it helps that I’ve
been adopted by some native Oregonians). In the expanded historical sense,
none of this land was ours, and most of us aren’t really ‘native’.

Fun fact: the Columbia River Gorge is the oldest and most continuously
inhabited region in the Western Hemisphere (specifically Celilo Falls).
Think about that, when our government installed the dams, and Celilo Falls
went quiet in 1957, we muted the roar of civilization that had gathered
ceremoniously to fish, make peace, and trade for over 15,000 years.

Looking further west from there, before the dams flooded the gorge, before
steamers utilized its navigational locks, what we now call the city of
Cascade Locks was inhabited by the Cascade Chinook people.

Much has changed since then. Western expansion and a series of treaties
removed these people from their homeland. Locks and steamers facilitated
industry on the river, and eventually the dams removed the many rapids (and
periodic flooding) along the Columbia.

I try to be mindful of where things were once, and where they are now.

One of my favorite parts of this season, so far, is that we have restored
an old-school approach to the Crusade while simultaneously bringing new
blood into the fold.

As a Crusade venue, Cascade Locks is only two years old, but for me it’s
already a classic. There’s something magical about wispy clouds tucked in
amongst the sheer cliffs and peaks of the Gorge. On top of that, the area’s
rich history adds an atmosphere that’s hard to match. And then there’s the
weather (this year at least). I couldn’t think of more iconic NW conditions
in which to race, nor such a special venue to document it all.

I hope you enjoy this (longer) edit, and I’ll see you at the races!

best,

Patrick

p.s.

Hats off to Kevin Dickson, really liked your edit from this week!