tony

Friends,We'll be wrapping up another killer series on Wednesday- it looks like the rain fairies are going to deliver the only thing this season has been missing. Everything changes in the mud, and points are tight for the coveted Castelli leaders jerseys and Cross Crusade call ups! A few notes for this week: The Castelli caps are in! Series pass holders can pick up the goods at registration. If you can't make it, catch us on the email machine. We will have a few extras for sale at $15, but supplies are WAY limited. Sparkle Night will be in full effect! Dust of those sequins and bring the dazzle! Ladies? Bros? Chillin's? Staff? Everyone is invited to let the glitter shine like a 1990 all night Ibiza dance party.
Make the podium? Hit the 21st Ave tent after your race to be showered in fame and prizes.
We'll be adopting a few turns from the Cross Crusade course this weekend, get the terrain and lines sorted for the big show! Fortunately, Moms didn't have to bring the pain to anyone blocking traffic in the neighborhood. She did have to diffuse a couple grumpy neighbors, so lets work together to keep the impact mellow and be diplomats on the bikes. On the positive tip, our daters are TIDY. My "morning after" venue sweeps typically turn up a few cones we missed during teardown, a random extension cord, and some garbage that is obviously not ours. Well, unless you guys are smoking marlboros and sneaking in corndogs. Blind Daters love Alpenrose as much as we do, and it shows. So, THANK YOU. Which leads me to the THANK YOU'S!This event has a lot of moving parts, and without a ton of help and guidance we never would have been able to pull it off. Thanks to:*the family at ALPENROSE DAIRY! Oregon cycling will be forever in your debt. *Our hard working OBRA officials that have been putting in the extra effort (and occasionally looking the other way) for eight awesome seasons to help us do it in the dark. *21st Ave Bicycles has been making dating awesome for years. Financially, technically, emotionally, you name it, the shop has been there making our event special. Fixing flats, swapping pedals, heckling, and running fog machines. *We'd be just faking it without the fresh gear from Castelli Cycling. Seriously, a leaders jersey for a weekly series? SO PRO! And the caps are BONKERS. It doesn't get any more legit than Italy to Portland. *After a few clumsy years helping get this project rolling, Josh the Vegan Caterer shifted from making sure the generators didn't catch fire to making sure we had something tasty to eat. Seasoned locals may catch his cameo as Cross Crusade parking director; the man wears many hats, many tattoos, and he's been with us since the beginning. Thanks, Josh. *Our friends at STUMPTOWN COFFEE have brought the refreshments since the get go, too. Through shifts in the company their core stays the same, awesome coffee. The chocolate cold brew? GAME OVER. *Honey Stinger stepped up this year to provide us with treats after our little hornet attack, showing they are both good sports and cranking out some delicious nutrition. *And thank you David Hart, steady crew Mike, Allison, Justin, Wes, and the folks that dipped in to help the rush. Some of you may recall our dark days of disorganization and drastic under-staffing. David takes time out of his many responsibilities in local cycling to keep our reg booth afloat. *ISLABIKES! The kids race was off the hook this year, and Islabikes and crew have put the work in to make it super fun and positive. They will be running the show at our other little project called the Cross Crusade and helping to keep kids fired up about bikes.
*High fives to long time supporters, the Athlete's Lounge and the Lazy T's for bringing our social media efforts into the new millennium. Joe and I can barely operate touchscreen phones, let alone facestagram. Having you kids help prove that this really happens to the internet world is HUGE.
Last but not least, We've had some serious "hands dirty" type help this year from the whole dang 21st ave/swift racing crew, GOLD MEDAL VIP LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD DATER MR. RON STRASSER, Brad from Metropolis Cycles, Mr. Jim Graves, and Staff members Joe Reynolds and James Ceccorulli. So, maybe you kicked a cone upright, banged in a stake with a rock, or tied some tape back up. Perhaps you clocked in at Dave's registration madhouse. Every bit helps keep this thing running and makes it a little bit more likely that I can jump in bibs and clicky shoes and get in some laps. Thanks to you, too. Never has it been more appropriate to say...Eight more years! -Tony and Joe