What a great course and weekend. Of course I got home and realized I left my long sleeve fleece jersey by the start line. Black with hearts and stars on it. Let me know if you picked it up. Thanks!
Tipping Point Photography was out covering all races today!
I’ll update this blog post with links to albums as they’re uploaded. It will probably take me the better part of the week to get everything posted. Masters 35 is up now, and Masters 45/55 will be up very shortly.
Prints can be purchased, as well as digital files. Details in the post.
**A friendly reminder that I make a living doing this, and that swiping images and using them without paying for them will bring you bad racing karma. Thanks in advance for your respect and support!**
If anyone found a Crown Royal bag with miscellaneous camera-mount hardware please let me know. I think it may have fallen out of my bag at or around the southeast parking area.
I know the majority of people think 4/5 is a joke, and that’s fine, but I think that course alterations by spectators is not in good spirit.
The last uphill kicker on the hill got significantly steeper for the 4/5 race (the lower tape was moved up) and the Psimet crew took it upon themselves to get rid of all the sand lines for the first time of the day between the 4 & 4/5.
Incorrect but thanks for throwing me under the bus. I raked the lines before the 4’s. That had zero impact on the race. What had more impact was 80 of your best most qualified racing friends trouncing through the sand 3 times. Does a heck of a lot more than a rake does but I’m sure you didn’t think of that.
You pre-rode after or during the elite races where people consistently rode the same line. That doesn’t exactly happen in the 4’s or 4/5’s.
As for between the 4’s and 4/5 – neither I or anyone on my team touched a rake but of course you didn’t bother to figure that out before accusing all of us.
Listen – the 4’s and the 4/5’s isn’t a “joke” as you put it. Nor do people treat the 4’s or 4/5’s as a joke. Everyone was in fact cheering. Turns out though that when you dive into a sand pit with flailing riders in a tunnel of sound you just don’t ride as wel as you expected but by all means continue to complain about how somehow that 30 ft of course destroyed your entire racing experience that was miles in length for each of your laps.
Sick of getting blamed for other people’s actions and general misplaced anger at ones own shortcomings.
Rob, not sure why I indulge your over-exaggeration or pity party. You call it ‘raking the lines,’ I call ‘taking away the lines.’ Either way, we can all agree you were on a course of which you were neither hosting nor racing,
Nobody said it ruined a race, I simply said course tape is there for a reason, stay on your side of it.
I was referring to the hill modification and the gents laughing at us as we were crashing and landing on each other. I have no problem with resetting the sand lines.
I agree with Jim, sleeping in would be great. Okay in regards to the 4 & 4/5’s…sand raking or not to? Come on we have all raced in this category. I know that when I raced, sand raking and course alterations were part of racing in this category. We enjoy ALL the races and especially the last 2 categories! Nothing is done to harm any of the athletes and trust me if as spectators/racers we saw something malicious it would be fixed. This is done all in fun let’s just keep that spirit in mind as we race and spectate. See everyone at Melas
Ed you very specifically stated, “the Psimet crew took it upon themselves to get rid of all the sand lines for the first time of the day between the 4 & 4/5.”
1. This isn’t true. I personally raked BEFORE the 4’s race which achieved nothing in altering any of the course through there. About 30 people completely decimated the sand in between the 4 and 4/5 race. None were a part of the “PSIMET crew”
2. As you mention yourself nothing that was done by anyone affected the race or its outcome – yet I personally am the only person you call out.
My team deserves an apology from you for accusing them of doing what they didn’t do. Keep your high moral ground and do the right thing and apologize to them personally at the next race.
Anyone receive the white sunglasses I lost on my jog to the SRAM Neutral Support tent (guys, thanks again for the wheel – also, thanks for taking my sunglasses to the organizers!)?
Jon, see me at the announcing table on your way to the Box. I have a pair someone brought up to me too. I try to keep lenses out of the L&F box for a week or two….
I’d like to commend the Bonkers, Comade, and Spider Monkey guys I was riding with in the 4/5s on Sunday. The east side of course was absolutely destroyed and these guys kept it honest continuing to ride the course lines. Good on you, dudes.
What a fun course! Thanks all the folks involved in putting it on. Reading about stuff left at the start grid made me remember that I left my xXx vest at the start grid. If anyone picked it up, could you let me know? Otherwise I’ll check the lost and found.
SCW, thanks for doing and awesome job hosting this race at one of the best race venues off all CCC time. Many great memories on and off the course, even in the van,… in the parking lot during the rain out (maybe not what you think).
The two years of hosting the NYR , one of the more epic and star studded races ever to grace Chicagoland dirt.
Sorry to see it go, but excited to see what the Wheelmen have in store for us next season.
My hearty thanks!!
Steve and all the SCW folks, thanks again for another great two days of racing. Without question one of my favorite courses and venues outside of Sunrise ( but I’m a bit jaded on that…) Sorry to see this one going away. Looking forward to what you have in store for us next year. It will be difficult to top ILR.
There were a number of items that may match the descriptions above that did indeed find their way to the trailer. The lost and found box will be available at Melas. its never been more stuffed.
Always a good idea to get a sharpie too. Marking stuff up is pro.
This series is something special. Every course is my favorite. Every category is my favorite.
Great job by so many people that you’ll rarely see or hear from. What a culture we have/are cultivated(ing).
I salute the founders, the trailblazers, the set up artists (yes, artists), the bean counters, number crunchers, reg, marshalls, repair squads, NRS, scoring, enforcing, supporting, cajoling, heckling, grilling, and everybody else. Should also include the tent constructors and grill masters, and sometimes keg/slash wine bag tappers.
Get your rig dialed in now. New handlebar tape to give you good vibes. Replace what is worn. Now is not the time to end a season on a sour note due to a preventable breakdown. Thanks for the kind words to my wife, son, and me. Anytime we aren’t celebrating the riders and the fans, we are missing the point. The races are exciting all by themselves, I just remind you that they’re coming. Ride well. See you Sunday.
We did not shoot on Sunday, instead we spent the day hanging out with friends and teammates, viewing the races from our cliffside sandpit team tent. Fellow series sponsor and photographer extraordinaire Liz from Tipping Point Photography was out with her camera on Sunday so be sure to check out her photos as well.
I threw off a tie dye arm warmer somewhere in the final stretch back to the start finish. I’ll check the lost and found on Sunday but if anyone found it swing by the Cuttin Crew tent and receive hugs and snacks as a reward.
Thanks to SCW for a great race, especially Saturday’s course. I was forced to ride a few sections more than once in my warm up and never dialed some of them in correctly, which is to say the course was challenging. To create technical challenges within a very windy power hungry course is a credit to the course designers.
I heard some rumors that people were complaining that some sections of the course were ‘too hard to ride’ and not ‘flowy’. But to me this is the challenge of cyclocross. If every course is ‘fast and flowy and super fun’ you’re not learning anything. If you find a section that trips you up and disrupts your rhythm then that means the course designers have done something right. Consider not being able to ride something, or get it perfectly right the first time to be a challenge to your skills. Know that you’ll be a better rider after that race even if you never get it quite right. For more technical features try riding them more than once in your warm up lap, and if you still can’t ride them then know that you can get off your bike and run. One of the best lessons in cyclcross is knowing how to maintain your momentum through all sections whether you can ride them or not.
I commend SCW for putting forward a course that had sections that tripped me up on every lap. More of this please. Looking forward to Melas Park!
Agreed! I was a bit disappointed to see the lines dumbed down a bit on Sunday compared to Saturday. Two spots on the hill got much easier, and a bunch of lines through the infield got softened as well. Saturday’s course was money!
Agreed. I didn’t race Saturday, but did Sunday and I thought the course was super flowy. There were a few tech sections, but I didn’t see any sections that were so technical they were undoable whether riding or running. I agree with Maria, take a few laps and try different lines and see if you can get it right, if not get off and run. Look at some of the higher category riders and see how many laps they take. I make it a rule to always try for 3 full laps, 1 lap slow to survey the course, 1 lap a tad faster and 1 lap at race pace that way you get a feel for the course and the lines and won’t have surprises come race time. Courses need to cater to every category. There will be some courses where lower categories might not be able to ride sections that the higher categories can, but that’s part of racing. Look at any quality UCI course and you’ll see sections even some pros can’t ride. That’s the whole point, you should be pushed to your limits to some extent every race or you’ll never improve. If the course was set up so the most beginner rider could easily ride everything then there would be no challenge for riders of higher categories and the lower category riders would suffer in the long run by not gaining any skills. I thought this was the best version of ILR yet! Wish this wasn’t the last year.
The course on Saturday had some more challenging elements that were smoothed out on Sunday. I don’t fault SCW for that, I spoke with directly with Steve about it. Just expressing my desire in general for CCC course designers to push the envelope a bit and challenge riders of all abilities. And for less experienced people to know that getting off you bike and running is something we all have to do at some point.
What a great course and weekend. Of course I got home and realized I left my long sleeve fleece jersey by the start line. Black with hearts and stars on it. Let me know if you picked it up. Thanks!
Awesome two days! I also left my Elmhurst Masters Thermal coat at start ramp, give me a hollar, thanks
Tipping Point Photography was out covering all races today!
I’ll update this blog post with links to albums as they’re uploaded. It will probably take me the better part of the week to get everything posted. Masters 35 is up now, and Masters 45/55 will be up very shortly.
http://www.tippingpointphoto.com/chicago-cyclocross-cup-2016-indian-lakes-ilrcx/
Prints can be purchased, as well as digital files. Details in the post.
**A friendly reminder that I make a living doing this, and that swiping images and using them without paying for them will bring you bad racing karma. Thanks in advance for your respect and support!**
e: liz@tippingpointphoto.com
If anyone found a Crown Royal bag with miscellaneous camera-mount hardware please let me know. I think it may have fallen out of my bag at or around the southeast parking area.
Thanks.
There was a bag of sorts at the start grid at 5pm. check the L&F box.
thank you whoever found my car key. greatly appreciate you giving it to the announcer.
I know the majority of people think 4/5 is a joke, and that’s fine, but I think that course alterations by spectators is not in good spirit.
The last uphill kicker on the hill got significantly steeper for the 4/5 race (the lower tape was moved up) and the Psimet crew took it upon themselves to get rid of all the sand lines for the first time of the day between the 4 & 4/5.
Agreed. Unfortunately there will always be some spectators who find it more entertaining to watch us suffer than to watch us succeed.
Incorrect but thanks for throwing me under the bus. I raked the lines before the 4’s. That had zero impact on the race. What had more impact was 80 of your best most qualified racing friends trouncing through the sand 3 times. Does a heck of a lot more than a rake does but I’m sure you didn’t think of that.
You pre-rode after or during the elite races where people consistently rode the same line. That doesn’t exactly happen in the 4’s or 4/5’s.
As for between the 4’s and 4/5 – neither I or anyone on my team touched a rake but of course you didn’t bother to figure that out before accusing all of us.
Listen – the 4’s and the 4/5’s isn’t a “joke” as you put it. Nor do people treat the 4’s or 4/5’s as a joke. Everyone was in fact cheering. Turns out though that when you dive into a sand pit with flailing riders in a tunnel of sound you just don’t ride as wel as you expected but by all means continue to complain about how somehow that 30 ft of course destroyed your entire racing experience that was miles in length for each of your laps.
Sick of getting blamed for other people’s actions and general misplaced anger at ones own shortcomings.
Rob, not sure why I indulge your over-exaggeration or pity party. You call it ‘raking the lines,’ I call ‘taking away the lines.’ Either way, we can all agree you were on a course of which you were neither hosting nor racing,
Nobody said it ruined a race, I simply said course tape is there for a reason, stay on your side of it.
I was referring to the hill modification and the gents laughing at us as we were crashing and landing on each other. I have no problem with resetting the sand lines.
This is a great reason to have the 4’s and 4/5’s start at 8:30am and let us old guys sleep in a little….
I agree with Jim, sleeping in would be great. Okay in regards to the 4 & 4/5’s…sand raking or not to? Come on we have all raced in this category. I know that when I raced, sand raking and course alterations were part of racing in this category. We enjoy ALL the races and especially the last 2 categories! Nothing is done to harm any of the athletes and trust me if as spectators/racers we saw something malicious it would be fixed. This is done all in fun let’s just keep that spirit in mind as we race and spectate. See everyone at Melas
Ed you very specifically stated, “the Psimet crew took it upon themselves to get rid of all the sand lines for the first time of the day between the 4 & 4/5.”
1. This isn’t true. I personally raked BEFORE the 4’s race which achieved nothing in altering any of the course through there. About 30 people completely decimated the sand in between the 4 and 4/5 race. None were a part of the “PSIMET crew”
2. As you mention yourself nothing that was done by anyone affected the race or its outcome – yet I personally am the only person you call out.
My team deserves an apology from you for accusing them of doing what they didn’t do. Keep your high moral ground and do the right thing and apologize to them personally at the next race.
Hey guys, lets chill out.
Settle this in the grudge match at Afterglow
Rob, admit that you also raked the sand at Zonhoven. Tim Merlier is pissed.
http://www.slowtwitch.com/articles/images/4/112924-largest_ZonhovenCross4.jpg
You either rode it or you didn’t.
Personally, I think this is all Donald Trump’s fault… too soon?
I think it’s time to work participation trophies into the budget that say “You tried super hard”
* “You raked super hard”
Great races!
Anyone receive the white sunglasses I lost on my jog to the SRAM Neutral Support tent (guys, thanks again for the wheel – also, thanks for taking my sunglasses to the organizers!)?
Thanks!
There were a pair of white sunglasses that made their way to the lost and found. Check next week at Melas!
Jon, see me at the announcing table on your way to the Box. I have a pair someone brought up to me too. I try to keep lenses out of the L&F box for a week or two….
I’d like to commend the Bonkers, Comade, and Spider Monkey guys I was riding with in the 4/5s on Sunday. The east side of course was absolutely destroyed and these guys kept it honest continuing to ride the course lines. Good on you, dudes.
P.S. the cake and beer hand-ups were on point. 10/10 would always take the hand-ups again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMzpOeZDfOL/
So racers sticking to the course despite down tape? And now this; pre-riders honoring the last rider on the course by staying back!!
This IS really cool. Bravo to all involved in these to instances, as well as all those who did right throughout the day that we will never know about.
TWO instances…..
What a fun course! Thanks all the folks involved in putting it on. Reading about stuff left at the start grid made me remember that I left my xXx vest at the start grid. If anyone picked it up, could you let me know? Otherwise I’ll check the lost and found.
SUNDAY
Cat 4
https://youtu.be/l7YwvBas35M
Cat 4/5
https://youtu.be/PjDdBT9WG5M
Thanks for posting. The sun spots in my eyes had just disappeared. Now, I’m blinded all over again.
SCW, thanks for doing and awesome job hosting this race at one of the best race venues off all CCC time. Many great memories on and off the course, even in the van,… in the parking lot during the rain out (maybe not what you think).
The two years of hosting the NYR , one of the more epic and star studded races ever to grace Chicagoland dirt.
Sorry to see it go, but excited to see what the Wheelmen have in store for us next season.
My hearty thanks!!
Steve and all the SCW folks, thanks again for another great two days of racing. Without question one of my favorite courses and venues outside of Sunrise ( but I’m a bit jaded on that…) Sorry to see this one going away. Looking forward to what you have in store for us next year. It will be difficult to top ILR.
There were a number of items that may match the descriptions above that did indeed find their way to the trailer. The lost and found box will be available at Melas. its never been more stuffed.
Always a good idea to get a sharpie too. Marking stuff up is pro.
This series is something special. Every course is my favorite. Every category is my favorite.
Great job by so many people that you’ll rarely see or hear from. What a culture we have/are cultivated(ing).
I salute the founders, the trailblazers, the set up artists (yes, artists), the bean counters, number crunchers, reg, marshalls, repair squads, NRS, scoring, enforcing, supporting, cajoling, heckling, grilling, and everybody else. Should also include the tent constructors and grill masters, and sometimes keg/slash wine bag tappers.
Get your rig dialed in now. New handlebar tape to give you good vibes. Replace what is worn. Now is not the time to end a season on a sour note due to a preventable breakdown. Thanks for the kind words to my wife, son, and me. Anytime we aren’t celebrating the riders and the fans, we are missing the point. The races are exciting all by themselves, I just remind you that they’re coming. Ride well. See you Sunday.
Do you know where registration is?
We want to thank South Chicago Wheelmen for again throwing a weekend cx party that you feel in your bones till Tuesday.
Pics from Indian Lakes Saturday racing can be found here: http://www.snowymountainphotography.com/Sports/Cyclocross/2016-Cyclocross/CCC1608ILRCX/
We did not shoot on Sunday, instead we spent the day hanging out with friends and teammates, viewing the races from our cliffside sandpit team tent. Fellow series sponsor and photographer extraordinaire Liz from Tipping Point Photography was out with her camera on Sunday so be sure to check out her photos as well.
We can be contacted via email: Flash@snowymountainphotography.com,
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snowymountainphotography/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/SnowyMountainPhotography/ or Twitter: https://twitter.com/SnowyMtnPhoto.
As always, feel free to send us your comments, needs or suggestions.
All our best,
Nathan and Morleigh
Day 2 drama in the masters 45+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DLUH5jfGxU&feature=youtu.be
Masters 35+: The Race for 20th.
https://1drv.ms/v/s!Akl8Bk-kum3XkZAsytdcPG_8vqVHew
Thanks to Nash, Grosspietsch, and Beebe for making such a good race of it.
Saturday M1/2/3 first lap: http://www.trainingbiblecycling.com/indian-lakes-resort-2016-m123-first-lap/
I threw off a tie dye arm warmer somewhere in the final stretch back to the start finish. I’ll check the lost and found on Sunday but if anyone found it swing by the Cuttin Crew tent and receive hugs and snacks as a reward.
Thanks to SCW for a great race, especially Saturday’s course. I was forced to ride a few sections more than once in my warm up and never dialed some of them in correctly, which is to say the course was challenging. To create technical challenges within a very windy power hungry course is a credit to the course designers.
I heard some rumors that people were complaining that some sections of the course were ‘too hard to ride’ and not ‘flowy’. But to me this is the challenge of cyclocross. If every course is ‘fast and flowy and super fun’ you’re not learning anything. If you find a section that trips you up and disrupts your rhythm then that means the course designers have done something right. Consider not being able to ride something, or get it perfectly right the first time to be a challenge to your skills. Know that you’ll be a better rider after that race even if you never get it quite right. For more technical features try riding them more than once in your warm up lap, and if you still can’t ride them then know that you can get off your bike and run. One of the best lessons in cyclcross is knowing how to maintain your momentum through all sections whether you can ride them or not.
I commend SCW for putting forward a course that had sections that tripped me up on every lap. More of this please. Looking forward to Melas Park!
Agreed! I was a bit disappointed to see the lines dumbed down a bit on Sunday compared to Saturday. Two spots on the hill got much easier, and a bunch of lines through the infield got softened as well. Saturday’s course was money!
Agreed. I didn’t race Saturday, but did Sunday and I thought the course was super flowy. There were a few tech sections, but I didn’t see any sections that were so technical they were undoable whether riding or running. I agree with Maria, take a few laps and try different lines and see if you can get it right, if not get off and run. Look at some of the higher category riders and see how many laps they take. I make it a rule to always try for 3 full laps, 1 lap slow to survey the course, 1 lap a tad faster and 1 lap at race pace that way you get a feel for the course and the lines and won’t have surprises come race time. Courses need to cater to every category. There will be some courses where lower categories might not be able to ride sections that the higher categories can, but that’s part of racing. Look at any quality UCI course and you’ll see sections even some pros can’t ride. That’s the whole point, you should be pushed to your limits to some extent every race or you’ll never improve. If the course was set up so the most beginner rider could easily ride everything then there would be no challenge for riders of higher categories and the lower category riders would suffer in the long run by not gaining any skills. I thought this was the best version of ILR yet! Wish this wasn’t the last year.
The course on Saturday had some more challenging elements that were smoothed out on Sunday. I don’t fault SCW for that, I spoke with directly with Steve about it. Just expressing my desire in general for CCC course designers to push the envelope a bit and challenge riders of all abilities. And for less experienced people to know that getting off you bike and running is something we all have to do at some point.
Totally agree!