Bikes, mud and beer

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

It’s safe to say that cyclocross bicycle racers are a different breed from the rest. While the thought of lapping road bikes on a dirt track filled with obstacles, creek crossings and mud holes big enough to swallow a person whole might not appeal to the general public, for cyclocross riders, it’s the reason they roll out of bed in the morning.

Sandpoint’s own cyclocross race, known as the Crosstoberfest, will take place Saturday, Oct. 29 at Hickey Farms. This year marks the second in which the race will take place at the farm as part of its month-long Harvest Fest celebration in October.

A Crosstoberfest rider navigates the creek crossing at the event last year. Photo by Rich Cower.

Race organizers Charles Mortensen, of Syringa Cyclery, and Jason Welker, of trail-building organization Pend Oreille Pedalers, told the Reader that Jason Meshberg is to thank for cementing the location at Hickey Farms after they lost the previous venue at the University of Idaho property on North Boyer — now undergoing a transformation into a housing development.

“We looked on Onyx where you can see property boundaries and noticed Hickey Farms is way bigger than the areas they use for the Harvest Festival,” said Welker. “Meshberg made initial contact with the Holt family [which owns Hickey Farms] and here we are.”

Despite its novelty for some, the concept of cyclocross actually goes far back in bike racing history.

“It really started in Europe — Belgium, probably — at the beginning of the last century,” said Mortensen. “Road racers would do it to train in the off-season. They’d ride road bikes across fields and do these cross-country cyclocross training rides. That eventually evolved into a discipline.”

“Cyclocross is considered one of the more odd forms of racing,” said Welker. “Very few people are full-time cyclocross racers. It’s a race that happens in the worst, muddiest part of the year. It’s the mountain biking off-season and the road biking off-season.”

Riders will traverse the 1.8-mile track and try to complete as many laps as possible in the 45-minute time frame before collapsing in a heap of sweat, mud and smiles at the end of the race.

The Crosstoberfest race — along with the popular 3/4-Minus Cykeltur (Danish for “bike ride”) and the Fat Bike race in winter — are contests that speak to the adventurous spirit of the bicycling community.

“What those races all have in common is they all inflict serious pain and suffering,” Welker joked. “For the Cyclocross, you’re on full sprint for 45 minutes, then you just collapse on the finish line. But, five minutes later, your feet are warming up by the bonfire and you’ve got a beer in your hand and a smile on your face.”

With rain in the forecast, the creek crossing at Hickey Farms should provide for a great spectator perch from which to watch racers navigate the muddy waters, lap after grueling lap.

“Cyclocross is very spectator-friendly,” Mortensen said. “It’s by far the most spectator-friendly event. People who participate in cyclocross races in urban areas like Seattle and Portland will just make it a big party, drinking all day long, heckling the racers. It’s like the European soccer of cycle races.”

The race is split between several divisions, starting at 9:30 a.m. with the kids’ race, featuring riders aged 5-9 years old.

“Anybody can sign up on the day of the race,” Welker said. “The kids’ race is free and any bike is fine for them to use. Even strider bikes. The race is a couple hundred yards looping around Hickey Farms.”

Next up is the junior event starting at 10:30 a.m., which is a fast-growing category of riders, thanks to the number of teenagers getting into the sport. The Junior Category is divided between ages 9-14 and 15-18, with a massive field of entrants expected, thanks in part to youth clinics hosted by POP.

When asked what it’s like to watch this new generation of riders taking on the sport, Welker said, “That’s what this is all about. POP is in the third year of doing youth clinics right now. The existence of kid-friendly trails at Pine Street Woods has exploded the population of kids who can ride trails right now.”

After the junior events, the older kids take their turns on the track. These categories are based on experience, with Categories 1-2 filled with “almost professionals” and Categories 4-5 for the more casual riders. Also, the Masters Category is a very competitive 40-50-year-old men’s division.

Medals will be awarded to winners of each division, also split between men and women. 

Kylie and Bob Presta, of Pend d’Oreille Winery, donated an excellent prize of a custom-labeled bottle of wine for the winners of each category — except juniors, naturally. Matchwood Brewing Co. donated a keg, and Hickey Farms has also been a great partner, according to Welker and Mortensen.

The Crosstoberfest race is not only a great time and fun competition, but a fundraiser for POP to aid its mission of building and maintaining trails in the region. 

“We have so much going on with the city right now with our Watershed Recreation Plan,” said Welker, who also sits on the Sandpoint City Council. “A lot of these funds go right towards building trails. … We spent over $20,000 on trail construction this year, and if we didn’t have fundraisers like this, we would’ve run out of money and they would’ve sat there unfinished.

“We do these races because they’re important to our culture and our community,” said Welker.