
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 102mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
This Will Not End Well
(for him, that is. For me, it was great 🙂 )
Today was the last race of the local cyclocross-racing season, and I took the opportunity to see some friends race. Cyclocross bicycle racing is sort of like mini-obstacle-course bicycle racing, with a few laps on a relatively short course going over steep embankments, through mud and sand, over barriers, etc. It rained quit a bit a few days ago, so the course had plenty of photogenic mud.
I literally have not yet seen all the photos I took, but I wanted share a few so as to share the gist of the day.
There are races throughout the day for various categories, but I arrived before the first to check out the course. The cyclists were doing the same. I found one particularly-interesting area...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 125mm — 1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 180 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mud Bath
The mud was deceptively deep, so if you didn't see someone in it as in the photo above, it was easy to misjudge your entry and find yourself involuntarily off the bike....

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 78mm — 1/400 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
... And This is Just a Practice Lap
A cyclocross lap generally includes sections where you must get off the bike and carry it over obstacles, but also many sections like the Mud Bath above where you can try to ride or just push/carry the bike if you think it'll be faster. Most folks chose the latter.
This included American friend Andy Clark, who was near the front in the first race, the Men's “C3” (“Category 3”) race....

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Charging Toward the Mud Bath
Andy started this season (his first) in Category 4, which is open to all who have a bike, the entry fee, and a free Sunday. But one gets elevated to Category 3 only by earning it, which he did quickly earlier in the season.
Andy's been on my blog numerous times since I started cycling, including here, here, and here.
In cyclocross it's very good to be in front of the pack, because otherwise you can get bogged down in a clump of competitors...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 86mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Scrum Arrives

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Glorious
After passing the Mud Bath, the course continued away, and after three 180° hairpins across various parts of an embankment, the course came back past me on the other side, up a different hill that was sufficiently-less muddy to entice more folks to try actually riding up it.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 @ 16mm — 1/1600 sec, f/13, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Andy Charges Ahead

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 80mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Not Always Smooth Sailing

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 155mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
Easier to Carry

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Forgot To Tie His Shoe?

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 44mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Antti Rides the Mud Bath
Finnish friend Antti was also in the “C3” race. He got caught behind a big pileup near the start, so was trying to claw back time. He successfully rode through the Mud Bath.
You might recall Antti from this post about how well he took care of things when a friend crashed on a group ride. He was also with my on my first ride to the ocean, among many others, including my very first ride.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Mud Bath made for fun (for me), but it didn't usually give photos of people actually riding bicycles, and when I turned around to get folks coming back the other way, the background (the parking lot) was horrible. With the photo above, I tried to lessen the impact of the background with some creative processing.
Back to the mud-bath fun...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 110mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bumper Cars

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 130mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
True Grit

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mud, Literally and Literately
the character on the back of his jersey means “mud”
In their C3 race, which was three laps of the course, Andy ended up getting 8th out of 54. Antti got 11th. Very good.
German friend Christoph Millotat rode in the C4 race...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 75mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Christoph Traversing the Mud Bath

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Checking the Mud
yup, still muddy
The mud was very soupy in the morning, but as riders took its moisture away on them (and their clothes and bikes), the mud got a bit firmer as the day went. But it was still mud.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 @ 14mm — 1/1600 sec, f/10, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
As I said, there are many categories, including various levels for women. The ladies got in the mud just like the guys...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 125mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
In One Sense
“In the mud like the guys” in one sense

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 82mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
And In Another
“In the mud like the guys” in another sense

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Kids Too
Because I was camped out at the Mud Bath, my photos haven't shown much else of the course, but here's one that gives more of an idea of some of the nastier parts...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/8, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Zig-Zaggy Up and Down
The guy in the center of that photo illustrates a great thing about amateur cyclocross racing...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/8, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Competitor
The easy categories are open to everyone and they're probably the safest kind of competitive cycling, as speeds are never very fast. One can spend a lot on a bike, but it's not required, so the real barrier to entry is mental. The guy above is obviously out of shape, but he's out there doing it, giving it a try, not giving up. He certainly got a better workout than I did just standing around all day.
And what happens when an out of shape guy like that intrudes on the world of the fit cyclist? He gets cheered on and encouraged...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Andy Cheers the Competitor On
with words of encouragement and a noisy cowbell

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 140mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Gotta give it to you, sir. These photos are great. I’ve given you
shitpolite criticism in the past about the interest factor in cycling but this last post has some great shots. Mudbath and This is just a practice lap: I love how the guy in pink in MB and both people in TIJAPL both have this happy “GTFOH!” expression as they get engulfed in the mud. Big technical points too for that mudspray capture around the front tire and front sprocket in MB.Also, the photos of the women you chose. -You did a great job of showing them as tough, undaunted and yet such beauty, such grace.
Great color, clarity, and resolution on those brightly lit shots. Wonderfully candid in many shots and great story telling. How far off are we from seeing posts from you about the thrills of mountain biking in Kyoto? And perhaps another new biking toy?
I’m still enjoying my new bike… probably nothing much will change until the next cyclocross season starts next fall. —Jeffrey
Great photos. A bit puzzling why everyone (except the kid) is doing it on road bikes, some with clip in pedals!? Seems like the worst possible tool for the job.
I doubt anyone is on a road bike… they’re almost all cyclocross bikes. —Jeffrey
amazing pictures. I adore this style!