I’ll have to dig into my past notes and stuff. I think I participated in the 2nd or maybe 3rd Southern Cross, back when it was still up in the middle of nowhere. It was poorly enough attended that I placed second (out of 2) in single speed. This got me embarrassing call-ups in subsequent years at Monteluce. It was a great ride.
1 Like
Yeah it’s been going on that long.
Not sure how the course compares to other races in the US claiming to be the first. P2A is a mix of gravel road, paved road, gravel rail trail and a smattering of single track. In a dry year it’s been won on a road bike.
There might be some stuff in Jason Mahokey’s old xxc mag. Mostly mtb I recall. Collection XXC Magazine | MagCloud
2 Likes
Don’t follow “races” much but I did forget about this one. I lived in Iowa at that time and it felt like all the local bike jocks could do was post about it. Kinda surprised to hear it didn’t become a thing!
1 Like
Not sure this counts but as attendance in local XC races declined, I seem to remember a couple of them adding a CX bike class in the 2000s.
1 Like
Almanzo? My understanding is that the people that started it didn’t want to sell the race to Lifetime (at peak popularity), and tried to hand the race off to the community, but guess that they haven’t kept up the promotion and Covid probably put a damper on things. I think the same route is being used for another ride this summer.
Edit: original ride organizer “retired” the name, guessing there was some drama but whatever: http://www.ridinggravel.com/gravel-news/gravel-grinder-news-almanzo-becomes-the-heywood-ride/
1 Like
Velodirt used to be incredibly prolific before the Outback blew up the scene but they got me into gravel riding and for that I’m thankful. I remember doing the Dalles Mountain 60 as far back as 2011, the Rapture in 2011 and 2012, and I still have a patch from the short-lived Rickreall Gravel Classic in 2013.
4 Likes
Have the same patch
1 Like
3 Likes
frighteningly similar to my bike too. at least in terms of handle bars, fricc shifting , geom and tire choice
2 Likes
I made some compromises and toured with a zither heaven toy banjo (just for entertaining myself anyways) instead of a full-sized five string — although my open back is far far lighter than a resonator, it still would’ve been hard to transport
8 Likes
I used to tour with a cheapie uke tuned in 5ths, but inherited the custom banjo my soils professor used when he bike toured behind the iron curtain in the 70s and 80s.
3 Likes
Tired: dangle mug
Wired: dangle banjo
here’s what I’ve got nowadays. The middle one is a 1920s tenor that someone turned into a five string fretless. And then a cheap (but decent!) gold tone and the zither heaven
Why does the zither heaven have an Allen wrench?
Tuning handle dealy:
I have a Deering Goodtime that I learned on a while back but haven’t pulled out lately.
1 Like
This is the bike BLOG thread not the bike BANJO thread
4 Likes
I mean it kind of already happened and ya’ll hated it…
Though a Ghost Mice sticker would be a bit more on brand for an annoying traveler crust punk vibe. Nana Grizol is all about having feelings about things.
4 Likes
Tarck is canceled ffs
2 Likes
If I remember correctly, Tarck chased off the TrickTrack guy years ago.
Tarck tried to cancel ffs
3 Likes