Spoils from 'cross in Troy

Now crowding my trunk:
Hopefully, about 5,000 feet of caution tape
$5 for the racer who can recognize this at Spa 'Cross next week!

I spent the weekend in Troy, at the New York State Cyclocross Championships (Saturday) and the Uncle Sam Cross (Sunday). I raced both days, with decidedly poor results (although, poor-er results on Saturday). More importantly, I spent several hours on both days volunteering at registration, signing racers in and giving out numbers.

The two races were on similar courses, in Troy's Prospect Park (not to be confused with Brooklyn's Prospect Park), although it was run in reverse on the second day, which I found flowed a little better.

On the first day, despite getting a call up and front-line start, I soon found myself at the rear of the pack, and going backwards quickly. I rode three laps and dropped out, not having any fun at all, and not interested in getting lapped.

On Sunday, I also started in the front row, and got a similarly poor start, but rode a little better, had a little fun, and only got lapped by the first four or five finishers. Anyway, the real spoils from the weekend was the caution tape (pictured above), which I salvaged, after helping to take the course down after Sunday's races.

The idea is to re-use it this coming Sunday, at Spa 'Cross. (Go register!) I love the idea of promoting a 'cross race, but I hate the idea of wasting all of that plastic. Unfortunately, between now and next weekend, there's no option but to leave all the tap, wadded up in balls, in my trunk, where it makes an amusing visual, at the very least.