Early morning, kitted road rides posted on Strava clubs seem to dominate the social media air waves in the Bay Area these days. This kind of riding, as others in the alt-cycling media space have pointed out, is a bit fraught. At best, the earth-tone kits and carbon-fiber bikes show clarity and a home for the training, committed cyclist. At worst, in the city at the heart of the AI speculation economy, it’s domineering and anti-social. Decidedly against that, Ocean Beach Flowers Courier Service posts a few Instagram stories each summer exclaiming when and where to race some loosely-cordoned cyclocross.

Four years on, OBF knows how to run a DIY ‘cross race. I’ve done them myself and I know how much/little work they can be. They got some prizes from a few niche brands, coolers, a megaphone, a bluetooth speaker, and a vision. Pre-ride or don’t before 6:30p, $10, and then it’s 30 minutes + one lap. Prizes for the WTF podium and overall podium. Hang for an hour-ish after. Home by 8p. Simple and sweet. 

This week’s race is in McLaren Park, in the southeast corner of the city and up on a hill. It gets “California cold” up there. To my mild surprise, people kept piling into the start/finish area and tendering their admission. The pre-ride promised two or three nauseating pitches and their complementary rooty, dusty descents.

It’s easy to see how refreshed people are by this kind of racing. The atmosphere is social and inclusive. There are families, teenagers, women, and gender-expansive people. A run-what-you-brung-ethos helps; the fancy and not-so-fancy Cargo, tandem, and tracklocross bikes stake their claim. I notice that friends and partners are there, many of whom maybe don’t race, but just want to support. The large number of spectators quickly find spots to cheer on the racers once Jimmy starts corralling the riders down the trail. 

Once it starts, it’s as quickly over. As I’m climbing around to grab a few shots, a muffled *one more lap* comes down over the hill. Hand-ups and cowbells get the riders over the finish line with hands on hips, inhaling sharply. Everyone is looking alive. The podium is announced and cheered for, but it’s secondary—a truth everyone present seems to acknowledge. 

As I recover from Lyme disease, I must be more selective about the events I choose to devote my time to. Rocking up to this one resulted in a lot more recovery than I was anticipating, and I didn’t even race. As feelings of frustration lessen, it lends perspective to the importance of accessibility to our community. It is a much easier sell to ask a friend or partner to come to a ‘cross race to cheer, or to race for 45 minutes around people who look like them on a bike that looks like theirs. OBF415’s Cutty Cyclocross Series shines as a good time for the whole family in an earnest bid for the bike culture in the Bay.  

The next race in the series will be at Candlestick Park at 6:30 pm on August 14th, 2024. Follow @obf415 on Instagram for more details.